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Paired Associates Learning, the Shortfalls of Behaviorism, and the Rise of Cognitivism

By Elizabeth J. Meinz

Paired Associates Learning, the Shortfalls of Behaviorism, and the Rise of Cognitivism


 

Abstract

In this interrupted case study, students learn about a series of studies conducted in the late '50s/early '60s by Robert Young at the University of Texas at Austin. The studies, which explored the type of phenomena that behaviorism has had a difficult time explaining, were instrumental in the rise of cognitive psychology. A set of PowerPoint presentations (available for download in Supplementary Materials) are used to run an in-class demonstration as explained in the teaching notes. The case was written for use in a cognitive psychology course, but could also be used in other psychology courses such as Introductory Psychology, History and Systems of Psychology, or other courses in which the contrast between behaviorist and cognitive explanations of behavior are discussed.

   

Date Posted

12/20/2004

Overview

Objectives

  • To better students' understanding of behavioral and cognitive psychology.
  • To demonstrate the use of experimental design to test the viability of theories (behavioral vs. cognitive).
  • To illustrate the type of research that led to major theoretical shifts in psychology.
  • To demonstrate experimental design in action.

Keywords

behaviorism; behaviorist; cognitive psychology; cognitivist; stimulus-response; paired associates learning; serial learning

  

Subject Headings

Psychology

EDUCATIONAL LEVEL

Undergraduate lower division

  

FORMAT

PDF, PowerPoint

   

TOPICAL AREAS

N/A

   

LANGUAGE

English

   

TYPE/METHODS

Demonstration, Interrupted

 

 

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