PSYC85H3 Chapter Notes - Chapter 12: Brainstem, Body Schema, Observational Learning
Document Summary
Guthrie (1886-1959: trained in logic and philosophy of science, denied that there could be any completely rigorous deduction, or ultimate validity in an argument. Contiguity: the principle that events occurring close together in time and space will tend to be associated with one another such that the recurrence of one will give rise to the other. A combination of stimulus, which has accompanied a movement, will on its own recurrence tend to be followed by that movement. Saw this as the only law of learning. Repetition: provides the opportunity for additional stimuli to become associated with the response. Once a habit is associated with a large number of different stimuli, it is that much harder to change. Reward: reward acts to prevent unlearning the association formed just before the reward. Simple rule of breaking a habit: find the cues that initiate the action and practice another response to those cues.
