Learning and Behavior: A Contemporary Synthesis (2nd Edition) – eBook

Description

Dive deep into the captivating world of learning and behavior with the revised edition of Learning and Behavior: A Contemporary Synthesis, 2nd edition (PDF), authored by the esteemed Mark Bouton. This comprehensive digital resource presents a meticulous and engaging exploration of contemporary theories surrounding learning and behavior, all while shedding light on the historical context that has shaped the field. Bouton underscores the significance of animal learning in psychology, emphasizing that grasping its foundational principles is essential for students, psychologists, and scientists across related disciplines, including behavioral neuroscience and clinical psychology.

Each chapter meticulously unfolds the intricate processes through which knowledge is amassed, illustrating the systematic evolution of theory and empirical research. The text commences with a concise historical overview, linking contemporary issues to their philosophical and biological origins. In Chapter 2, readers will discover how fundamental learning processes equip organisms to thrive in a dynamic world, introduced via a diverse array of compelling examples that enhance engagement and understanding.

The book systematically moves through the maze of Pavlovian principles, offering a lucid examination of contemporary conditioning theories, particularly the Rescorla-Wagner model. It explores critical concepts such as memory retrieval and behavior system processes that influence performance, while investigating whether the learned behaviors observed in controlled environments like laboratory mazes and Skinner boxes extend to a wider ecological scope—case studies include learning behaviors in honey bees, categorization, causal judgments, and proposition learning in humans.

Moreover, Bouton navigates through the nuances of instrumental learning, dissecting the interplay between behavior and its consequences in chapters dedicated to behavior analysis and behavioral economics, alongside an insightful survey of animal cognition, illustrating how stimuli direct instrumental actions. The text culminates in a comprehensive final chapter that synthesizes key themes, addressing avoidance learning, learned helplessness, and other poignant examples of learning, while incorporating a modern cognitive approach to understanding instrumental action.

Up-to-date and dynamic, Learning and Behavior: A Contemporary Synthesis, 2nd Edition not only captivates students but also seamlessly illustrates the interconnections among various subjects within the field of psychology, sparking excitement for modern research.

For Students
Companion Website
Accompanying the textbook, the Learning and Behavior, 2nd edition Companion Website offers a wealth of resources designed to assist university students in comprehending, reviewing, and mastering the material from each chapter. Featured resources include:

• Glossary
• Flashcards
• Online quizzes
• Chapter Outlines
• Chapter Summaries

NOTE: Please be aware that this listing includes only Bouton’s Learning and Behavior: A Contemporary Synthesis, 2e in PDF format. Other resources are not included with this sale.