Chapter 5 Cognitive Learning Theories Tolman's Learning Theory o5.1 Edward Chace tolman ●(1886-1959 ● Born in newton, Massachusetts o Received his b.s. degree from the mass institutes of Technology in electrochemistry in 1911 o Received his m.a. (1912)and Ph. D (1915) degrees at Harvard uni
Chapter 5 Cognitive Learning Theories: Tolman’s Learning Theory ⚫ 5.1 Edward Chace Tolman ⚫ (1886-1959) ⚫ Born in Newton, Massachusetts. ⚫ Received his B.S.degree from the Mass.institutes of Technology in electrochemistry in 1911. ⚫ Received his M.A.(1912) and Ph.D.(1915) degrees at Harvard Uni
Chapter 5 Tolmans Learning Theory o 5.1 Edward Chace tolman o 1915-1918, taught at Northwestern Uni., At which time he was released for "lack of teaching success". but more likely it was because of his pacifism during wartime. 0 1918-1959, worked at Uni. of California. His stay at Uni. of California was interrupted when he was dismissed for refusing to sign a loyalty oath. He led a fight against the loyalty oath as an infringement (违反,侵害) on academic freedom and was reinstated when the professors won their case
Chapter 5 Tolman’s Learning Theory ⚫ 5.1 Edward Chace Tolman ⚫ 1915-1918, taught at Northwestern Uni., At which time he was released for “lack of teaching success”, but more likely it was because of his pacifism during wartime. ⚫ 1918-1959, worked at Uni. of California. His stay at Uni. of California was interrupted, when he was dismissed for refusing to sign a loyalty oath. He led a fight against the loyalty oath as an infringement （违反，侵害） on academic freedom and was reinstated when the professors won their case
Chapter 5 Tolmans Learning Theory ●52 Main ideas of tolman’ s learning theory o His learning theory can be looked on as a blend of Gestalt theory and behaviorism. while still a graduate at Harvard Uni. he traveled to germany and worked for a short time with Koffka. The influence of Gestalt theory on his own theorizing had a significant and lasting effect. His favorable attitude toward Gestalt psy did not preclude(F %t) a favora ble attitude toward behaviorism. He saw little value in the introspective approach and he felt psychology had to become completely objective. His main disagreement with the behaviorists was over the unit of behavior to be studied
Chapter 5 Tolman’s Learning Theory ⚫ 5.2 Main ideas of Tolman’s learning theory ⚫ His learning theory can be looked on as a blend of Gestalt theory and behaviorism. While still a graduate at Harvard Uni. he traveled to Germany and worked for a short time with Koffka, The influence of Gestalt theory on his own theorizing had a significant and lasting effect. His favorable attitude toward Gestalt psy. did not preclude(排除） a favorable attitude toward behaviorism. He saw little value in the introspective approach and he felt psychology had to become completely objective. His main disagreement with the behaviorists was over the unit of behavior to be studied
Chapter 5 Tolman's Learning Theory ●52 Main ideas of tolman’ s learning theory o He believed that it was possible to be objective while studying molar(克分子的) behavior (arge, intact, meaningful behavior patterns). He chose to study molar behavior systematically. So, Tolman was methodologically a behaviorist but metaphysically(形而上学) a cognitive theorist. In other words. he studied behavior in order to discover cognitive processes
Chapter 5 Tolman’s Learning Theory ⚫ 5.2 Main ideas of Tolman’s learning theory ⚫ He believed that it was possible to be objective while studying molar（克分子的） behavior (large, intact, meaningful behavior patterns). He chose to study molar behavior systematically. So, Tolman was methodologically a behaviorist but metaphysically（形而上学） a cognitive theorist. In other words, he studied behavior in order to discover cognitive processes
Chapter 5 Tolman's Learning Theory ●52 Main ideas of tolman’ s learning theory o5.2.1 Molar behavior. Molar behavior is purposive. that is, it is always directed toward some goal, Behavior can not be divided into smaller units for the purposes of study. He felt that whole behavior patterns had a meaning that would be lost if studied from an elementistic viewpoint. Molar behavior constituted a Gestalt that was different the individual twitches that made it up. P urposive behavior patterns can be looked on as behavioral gestalt. e
Chapter 5 Tolman’s Learning Theory ⚫ 5.2 Main ideas of Tolman’s learning theory ⚫ 5.2.1 Molar behavior: ⚫ Molar behavior is purposive.that is, it is always directed toward some goal.Behavior can not be divided into smaller units for the purposes of study. He felt that whole behavior patterns had a meaning that would be lost if studied from an elementistic viewpoint. Molar behavior constituted a Gestalt that was different the individual twitches that made it up. Purposive behavior patterns can be looked on as behavioral Gestalt.e.g
Chapter 5 Tolman's Learning Theory 5.2.1 Molar behavior. A rat running a maze; a cat getting out a puzzle box; a man driving home to dinner; a child hiding from a stranger, a woman doing her washing or gossiping over the telephone, a pupil marking a mental-test sheet; a psychologist reciting a list of nonsense syllables, my friend an i telling one another our thoug hi and feelings- -these are behaviors(qua:作为 以之为身份) behavior)
Chapter 5 Tolman’s Learning Theory ⚫ 5.2.1 Molar behavior: ⚫ “A rat running a maze; a cat getting out a puzzle box; a man driving home to dinner; a child hiding from a stranger, a woman doing her washing or gossiping over the telephone, a pupil marking a mental-test sheet; a psychologist reciting a list of nonsense syllables; my friend an I telling one another our thoughts and feelings ---these are behaviors(qua：作为， 以之为身份） behavior)
Chapter 5 Tolman's Learning Theory o 5.2.2 learning outcome: cognitive map. Learning is essentially a process of discovering what leads to what in the environment. The organism through exploration, discovers that certain events lead to certain other events or that one sign leads to another sign. e. g. when it's 5: 00P.M. (S1), dinner(s2)will soon follow ● For tolman, what is learned is“ the lay(位置,层面,形 #) of land, the organism learns what is there. It learns that if it turns to the left, it will find one thing, and if turns to the right, it will find another thing. Gradually it develops a picture of the environment that can be used to get around in it. This picture is cognitive map
Chapter 5 Tolman’s Learning Theory ⚫ 5.2.2 learning outcome:cognitive map. ⚫ Learning is essentially a process of discovering what leads to what in the environment.The organism, through exploration, discovers that certain events lead to certain other events or that one sign leads to another sign.e.g. when it’s 5:00P.M.(S1), dinner(S2)will soon follow. ⚫ For Tolman, what is learned is “the lay（位置，层面，形 势） of land”; the organism learns what is there. It learns that if it turns to the left, it will find one thing, and if turns to the right, it will find another thing. Gradually it develops a picture of the environment that can be used to get around in it. This picture is cognitive map
Chapter 5 Tolmans Learning Theory 5.2.2 learning outcome: cognitive map o Once the organism has developed a cognitive map, it can reach a particular goal from any number of directions. If one commonly used route is blocked, the animal simply takes an alternate route, just as the human takes a detour on the way home from work if the route usually taken is not available. The organism will choose the shortest route or the one requiring the least amount of work, which was referred to as the principle of least effort(exp p102)
Chapter 5 Tolman’s Learning Theory ⚫ 5.2.2 learning outcome:cognitive map ⚫ Once the organism has developed a cognitive map, it can reach a particular goal from any number of directions. If one commonly used route is blocked, the animal simply takes an alternate route, just as the human takes a detour on the way home from work if the route usually taken is not available. The organism will choose the shortest route or the one requiring the least amount of work, which was referred to as the principle of least effort.(exp.p102)
Chapter 5 Tolmans Learning Theory food path A path B path C start
Chapter 5 Tolman’s Learning Theory
Chapter 5 Tolmans Learning Theory o 5.2.3 Learning versus performance o We know many things about our environment but only act on this information when we need to do so. This knowledge lies dormant until a need arises. e.g. there may be two drinking fountains in your building and you may have passed them both many times without having paused for a drink, but if you became thirsty, you would merely walk over to one of them and take a drink.That's to say, you need to translate the knowledge into behavior until you became thirsty
Chapter 5 Tolman’s Learning Theory ⚫ 5.2.3 Learning versus performance: ⚫ We know many things about our environment but only act on this information when we need to do so.This knowledge lies dormant until a need arises. e.g.there may be two drinking fountains in your building and you may have passed them both many times without having paused for a drink, but if you became thirsty, you would merely walk over to one of them and take a drink.That’s to say, you need to translate the knowledge into behavior until you became thirsty