Human Learning & Human Learning & MemoryMemory

Siena Heights UniversityChapters 7 & 8

Dr. S.Talbot

Chapter 7 & 8 –Cognitive Views of LearningChapter 7 & 8 –Cognitive Views of Learning

Cognitive Process◦Def. – how people ______, ______, ______ and

______ about their environment.

◦Edward Tolman’s Purposive Behaviorism Learning can be internal rather than external

(latent). Behavior is purposive (has a purpose). Expectations affect behavior. Learning results in an organized body of

information.

Chapter 7 & 8 –Cognitive Views of LearningChapter 7 & 8 –Cognitive Views of Learning

Gestalt Psychology – we experience our world beyond the simple sensations produced.

◦Perception is often ________ than reality.

Chapter 7 & 8 –Cognitive Views of LearningChapter 7 & 8 –Cognitive Views of Learning

Gestalt Psychology – we experience our world beyond the simple sensations produced.◦Perception is often different than reality.◦The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.◦An organism structures and organizes experience

(911).◦An organism is predisposed to organize information

in certain ways. Law of proximity Law of similarity Law of Pragnanz (kiss) Law of closure

◦Problems solving involves insight.

Chapter 7 & 8 –Cognitive Views of LearningChapter 7 & 8 –Cognitive Views of Learning

Verbal Learning

◦Serial Learning (days of the week) v. Paired Associate Learning (a new language).

◦Serial Learning Primacy effect Recency effect

◦Massed practice v. Distributed practice.◦Characteristics of the materials affects the

speed at which we learn and forget. Hermann Ebbinghaus

Nonsense syllables (and even pronunciation BPX v. DNK)

Chapter 7 & 8 –Cognitive Views of LearningChapter 7 & 8 –Cognitive Views of Learning

◦Meaning is important.

◦We search for meaning.

Chapter 7 & 8 –Cognitive Views of LearningChapter 7 & 8 –Cognitive Views of Learning

People Organize what they learn.People learn ideas faster than verbatim

words.People use encoding strategies (i.e.

images, pneumonic, number sequences).

Chapter 7 & 8 –Cognitive Views of LearningChapter 7 & 8 –Cognitive Views of Learning

Cognitive Theory Differences

◦Some learning is unique to ______(v. universal to all organisms).

◦People are ______ involved in learning (v. passive).

◦Some learning does not get reflected in external behaviors.

Chapter 7 & 8 –Cognitive Views of LearningChapter 7 & 8 –Cognitive Views of Learning

Human Memory v. Learning

◦How is learning different than memory?◦Memory is the ability to encode, store and

retrieve information.◦Learning is the acquisition of new information

and skills.

Chapter 7 & 8 –Cognitive Views of LearningChapter 7 & 8 –Cognitive Views of Learning

Dual – Store Model of Memory

◦Long and short - term memories are distinctly different. Color changing card trick.

Register

Chapter 7 & 8 –Cognitive Views of LearningChapter 7 & 8 –Cognitive Views of Learning

Human Memory◦ Sensory

Attention – Color changing cardsSignificance of info, emotion, incongruity,

motion, intensity, novelty, social cues.Limitations to attention?

◦ Short – term or working memory.◦ Digit Span: Test of attention and short-term memory; string of numbers is recalled forward or backward ◦ Typically part of intelligence tests or MSE.◦ Magic Number 7 (Plus or Minus 2): STM is limited to holding seven (plus or minus two) information bits at once◦ Information Bits: Meaningful units of information◦ Information Chunks

Meaning◦ Long - term

Capacity Duration? What we remember depends on what we find__________, what we

regard as ___________ or what we find ___________ strong.◦ Debate.

Chapter 7 & 8 –Cognitive Views of LearningChapter 7 & 8 –Cognitive Views of Learning

Engrams, Neurons and Brain Mapping

◦Priming

◦Constructive Processing