Dr. Kenneth M. Steele

310F Smith-Wright

Office hours: M W 11-12, T Th 1-2 (Email me for a link to the schedule calendar)

Phone: 262-2272 (main office -- leave a message)

email: steelekm@appstate.edu

Backup textbook: Powell, R. A., Honey, P. L., & Symbaluk, D. G. Introduction to Learning and Behavior. (Any edition will work.  Buy the cheapest on Amazon or some other site.)

Assigned readings and exercises on web site, http://www.appstate.edu/~steelekm

Description of the course:

Learning is defined by the approach that the unit of analysis is the interaction between the individual and the world in which the individual lives.  A complete description involves both the environment and the behavior of the individual.  The goal of learning theory is to describe the predictable relationship between the two. 

This course is a survey of early and modern work on classical conditioning and operant conditioning. These types of conditioning can be quickly differentiated in theory. 

A classical conditioning procedure involves a situation where an event (a stimulus) predicts that a second event (another stimulus) is going to happen and you cannot control the occurrence of that second event.  But you can use the time to get ready for that second event.

Operant conditioning covers the cases where your responses can control that second event.  You can make the event happen more quickly, more often, less often, or even block the occurrence of the event.

A moment's reflection will indicate that a person in any situation is being exposed to both classical and operant conditioning procedures at the same time.  This is true.  One goal of the course is to enable you to walk into a situation and do an analysis from both a classical conditioning and an operant conditioning perspective.  Sometimes the procedures should produce the same direction of change change and sometimes they are in conflict.  That is why you need to know both analytic perspectives.

The standard Learning course is usually divided into two general parts that are presented separately:  classical conditioning and operant conditioning.  I will follow that sequence.  The course is divided roughly into four portions. The first quarter will cover the basic procedures to produce and talk about classical conditioning effects. The second quarter will cover interpretations and explanations of classical conditioning effects. How do you predict a classical conditioning procedure to be in effective operation? The third quarter will cover basic procedures and terminology of operant conditioning. And the fourth quarter will cover theory and research in operant conditioning. There will be a big emphasis on the Law of Effect (or can we predict what makes an event a reward).  A list of topics and assigned readings is found on the class web site.

Structure of the classes:

This could be a very bumpy road.  We will begin by jumping into the Wayback Machine and setting the dial to 2018 and assume that it will be an in-person class.  But who knows what will happen after ASU has been in session for a month or so.

Most of the material I will use in class is contained on my web site. Go to http://www.appstate.edu/~steelekm and click on the link to this class. The "Topics" link will take you to the in-class material. Each cell contains a variety of links. Some links are central to the topic and some links are there because they prove useful should certain questions pop up in class. Some links are there because I am experimenting with different ways of presenting material. The important point is that you should not treat the web page as a Powerpoint slide show, to be viewed from from first to last for an equal amount of time. You will learn in class which are the important links to understand.

The backup textbook listed above is just what it means.  You may use it to cover some basic definitions.  We will delve into much more detail.

Notice that cells have no dates attached to them. This is because everything is fluid at the moment.  We will cover what we can cover.  The general order is correct but this course is not a death march through the Sahara.

I use both the chalkboard and my website to present material often. One important reason is that if the study of learning is the study of the interaction of an individual with the environment then the timing of occurrence of events (both stimuli and responses) is very important.  A chalkboard provides the opportunity to incorporate this issue.  A second reason, its use gives me freedom.  People can ask questions and I can prepare answers for them on the fly that they can record in notes. I want you to be able to ask questions and develop an extensive series of notes so that you will be prepared for analyses and exams.  Prepare to take notes.  At some points I will be instructing you how to prepare diagrams to understand terminology and important effects.

Don't ask for me to do a simulcast of classroom and zoom.  This has turned out to be a failure because I move around and the camera will miss that.  In addition, the microphones in use will lose my voice as I move about. 

This class may end up being conducted via zoom.  If that happens,  the class will be synchronous.  I want you to be able to interact with me and your fellow students.  This is one area of concern for me because the range of machines, operating systems, and network connections is both diverse and fragile.  Regularly, I see connection failures and often there is no tech support that can correct the problem.

Please, Please, Please ask questions. Don’t let the moment of confusion pass by. Don’t worry about the rest of the class, your job is to make sure that you understand.

Exam, Grades, and Life (Oh my!):

First, you should note the many application assignments.  Generally, the sequence is that I will talk about an issue and then give you an assignment to show your understanding of the issue.  You will submit an answer in a Word *.docx page or two.  Then we will convene to compare among answers in the class.  These assignments are graded as pass, fail, or need to redo.  I am not worried whether you have the correct answer on the first try but that you realize where is the problem from my feedback and class discussion and then what to do in the future.  Science is not about always being correct on the first go-round.  It is attending to feedback and attending to the future.  All of the assignments will be summed and counted as a complete exam.

There is a summary exam for the classical and operant conditioning sections.  They will be essay exams and are intended to be "power" tests to allow you to demonstrate your knowledge of the material.  You will be given a list of possible questions.

A final comment:

Conditioning is not some collection of weird old-fashioned lab effects that were invented by a small group of twisted people.  Think of conditioning like you would think of gravity.  You can't be for or against gravity.  Gravity operates everywhere.  Conditioning effects operate everywhere.  You need to be aware of its operation, know its power of operation in specific situations, and how to predict effects.  And then you won't try to design a stream that is supposed to flow up hill.