The case for a cognitive approach to animal learning and behavior

Area of Science:

• Behavioral psychology
• Cognitive science
• Animal cognition

Background:

• Behavior analysts are cautious about hypothesizing unobservable cognitive mechanisms.
• Cognitive theories can offer unique research avenues despite potential conflicts with behavioral theories.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore how cognitive theories can serve as research tools in behavior analysis.
• To demonstrate the utility of cognitive hypothesizing in understanding emergent relations in behavior.

Main Methods:

• Examining the development of emergent relations through empirical research.
• Utilizing cognitive theories to generate predictions that challenge existing behavioral models.
• Investigating two specific examples: stimulus equivalence and transitive inference.

Main Results:

• Cognitive hypothesizing can lead to empirical findings that advance behavioral understanding.
• Research on emergent relations, such as stimulus equivalence in pigeons, provides insights into complex behavior.
• Transitive inference demonstrates emergent relations mediated by common stimuli, advancing understanding of discrimination.

Conclusions:

• Carefully constructed cognitive theories can be valuable research tools for behavior analysts.
• Even if findings are later integrated into behavioral theories, cognitive hypothesizing drives novel research.
• The study of emergent relations, exemplified by stimulus equivalence and transitive inference, benefits from cognitive perspectives.