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Research productivity in animal learning from 1953 to 2000
Michael Domjan1, Mark A Krause
1Department of Psychology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA. domjan@psyvax.psy.utexas.edu
Animal Learning & Behavior
|October 24, 2002
Summary
Research on animal learning shows a publication increase in Medline and PsycInfo databases from 1975-2000. Despite a decline in behavioral studies papers since 1973, increased experiments per paper and interest in learning mechanisms suggest a positive outlook.
Area of Science:
- Behavioral Science
- Neuroscience
- Animal Behavior
Background:
- Publication trends in animal learning research from 1975 to 2000 show database-specific growth.
- Analysis of major journals reveals a peak in behavioral studies of learning around 1973, followed by a decline.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the status of behavioral studies of learning over a 40-year period.
- To evaluate trends in publication volume, experiments per paper, and core author numbers.
- To determine if increased interest in neural mechanisms impacts behavioral research.
Main Methods:
- Searches of Medline and PsycInfo databases for animal learning publications (1975-2000).
- Examination of major behavioral journals for publication data (1953-2000).
- Analysis of core author numbers in the field over time.
Main Results:
- Medline showed a greater increase in animal learning publications than PsycInfo between 1975 and 2000.
- Journal publications peaked in 1973 and declined thereafter, but experiments per paper increased.
- Core author numbers peaked in 1973, with a slight decline by 2000, remaining stable compared to 1963/1983.
Conclusions:
- Pessimism regarding the status of behavioral learning studies is unwarranted when considering long-term research activity.
- The growing interest in neural and biological mechanisms of learning is expected to benefit behavioral research.
- Understanding behavioral phenomena is crucial for investigating their underlying physiological mechanisms.