Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 3, 2026
08:43
Combined Shuttle-Box Training with Electrophysiological Cortex Recording and Stimulation as a Tool to Study Perception and Learning
Published on: October 22, 2015
Cognitive versus stimulus-response theories of learning
1Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21218, USA. pch@jhu.edu
Learning & Behavior
|August 8, 2008
Summary
This study reviews Kenneth W. Spence's distinctions between cognitive and stimulus-response (S-R) learning theories. It applies these concepts to research on stimulus-stimulus associations and their neural basis in associative learning.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Neuroscience
- Learning Theory
Background:
- Kenneth W. Spence's 1948 address highlighted key differences between cognitive and stimulus-response (S-R) learning theories.
- Spence's work provides a foundational framework for understanding associative learning.
- Modern research continues to explore the neural underpinnings of learned associations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review Spence's six distinctions between cognitive and S-R learning theories.
- To examine two of Spence's distinctions within the context of current research.
- To explore the specification of stimulus-stimulus associations and their neural systems.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of Spence's theoretical distinctions.
- Application of these distinctions to empirical research on associative learning.
- Characterization of neural systems involved in stimulus-stimulus associations.
Main Results:
- The article details Spence's six theoretical distinctions.
- It highlights the relevance of S-R psychology to contemporary neuroscience.
- The research specifies stimulus-stimulus associations and their neural correlates.
Conclusions:
- Spence's S-R psychology remains relevant for modern scientific analyses of behavior.
- Understanding stimulus-stimulus associations and their neural basis is crucial for learning theory.
- This work bridges historical S-R concepts with current neuroscientific approaches to behavior.
Related Concept Videos
01:21Cognitive Learning
Cognitive learning is based on purposive behavior, incidental learning, and insight learning.
E. C. Tolman's theory of purposive behavior emphasizes that much behavior is goal-directed. He argued that to understand behavior, we must look at the entire sequence of actions leading to a goal. For instance, high school students study hard, not just due to past reinforcement but also to achieve the goal of getting into a good college.
Tolman introduced the idea that behavior is influenced by...
E. C. Tolman's theory of purposive behavior emphasizes that much behavior is goal-directed. He argued that to understand behavior, we must look at the entire sequence of actions leading to a goal. For instance, high school students study hard, not just due to past reinforcement but also to achieve the goal of getting into a good college.
Tolman introduced the idea that behavior is influenced by...
01:27Associative Learning
Associative learning is a fundamental concept in behavioral psychology, wherein a connection is established between two stimuli or events, leading to a learned response. This process is critical in understanding how behaviors are acquired and modified. Conditioning, the mechanism through which associations are formed, can be divided into two main types: classical conditioning and operant conditioning, each elucidating different aspects of associative learning.
Classical conditioning, also known...
Classical conditioning, also known...
01:22Purposive Learning
E. C. Tolman emphasized the purposiveness of behavior — the idea that much of our behavior is goal-directed. For instance, employees who aim for a promotion work diligently to meet their targets. Tolman argued that when classical conditioning and operant conditioning occur, the organism acquires certain expectations. In classical conditioning, a child might fear a dog because they expect it to bite. In operant conditioning, a person might consistently work overtime because they expect a bonus...
01:26Higher Mental Functions of Brain: Learning and Memory
Memory is one of the most vital higher mental functions of the brain. Memory is closely related to learning because it enables us to retain information and experiences from our past to use them in our present life. It also helps us to remember facts, events, and skills, such as riding a bike or swimming. There are two types of memory — declarative memory, which involves memorizing facts or events, and procedural memory, which enables us to remember how to do something like writing or playing an...
01:30Social Cognitive Perspective on Personality
Social cognitive perspectives on personality emphasize the importance of conscious awareness, beliefs, expectations, and goals in shaping behavior. These perspectives incorporate behaviorist principles, such as learning through reinforcement and conditioning, but extend beyond them by highlighting human reasoning and planning. Unlike traditional behaviorist views, social cognitive theory focuses on how individuals reflect on their past experiences and plan for future outcomes by considering...
01:20Cognitive Theories: Schachter-Singer Theory of Emotion
Stanley Schachter and Jerome Singer proposed the two-factor theory of emotion, which emphasizes the interplay between physiological arousal and cognitive labeling in forming emotional experiences. This theory suggests that emotions are not simply a result of physiological responses but rather a combination of these responses and the individual's cognitive interpretation of them.
Physiological Arousal and Cognitive Labeling
According to this theory, when an individual experiences physiological...
Physiological Arousal and Cognitive Labeling
According to this theory, when an individual experiences physiological...