Associative Learning
Associative Learning Draft
Kenneth Price
PSY 331 Psychology of Learning
Laura Prout
July 18, 2010
Associative Learning Perhaps it might be said that a burden has been place on every living thing that it must adapt or perish as no single life form, as we know it, is truly an island unto its self. How living things accomplish this adaptation is unique not only to each species but may also be unique to each living entity. One may debate whether this is the product of grand design or billions of years of evolutionary progress, nonetheless, each must adapt or die. It should not be construed that this burden to change has not also been accompanied by the rewards associated with such change; perhaps a biological version of yin and yang. Whether we chose to describe these processes in broad philosophical terms or from a purely scientific platform, the end result is indicative of a cost-benefit analysis (CBA) to survival. For some, this is not done through cognitive processes. Nonetheless, all living things have some means to perceive their environment. While the tools to accomplish this vary greatly, perception is elemental to adaptation. How life senses its environment is the beginning of this process. For humans, this perception of the world revolves around the use of five senses in which we gather information about the world around us. These abilities, given in different measure, were recognized by Aristotle (384 BC – 322 BC) and have not changed since. Aristotle believed that the five senses; hearing, seeing, smelling, tasting and touching provided the information on which learning is based (Olson & Hergenhahn, 2009, p. 31). His belief that all knowledge is acquired through these senses is known today as empiricistic.
While much of Aristotle’s philosophy in regard to sensory based learning, has remained intact, there are new technological and scientific advances being made which may shake the Associationistic paradigm, as well as other theories, at
Kenneth Price
PSY 331 Psychology of Learning
Laura Prout
July 18, 2010
Associative Learning Perhaps it might be said that a burden has been place on every living thing that it must adapt or perish as no single life form, as we know it, is truly an island unto its self. How living things accomplish this adaptation is unique not only to each species but may also be unique to each living entity. One may debate whether this is the product of grand design or billions of years of evolutionary progress, nonetheless, each must adapt or die. It should not be construed that this burden to change has not also been accompanied by the rewards associated with such change; perhaps a biological version of yin and yang. Whether we chose to describe these processes in broad philosophical terms or from a purely scientific platform, the end result is indicative of a cost-benefit analysis (CBA) to survival. For some, this is not done through cognitive processes. Nonetheless, all living things have some means to perceive their environment. While the tools to accomplish this vary greatly, perception is elemental to adaptation. How life senses its environment is the beginning of this process. For humans, this perception of the world revolves around the use of five senses in which we gather information about the world around us. These abilities, given in different measure, were recognized by Aristotle (384 BC – 322 BC) and have not changed since. Aristotle believed that the five senses; hearing, seeing, smelling, tasting and touching provided the information on which learning is based (Olson & Hergenhahn, 2009, p. 31). His belief that all knowledge is acquired through these senses is known today as empiricistic.
While much of Aristotle’s philosophy in regard to sensory based learning, has remained intact, there are new technological and scientific advances being made which may shake the Associationistic paradigm, as well as other theories, at
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