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Syllabus

Psychology 340 - Conditioning and Learning

1:00-1:55 MWF in AC-209 (Class) and 1:00-1:55 TTh in AC Computer Lab

Spring 2000

Professor Shaffer

 

Required Textbook: Klein, Stephen B. ( 1996).  Learning: Principles and Applications (Third Edition).  McGraw-Hill, Inc.

 

Course Objectives - Students will master the concepts associated with learning, both in the classroom and in the virtual laboratory.  Both behaviorist and cognitive approaches will be considered.  Topics associated with learning, such as the encoding and retrieval of memory, will also be discussed.

 

Course Outline

 

Ch. 1 - An Introduction to Learning

Ch. 2 - Theoretical Approaches to Learning

Ch. 3 - Principles of Pavlovian Conditioning

Exam #1

Ch. 4 - Theories and Applications of Pavlovian Conditioning (pp. 90-95, 101-104, 117-122)

Ch. 5 - Principles and Applications of Appetitive Conditioning

Ch. 6 - Principles and Applications of Aversive Conditioning

Exam #2

Ch. 7 - Biological Influences on Learning (pp. 230-257)

Ch. 8 - Stimulus Control of Behavior (pp. 268-302)

Ch. 9 - Cognitive Control of Behavior (pp. 313-320, 328-350)

Exam #3

Ch. 11 – The Storage of Our Experiences (pp. 397-430)

Ch. 12 – The Encoding of Our Experiences (pp. 447-462, 468-483)

Ch. 13 – Memory Retrieval and Forgetting (pp. 501-519)

 

Grading -.  The lecture part of your grade has a maximum of 550 points and the laboratory part 150 points.  The lecture grade will be based on your performance on three-hour examinations (100 points each), a final exam (150 points), a term paper (100 points), and extra credit opportunities (maximum of 50 points).   The term paper should be on a theoretical concept and its application in the real world.  It should be 8-10 pages in length and have a minimum of 7-10 references.  The final exam will be comprehensive in nature, although chapters 11-13 will be emphasized.  It will  be given at 8:00-10:00 on Monday, May 8th.


Helpful Internet Sites

www.britannica.com  (Encyclopedia Britannica)

ericir.syr.edu/ERIC/  (contains a search engine for the Educational Resources Information Center)

www.apa.org/  (contains two search engines.  Click on the site map and then search..  You will see the two search engines, Bestsearch and Psyccrawler).

altavista. com  (my favorite search engine when searching for a psychological theorist)

 go.com,  snap.com, and  mamma.com  are three additional search engines. 

 

Attendance Policy and Make-Up Policy- You are expected to regularly attend the MWF lecture classes and put in enough computer laboratory hours to hand in assignments when due. While your grade will not automatically be lowered for missing class, you will not be allowed to make up any extra credit opportunities  that are due on a day that you were not in class unless you have a good excuse.  If you are going to miss an exam, you must notify me in advance in order to arrange for a make up.  You are expected to have a good excuse.  Good excuses include illness, family responsibilities, or college obligations.

 

Cheating Policy - Cheating is well defined in the College Catalog and sanctions are specified in the Student Handbook.  Cheating includes copying homework, using unauthorized sources during quizzes and exams, copying or accepting answers from classmates, and plagiarizing on writing assignments. 

 

Office Hours - My office is AC-257 (next to the elevator).  Scheduled office hours are 10:00-10:55 MWF and 1:00-1:55 TTh.  If these times are inconvenient, you can also schedule an appointment at a mutually convenient time.