INSTRUCTOR: Dr. Grau; Psychology 215
Office hours: Tuesday & Thursday, 2:00-3:30
TA: Kevin Hoy; State Chem. 209 (hoyaiag@gmail.com)
Office hours: Monday & Wedsnesday, 2:00-3:30
WWW: http://GrauLab.tamu.edu/J-Grau/Psyc340.html
TEXT: Domjan, M. (2006). The principles of learning and behavior: Active Learning Edition (5th Edition). Wadsworth, Belmont, CA.
COURSE OBJECTIVES: To introduce the basic principles of learning and the biological processes that facilitate adaptation to one’s environment.
EXAMS: Exams: 2/7, 3/4, and 4/3 (100 points each)
FINAL: 5/7, 8-10 AM (130 points; 85 on new material, 45 on old material)
EXTRA CREDIT OPPORTUNITY: Across the course of the semester, there will 4 opportunities to earn extra points in the class. I will not announce when these special opportunities will occur, but it is reasonable to expect one between each exam. Each “opportunity” will be worth 6 points. At the end of the semester, we will add your three best scores to your course total. These opportunities are considered extra-credit. There will be no make-ups.
Notice that 3 perfect scores on these opportunities would earn you 18 points that would be added to your course total. Through these extra points, you could transform a 75.8% average to an 80% average (326 [75.8%] + 18 = 344 [80%]). For those of you who end up on the borderline, these extra-points could raise you to the next letter grade. You should also know that I will not necessarily “round-up” when I compute your final grade. For example, if the B/C cut-off is set at 344 points (80%), an individual with 343 points (79.8%) should expect a ‘C’.
There are no other ways to earn extra credit points in this class.
Approaches to Learning
1/15: The nature of learning (Readings: Grau, Nature of Learning)
1/17-1/22: Historical precedents (Readings: Domjan, c. 1)
1/24-1/29: Learning after Watson (Reading: Domjan 59-63, 124-130, 162-172)
Stimulus Preexposure effects
1/31: Phenomena, inference and mechanisms (Readings: Domjan, c. 2)
2/5: Theory (Grau, Stimulus Preexposure Effects)
2/7: EXAM 1
2/12: Learning from an invertebrate (Readings: Learning from an Invertebrate)
2/14: Plasticity within the vertebrate spinal cord
Learning About S-S Relations
2/19: Phenomena and inference (Readings: Domjan, 64-90)
2/21: Mechanisms (Readings: Domjan, c. 4; Grau, Pavlovian Conditioning)
2/26: Theories
2/28: Neurobiological mechanisms
3/4: EXAM 2
Encoding Complex Stimulus Relations
3/6: Phenomena and mechanisms (Domjan, c. 11)
3/18: Neurobiological mechanisms (Grau, A Slice of the Nervous System: LTD and LTP)
When the R-O Relation Matters
3/20: Phenomena and Mechanisms (Readings: Grau, Instrumental and Operant Learning; Domjan, 130-161)
3/25-3/27: Theories of reinforcement (Readings: Domjan c. 7)
4/1: Neurobiological mechanisms
4/3: EXAM 3
When Both the S and the R-O Relation Matter
4/8-4/10: Phenomena and Mechanisms (Readings: Domjan, c. 8 & 10)
Extinction and Fogetting
4/15: Extinction (Readings: Domjan, c. 9)
Rule Governed Behavior
4/17: Reasoning and inference (Readings: Domjan, c. 12)
4/22: Language
4/24 Make-up Exams
5/7 Final (8-10 AM)
NOTE: The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a federal anti-discrimination statute that provides comprehensive civil rights protection for persons with disabilities. Among other things, this legislation requires that all students with disabilities be guaranteed a learning environment that provides for reasonable accommodation of their disabilities. If you believe you have a disability requiring an accommodation, please contact the Department of Student Services, Services for Students with Disabilities, in Room 126 of the Koldus Building, or call 845-1637.