Product Description
This active learning edition includes a new, built-in workbook that provides examples and exercises to help students practice and remember what they read in the text. In addition, students read graphs and make their own interpretations of what the information yields about behavior. Each exercise begins with a short lesson, and then has short assignments that range from 1 minute to 30 minutes worth of work -- some are short answer, some are projects, and some are more involved. The workbook also incorporates students exercises for SNIFFY THE VIRTUAL RAT, VERSION 2.0. Known for its currency and clear writing style, PRINCIPLES OF LEARNING AND BEHAVIOR provides a comprehensive and systematic introduction to elementary forms of learning that have been the focus of research for much of the twentieth century. The book covers habituation, classical conditioning, instrumental conditioning, stimulus control, aversive control, and their applications to the study of cognition and to the alleviation of behavior problems. Biological constraints on learning are integrated throughout the text, as are applications boxes that relate animal research to human learning and behavior. The book closely reflects the field of research it represents in terms of topics covered, theories discussed, and experimental paradigms described.

CUSTOMER REVIEWS (Average Customer Rating: 3.0 based on 5 reviews)

Good seller.

This book came in a better condition than I thought it was going to. I like that is has all the extra info written on it.
May 02, 2008

Hard- but good

This is a book about learning. Psychology is not an easy subject, but the author does a good job. The concepts are a little hard to grasp but the author does a great job with a difficult subject.
October 03, 2007

Excellent coverage of basic learning theory

Let me start by saying I have used this text as required reading for several classes in Theories of Learning. I feel it is an excellent presentation of the basic concepts and groundwork needed to understand more complex theories and/or higher forms of learning. The physiological tie-ins are not central to the book, and if skipped it would not be detrimental to a complete understanding of the learning theory. My understanding is that this is the reason they are presented in boxed sidebars and not incorporated into the body of the text.
Admittedly the reading can be dense, and difficult to get through, but I feel this is because the subject matter is dense and complicated. One thing I have found with basic learning theory is that it is much like formal logic, with a cursory examination, many people feel it is straightforward and simple. But once one begins to deal with the `meat' of the subject, and attempts to understand the implications, exceptions, strengths and weaknesses of the topic, then the feeling of simplicity quickly disappears. It is at this point that one will find people either love the topic and want to know more, or they are put off and either blame their dislike for the topic on the presentation or the material itself. In case it is not obvious, I am one of the former types, and continue to enjoy the broader implications of learning theory, the rigor of the arguments involved and the breadth of explanatory power I see in this filed.
This leads me to one final point. I feel the author does an excellent job of relating the basic principals he discusses to real life examples. In particular the chapter on language provides an excellent source for class discussion, informed debate and application of the theoretical mechanisms presented in the first half of the book.

October 05, 2006

not too great

This book was not written in the clearest fashion. He could have done a much better job and given more examples to make the concepts more concrete.
April 26, 2006

Not for non-psychology majors

This book is only for those who already have a strong background in biology and psychology. However, if you are new to the subject, then this book is not for you. Students who are taking this subject as an elective will have a hard time with the research style presentation of topics. I'd much rather buy a book that explains topics as clear and concise as possible rather than have a play on words.
December 06, 2004

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