Fundamentals of Learning: A Behavioral Approach

Fundamentals of Learning: A Behavioral Approach discusses the basic mechanisms of learning. It highlights how most behaviors are learned through minimal amounts of cognitive processing and acquired through associations between stimuli, such as observed in classical and operant conditioning (associative learning) and repeated experiences with a single stimulus (nonassociative learning).

Together, in combination with innate or instinctual behaviors, these forms of learning account for the acquisition of an impressively wide range of behaviors and played a crucial role in the evolution of species, as it permitted them to adapt to changing environments. The book begins by tracing the history of learning theory, acquainting students with the philosophers and early researchers who contributed to learning theory. It then goes on to cover theoretical explanations of the basic learning mechanisms, including theories of classical and operant conditioning. The modular approach of the book enables students to link the concepts they learn about in the text to their own behavior. The book concludes with a discussion of the role of cognition in learning, covering behaviors that are considered less automatized and mediated by cognitive processes, such as the formation of spatial maps and the processes involved in decision-making and motivated behaviors.

The book is written with the student in mind throughout, featuring real-life case studies, key terms, and learning objectives. It is also accompanied by additional resources to further support student learning. It will be a must-read for all students of learning and behavior or animal learning.

Stéphane Gaskin has served as a Psychology Professor at Dawson College in Montreal since 2006. He also gives lectures at McGill University and has previously taught at Concordia University. He obtained his PhD in Psychology from McGill in 2007 and his MA from Concordia in 2002. His postdoctoral work includes positions at the University of California, San Diego, and at Concordia University. Dr. Gaskin’s research mainly focused on the behavioral neuroscience of learning and memory.