There have been distractions capturing attention for the last
couple of weeks. Paradoxically this includes interaction with the Massive Open
Online Course (MOOC) “Good brain bad brain”[i] prepared
by the University of Birmingham through www.futurelearn.com.
So far I have not learned much
that is new about the brain but this is likely to change as the course
progresses. There have, however, been some new ideas about learning – notably
Social (and Cognitive) Learning Theory.
In
social learning theory Albert Bandura (1977) agrees with the behaviourist
learning theories of classical conditioning and operant conditioning. However, he adds two
important ideas:
- Mediating processes occur between stimuli & responses.
- Behaviour is learned from the environment through the process of observational learning.
Learning theories are conceptual
frameworks describing how information is absorbed, processed, and retained
during learning. Cognitive, emotional, and environmental influences, as
well as prior experience, all play a part in how understanding, or a world
view, is acquired or changed, and knowledge and skills retained.
Social learning theory
combines cognitive learning theory
(which posits that learning is influenced by psychological factors) and behavioural
learning theory (which assumes that learning is based on responses to
environmental stimuli).
Albert Bandura integrated these two theories and came up
with four requirements for learning:
observation (environmental),
observation (environmental),
retention (cognitive),
reproduction (cognitive), and
motivation (both).
This integrative approach to learning was called social
learning theory.
Learning is another name for enculturation and as such is
influenced simultaneously by nature, nurture and serendipity. Novel stimuli cause
the sense organs to send signals to the brain to call up similar stimuli from
memory. The decision is then made to embrace, avoid or ignore them. Some
reactions are fast and unconscious while some responses are slow and conscious (ref
Kahneman).
Fast reactions are possible because of reflexes, instincts, intuitions,
hunches, biases, rules of thumb, gut feelings etc. Slow responses are built theoretically
upon a reasonable, holistic, scientific, review of the evidence.
The MOOC might spend some time on mapping specific functions
to specific locations and networks. I have been avoiding that in my recent
reading and thinking given my concern for social psychology and for
evolutionary psychology, rather than anatomy.
Aha – the kettle is back on the boil. Ref the above three
paragraphs.
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