PSYC3201: The Principles of Learning

• 60 credits from Level 2 Psychology module

• None

• None

• The course will introduce students to the main findings and theoretical issues that have been derived from research on associative learning in animals and humans.
• The course will explore the applications of associative learning theory to complex behaviours and psychological disorders.

• This module covers advanced topics in associative learning theory first by considering the results of experiments with animals such as rats and pigeons, and then considering how these results have been applied to human behaviour and psychological disorders.
• The module emphasises psychological theory and how experiments in organisms that cannot self-report their cognitive processes can lead to considerable insight into human behaviour.
• Topics may include:
• What is learned in associative thinking?
• Theoretical and empirical analysis of Pavlovian and instrumental conditioning.
• The conditions of learning. Formal accounts of associative learning: Elemental and attention-based models of associative learning.
• Attention and Schizophrenia.
• Discrimination, categorization and concept learning.
• Spatial cognition.
• Avoidance, anxiety and aversion in humans, such as anticipatory nausea in chemotherapy and phobia.
• Instrumental conditioning and its applications to human behaviour such as obsessive compulsive disorder, Tourettes syndrome, drug dependence, and relapse of drug self-administration.
• Depression and depressive realism. Detailed knowledge of classic and contemporary associative learning theory, including current theories, evidence and research methods. Applications of associative learning theory to behaviours such as navigation and categorisation, as well as to some psychological disorders such as depression, schizophrenia, obsessive compulsive disorder, specific anxiety.

Subject-specific Knowledge:

• Detailed knowledge of classic and contemporary associative learning theory, including current theories, evidence and research methods. Applications of associative learning theory to behaviours such as navigation and categorisation, as well as to some psychological disorders such as depression, schizophrenia, obsessive compulsive disorder, specific anxiety.

Subject-specific Skills:

• Ability to review critically and consolidate understanding of a coherent body of theoretical and empirical work and apply it appropriately.

Key Skills:

• Good written communication skills
• Good IT skills in word processing, data manipulation and presentation
• Abilities to work independently in scholarship and research within broad guidelines

• Students acquisition of detailed knowledge will be facilitated by lectures, in-class activities, audio-visual materials, discussions and reading lists.
• These modes of teaching provide students with detailed knowledge of the key theories and the skills needed to evaluate different theoretical positions in light of evidence.
• The summative essay will cover fundamental topics in associative learning theory from lectures earlier in the module. This essay will assess the students ability to organise and synthesise knowledge of theoretical principles and empirical studies coherently and critically in written form in response to a question.
• The examination will assess students detailed knowledge and understanding of the subject. The examination will consist of higher-level multiple-choice questions and a written essay.
• The multiple-choice questions will assess critical evaluation and synthesis of understanding across the breadth of the module, and not simply knowledge of topics.
• The examination essay (from a choice of four) will be based on topics taught in later lectures. This essay will assess the students ability to organise and synthesise acquired knowledge of theoretical principles and empirical studies coherently and critically in written form in response to a question.
• In-class activities will ensure that students are exposed to a range of different theoretical positions and encouraged to understand their inter-relations.
• These modes of teaching will also give students the opportunity to interpret and evaluate the significance of empirical work.
• The summative assignment and essay component of the examination will also assess students written communication skills.
• Feedback on the summative assignment will be provided.

If you have a question about Durham's modular degree programmes, please visit our FAQ webpages, Help page or our glossary of terms. If you have a question about modular programmes that is not covered by the FAQ, or a query about the on-line Undergraduate Module Handbook, please contact us.

Prospective Students: If you have a query about a specific module or degree programme, please Ask Us.

Current Students: Please contact your department.