Memory, Cognition, Language Review

Can you imagine how hard it was to find an image that actually connected turkey and Cognition?

I've got quite a few sites for you to peruse at your leisure, some of them, like the one that outlines the seven sins of memory are purely academic, while others, like the memory experiments and the creativity tests are amusing while helping to illustrate the concept at the same time.

I've already provided the language link in your Thanksgiving assignment, but here it is again.

Also, I was going to make some of the Elizabeth Loftus experiments part of your break assignments, but instead just take a look at the overview of her work on suggestibility and implantingof false memories.


So have a lovely day, chew slowly and analyze the emotional and cognitive states of all around you!

Thanksgiving Break Assignments

For the very few of you who did not receive the handouts at school last week, here they are. I'll be posting several links for Memory and Components of Thought tomorrow.

Does it seem like you've read this exact same thing before?

So what does this monkey have to do with deja vu? I'm not sure really, but when you do a google image search for the term, this little thief pops up.

Anyway, as per the discussion in class today, thought you might find this article from Discover interesting, it goes along way in normalizing such a strange seeming phenomena.

Learning Review

Although there is a part of me that would like to postpone the test until next Monday, I realize that I would only be negatively reinforcing your behavior. By taking away something that you don't like I would only be increasing the likelihood that the next time you don't want to take a test, you will also not do your homework en masse.

Having said that, here's a review of some key concepts:

This is a study sheet comparing the particulars of classical and operant conditioning.

This is an explanation to the seven examples of classical and operant that most of you attempted to conquer. In other words, the "answer sheet". For those of you who haven't turned it in yet, at this point, don't bother.

It seems that the majority of you do not really understand schedules of reinforcement. The following links provide some good explanations and examples of the various schedules;
fixed ratio  ,   variable ratio ,   fixed interval,   variable interval

And finally, many of you have blown off the work of the cognitive learning psychologists (Bandura, Kohler, Tolman). We haven't spent much time discussing them, but here you will find an excellent overview of cognitive learning theory. It's 10 pages long. If you find that overwhelming (hope you don't plan on a rigorous university next year) read at least the first three pages.

Good Luck!

Beating Dolls, Terrifying Children, Slobbering Dogs and More!

All the famous experiments in Learning in one convienent location!


Get paired with this stimulus as Pavlov rings your bell!

Be amazed as a fat baby learns to become terrified of small furry things in John Watson's famously naughty "Little Albert Experiment"

Gasp in wonder as pigeons become addicted to gambling via the wonders of operant conditioning in a radical "Skinner Box".

You'll find yourself saying "a-ha!" as the mysteries of insight learning unfold in this goofy re-enactment of Kohler's gifted chimps.

And what list would be complete without children mercilessly beating a helpless clown with anything they can get their hands on?

Saturday School... It's not just for Suckers any more!

I will make an extremely rare appearance at 3019 Canal Street on Saturday, October 9, 2010 from noon until 2pm. We'll review Sensation and Perception and have a little introduction to Consciousness. Be there.

You Actually Don't "See" This!

I hope that after today's class you're either congratulating yourself for keeping up, or kicking yourself for falling behind.  Either way, you need too get with these videos about auditory and optical processing. 

First up, vision; here's an incredibly simple and incredibly short path to understanding trichromatic theory. Feeling childish? Here's a cartoon that makes pretty easy work of comprehending how light enters the eye and works its way to the vision cortex. I'm ALWAYS of the opinion that examining the same thing from two different sources is helpful, with that in mind, check out "How the Human Eye Works".

And last but not least, for those of you truly devoted to the study of Psychology and a general understanding of life, a Darwinian take on how the eye may have evolved. (Choose either QuickTime or Real Player).

And now, for Auditory Processing, this video is a bit long, has more detail than you really need, but the animation is outrageous and sublime. Watch the entire thing for a deeper understanding of how vibrations turn into what we call "sound".