Learning - Cognitive perspective

Question 1

Object of knowledge/Methods/Data Collected?

Answer 1

Used an empirical approach to study cognitive behaviour in relation to learning by focusing on information processing. Experimented by focusing on the acquisition of concepts in the form of category learning; to make inferences about mental processes. Data collected was types of behaviour as a response to controlled events in which participants were analysed for how they learned.

Question 2

Key Names

Answer 2

Bruner et al - Research centered on category learning in the form of hypothesis testing.

Murphy & Allopenna - incorporated the use of background knowledge to category learning

Murphy & Kaplan - furthered understanding of background knowledge in categor learning

Question 3

Key Studies - Bruner et al

Answer 3

Experiment centered on category learning in the form of hypothesis testing. Used cards with nonsense labels to interpret if participants would use hypothesis testing to learn artificial categories. Bruner claimed that participants used strategies to learn the categories through successive scanning (one hypothesis at a time and tested until shown in error) and conservative focusing (eliminate classes of hypotheses, by choosing differing ones). Bruner et al found that participants learned quicker using the latter strategy. This work was criticised as they used artificial data and therefore lacked ecological validity.

Question 4

Key Studies - Murphy & Allopenna/Murphy & Kaplan

Answer 4

Experiment in which focused on how quickly participants learn meaningful categories in which have a lot of attributes in common (linked by common themes). Found that the participants learned more quickly when they were all linked by the same theme. (e.g. underwater building)
M&K - Categories with one member possessed one attribute relevant to theme (1 vehicle theme; arctic use). They reasoned that if prior knowledge only weakly influenced category learning, one attribute would not significantly aid in category learning - but found that the participants still learned the theme related category more quickly (than those who did not have theme related attributes) emphasising the importance of stored knowledge (i.e. top up processing). Linking themes and attributes influence category learning.

Question 5

Key theorists - Fodor & Chomsky (philosopher and linguist)

Answer 5

F & C look at learning or knowledge from a different approach - nativism which suggests that knowledge is in the main innate. They argue that the induction problem, that past experiences are not a fully reliable guide to future experiences, presents difficulties that category learning is based on hypothesis testing. Suggest that category learning is innate - stark contrast to Bruner and Murphy’s empirical work. Despite their drastic position, there are few convincing counterarguments. It could be that F & C describing a different aspect of learning.

Question 6

In relation to course themes? (nature/nurture; humans/animals; fixity/change)

Answer 6

Learning which focuses on information processing i.e. cognitive, misses that people are dependent upon environmental contingencies and what happens without awareness (or below the level of awareness). Learning constitutes building upon learned knowledge.

Question 7

How do the perspectives interact; Complimentary, Co-existing or conflicting?

Answer 7

Co-existing as they are mutually enriching. Sees learning as a change below the level of consciousness. Use experiments to make mental inferences about mental processes.