Psychological Bulletin

Gallistel, C. R.

doi: 10.1037/h0047017pmid: 14104613

Evidence from electrical self-stimulation experiments is reviewed in the light of Deutsch's structural theory of behavior. The theory accounts for all salient observations; viz., high drive, little or no satiation, rapid extinction, the need for "priming" at the start of a day's trials, the difficulty in creating secondary reinforcers by using electrical stimulation of the brain as a primary reinforcer, the fact that different electrode placements interact with different natural drives, and the separability of the motivation and reinforcement processes. Other theories are briefly reviewed. (46 ref.)

Martin, Irene

doi: 10.1037/h0048237pmid: 14104614

The various meanings of the term adaptation are examined, from the evolutionary context to the physiological. Of the 2 main uses in behavioral studies the 1st refers to the learned adjustments made in the organism's lifetime, and the 2nd to processes of response decrement, as in sensory adaptation. The former are judged adaptive by certain evaluative criteria, whereas the latter can be experimentally analyzed. These uses are considered broadly in relation to the categories of ontogenetic and phylogenetic adaptations, and specifically in relation to current views on learning. (38 ref.)

Gaito, John; Zavala, Albert

doi: 10.1037/h0048464pmid: 14104615

Hypotheses of molar and molecular neurochemical approaches to learning are discussed. Molar approach equates learning with chemical changes of the synapse whereas molecular approach refers learning to changes in molecular structure of nucleic acids. 2 approaches are evaluated relative to various learning phenomena. (45 ref.)

Keppel, Geoffrey

doi: 10.1037/h0043153pmid: 14104616

The major purpose of the review was to examine the validity of the assumption that the laws of verbal learning obtained on the college student will hold reasonably well for younger populations of Ss. Various areas of verbal learning, such as free learning, paired-associate learning, serial learning, transfer, retention, and retroactive-proactive inhibition, were reviewed in order to determine the extent to which the general findings of these areas, based on experiments in which the college student had served as S, have been investigated and replicated with children as Ss. The literature on children's verbal learning revealed a reasonable correspondence in the effective variables reported and in the relationships that have been identified with adult Ss. (64 ref.)