Animal Conditioning and Learning Theory

  • Anthony Dickinson
Chapter
Part of the Perspectives on Individual Differences book series (PIDF)

Abstract

The original premise of behavior therapy was that certain pathological behavior patterns are acquired through conditioning and therefore treatable by controlled and appropriate manipulation of the processes underlying this form of learning. This assumption places conditioning at the theoretical focus of any discussion of abnormal behavior, not only for those who endorse the premise but also for those who wish to challenge it. And for both parties the analysis and treatment of such disorders must be measured against contemporary views of conditioning rather than those current at the genesis or behavior therapy a generation or so ago. This would be of little import if our view of conditioning had remained relatively static; the fact, however, is that conditioning theory has undergone a major revison during the intervening years.

Keywords

Latent Inhibition Lever Press Pavlovian Conditioning Animal Behavior Process Instrumental Conditioning 
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Copyright information

© Springer Science+Business Media New York 1987

Authors and Affiliations

  • Anthony Dickinson
    • 1
  1. 1.Department of Experimental PsychologyUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeEngland

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