Edwin
Guthrie (1886 - 1959)
"One-Trial Learning" (Behaviorism)
Biography
Guthrie earned his Ph.D. from University of Pennsylvania in
1912, and spent his academic career at the University of
Washington.
Theory
Like
John B. Watson, Guthrie was
highly preoccupied with objectivity and observable
aspects of behavior. His contribution is summarized in
one main law that the stimulus or combination of
stimuli that led to a response will lead to that
response again when repeated. He believed that the
bond between stimulus and response was established on
the first occasion, and that repetitions neither
strengthen or weaken the link.
He referred to stimulus-response bonds as "habits". His
theory lacks an explanation of why specific behaviors occur
in the first place.
• He used contiguity to explain learning
• His theory is challenged on the basis of the observation
that humans often behave differently in the same situation.
• He believed that movements were learned, not behaviors
• He minimized the importance of reinforcement since it
occurs after the internal association between stimulus and
response has been made
• He thought one habit could be replaced by another more
desirable habit
• The old habit is not forgotten, but merely replaced, so
the newer response takes place in the future.
• Three methods for replacement of an old (undesirable)
habit with a new one:
• 1. Fatigue method- after numerous repetitions the animal
becomes so fatigued it cannot produce the old response, and
a new response will be elicited or the animal with do
nothing.
• 2. Threshold method- introduce a very mild version of the
stimulus (below threshold level). Gradually increase the
intensity of the stimulus until the full stimulus can be
tolerated without the undesirable response being elicited.
• 3. Incompatible stimuli method- place the animal in a
situation in which it cannot produce the undesirable
response when the stimulus is presented.
Learning Theory
Bibliography
(Lefrancois, 1972)
Kearsley, G. (n.d.) Contiguity Theory (E. Guthrie).
Retrieved November 9, /2002 from
http://tip.psychology.org/guthrie.html
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