The paper for this course will consist of a brief (6 to 8 pages) review of the empirical literature on some topic related to classical or instrumental conditioning. The review should include the latest literature on that particular topic for the last 5 or 10 years. The actual number of journal articles to be reviewed will depend on your ability to summarize these works concisely within the 6 to 8 page limit of your paper and on the availability of literature on that topic. In any event, please try to restrict your review to between 5 to 8 papers of original research. Papers from review-type journals such as Annual Review of Psychology or Psychological Review should be avoided as references for your own review, though I encourage you to consult them as they might helpful to you with your own review. In other words, your paper should consist of a review of the primary literature on a selected topic in the area conditioning.

You should start your review with 1999. However, keep in mind that research in some areas of traditional learning has declined significantly in recent years. Consequently, for some topics you may not find any research in recent years. The review should begin with a general description of the topic and it’s importance followed by the actual review of the literature. When you review each study or series of studies, please describe for the reader what the investigators sought to investigate, the methodology employed, and the basic findings of their studies. Your paper should end with some concluding statement regarding the state of knowledge in the area selected. Please think beyond standard general conclusions such as "more research will be necessary to clarify the relevant issues" to more specific concluding remarks, such as "the literature suggests that X does cause Y" or "additional research should examine the mediating effects of X on Y", etc. For additional tips on how to summarize journal articles point your browser HERE. Be sure to consult the course outline, particularly the expanded version now available on my webpage, to learn how I grade papers and to ensure that you submit your paper according to my list of requirements (especially the item of the proper manner in which papers should be stapled J).

The following list represents a sample of acceptable topics for your paper. You may choose one of these topics from the list or come up with your own topic. If you wish to select your own topic you must clear it with me before you start the paper. As the list below indicates, acceptable topics for your paper for this class should focus on a basic research question in the areas of classical conditioning, operant conditioning, and general ‘learning’ in animals. I encourage you to consult with me before or after class, by phone, or by e-mail about possible topics for your paper. After you select a topic, it might be helpful if you would show me the references that you have selected for review. However, I will not read early drafts of your paper. Finally, I suggest that you start working on your paper right away.

Sample list of topics for your paper

Learning of movement sequences.
Sensory preconditioning
transfer of human motor skills.
Instinctive drift
Response perseveration.
Negative contrast
Numerical competence in a species of animal
Positive contrast
Learning theory and the study of instruction.
Premack principle
The orienting response during Pavlovian conditioning.
Electrical brain stimulation (e.g., aggression)
Mowrer’s Two-factor theory reinforcement)
Taste aversion
Conditioned drug tolerance
Conditioning of plants
Learned helplessness
Conditioned immunosuppression
Conditioned fear with escapable and inescapable shock
Partial schedules of reinforcement
Backward conditioning
Autoshaping
Long term potentiation
Preparedness
Long term depression
Differential reinforcement of high rate
Suppressive vs. eliminating effects of punishment
Differential reinforcement of low rate