Cardiff: Psychology:

MSc Psychiatry / Diploma in Psychological Medicine
Additional Links and Information for Vaughan's 2004 Learning Theory Lecture

Royal College of Psychiatrists criteria for this topic The candidate should be able to describe in detail: classical, operant, observational and cognitive models of learning concepts of extinction and reinforcement in explaining behaviour learning processes and the aetiological formulation of clinical problems, including the concepts of generalisation, secondary reinforcement, incubation and stimulus preparedness. the clinical applications of behavioural treatments, including the techniques of reciprocal inhibition, habituation, chaining, shaping, cueing, escape and avoidance conditioning the impact of reinforcement schedules and the psychology of punishment.

Recommended reading Chapter 7 of: Atkinson, R.L., Atkinson, R.C., Smith, E.E. (1999) Hilgard's introduction to psychology (13th edition). Fort Worth: Harcourt. (Previous editions are fine also) Entries for John Watson and B.F. Skinner in Sheehy, N. (2004) Fifty Key Thinkers in Psychology. London: Routledge. ISBN 0415167752. Excellent critical paper on theory and application of behaviourism Although almost any of the comprehensive undergraduate books on psychology should have a good review of conditioning and behaviourism.

Web resources Please note: These are not required reading, but you may find the following useful if you wish to expand on topics you have found particularly interesting. Wikipedia article on Behaviourism Psychology as the behaviorist views it by John B. Watson. Wikipedia article on Conditioning Page on Bandura'a Social Learning Theory Original paper of Bandura's "Bobo Doll" experiment The Pleasure Principle: Connections between Reward and Learning Biological Basis For Creativity Linked To Mental Illness Copycat Suicide: Media Influence