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Associative learning without reason or belief

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 April 2009

James D. Miles ,
Robert W. Proctor  and
E. J. Capaldi
James D. Miles
Affiliation:
Psychological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907-2081. jmiles@purdue.eduhttp://www.jimmiles.orgproctor@psych.purdue.eduhttp://www2.psych.purdue.edu/~proctor/julie@psych.purdue.edu
Robert W. Proctor
Affiliation:
Psychological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907-2081. jmiles@purdue.eduhttp://www.jimmiles.orgproctor@psych.purdue.eduhttp://www2.psych.purdue.edu/~proctor/julie@psych.purdue.edu
E. J. Capaldi
Affiliation:
Psychological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907-2081. jmiles@purdue.eduhttp://www.jimmiles.orgproctor@psych.purdue.eduhttp://www2.psych.purdue.edu/~proctor/julie@psych.purdue.edu
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Abstract

We discuss the necessity of conscious thinking in the single-system propositional model of learning. Research from honeybees to humans suggests that associative learning can take place without the need for controlled reasoning or the development of beliefs of relationships between objects or events. We conclude that a single learning system is possible, but not if it depends on complex thinking.

Type
Open Peer Commentary
Information
Behavioral and Brain Sciences , Volume 32 , Issue 2 , April 2009 , pp. 217 - 218
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2009

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