FACULTAD DE CIENCIAS SOCIALES

DEPARTAMENTO DE PSICOLOGÍA

NOMBRE DEL CURSO: Psicología del Aprendizaje (en inglés)

CÓDIGO: PSIC-2312
DEPARTAMENTO: Psicología
SEMESTRE: 2021-10
TIPO DE CURSO: Magistral

HORARIO: Wednesday 3:30pm

Friday 2pm

NOMBRE DEL PROFESOR(A): Iona Naismith

CORREO ELECTRÓNICO: ij.naismith@uniandes.edu.co
HORARIO Y LUGAR DE ATENCIÓN: Con cita previa, por correo /Please email to arrange
an appointment.

NOMBRE DEL MONITOR (A): No aplica

CORREO ELECTRÓNICO:

DESCRIPCIÓN DEL CURSO

Human learning involves acquiring or modifying knowledge, behaviours, skills, and other mental
phenomena. Psychologists have analysed this process from different theoretical approaches,
including cognitive (thought processes), behavioural, and social (how humans learn from one
another and from society).

This course outlines the important theories from these three approaches to learning. It also
examines how psychologists have used these theories to explain learning in diverse fields such as
physical and mental health, education, crime, marketing, and the workplace.

OBJETIVOS ESPECÍFICOS Y COMPETENCIAS A DESARROLLAR

At the end of the course students are expected to be able to have developed the following
competencies:
1. In relation to the topic of learning:
● Understand the key models of behavioral, cognitive and sociocultural approaches to the
study of learning
● Recognize the points of agreement and differences between these three approaches
● Understand the ‘nature-nurture’ debate and recognize that both genes and environment
can shape our learning
 ● Be able to describe how learning theories can inform understanding and change
behavior in education, clinical psychology, marketing, and other contexts.
2. In terms of general skills:
● Developing English writing and speaking skills
● Learning to work as a group to share ideas and solve problems
● Critical analysis of theories and research studies

COURSE CONTENT AND READINGS

Week Date Topic Obligatory readings

UNIT 1. Competencies to be developed:

- Understand the key principles of classical conditioning, operant conditioning, rule-governed learning, habituation
and sensitization
- Describe the classic studies that led to the development of these theories
- Explain how these principles have been used to explain phenomena in marketing, clinical psychology, and other
fields

1 Miercoles Introduction & outline of the None

27 Enero course
1 Viernes 29 Overview of different theories Bransford, J., National Research Council (U.S.)., & National
Enero of learning. Research Council (U.S.). (2000). How people learn: Brain, mind,
experience, and school. Washington, D.C: National Academy
Press. Pages 5- 9

2 Miercoles 3
Febrero
Behavioural theories. Classical
conditioning Part 1
Friesen, N., & Rourke, L. (2006). The learning sciences: the very
idea. Educational Media International, 43, 4, 271-284
Ramnerö, J., & Törneke, N. (2008). Chapter 4, Learning by
Association: Respondent Conditioning. In: The ABCs of Human
Behavior: Behavioral Principles for the Practicing Clinician.
Oakland: Context Press. (E-book available from library). READ
TO PAGE 72 ONLY.

2 Viernes 5 Behavioural theories. Classical

Febrero conditioning Part 2
3 Miercoles Behavioural theories. Classical Till, BD, Stanley, SM, Priluck, R (2008). Classical conditioning
10 Febrero conditioning Part 3 and celebrity endorsers: An examination of belongingness and
resistance to extinction. Psychology & Marketing, 25: 179–196.
3 Viernes 12 Behavioural theories. Operant Ramnerö, J., & Törneke, N. (2008). Chapter 5, Operant
Febrero conditioning Part 1 Conditioning. In: The ABCs of Human Behavior: Behavioral
Principles for the Practicing Clinician. Oakland: Context Press.
(E-book available from Library).
4 Miercoles Behavioural theories. Operant
17 Febrero conditioning Part 2

Information will be given about

Case study on operant
conditioning
4 Viernes 19 Behavioural theories. Operant
Febrero conditioning Part 3
5 Miercoles Behavioural theories. Rule Törneke, N., Luciano, C. & Valdivia Salas, S. (2008). Rule-
24 Febrero governed behaviour Governed Behavior and Psychological Problems. International
Journal of Psychology and Psychological Therapy, 8, 2, 141-
156. Available at:
https://www.ijpsy.com/volumen8/num2/191/rule-governed-
behavior-and-psychological-EN.pdf
5 Viernes 26 Case study 1 - operant
Febrero conditioning (15%)

6 Miercoles 3 Behavioural theories.

Marzo Habituation and sensitization

6 Viernes 5 Behavioural theories.
Marzo Habituation and sensitization
Part II
Information will be given about
Case study 2
Rankin et al. (2008). Habituation revisited: An updated and
revised description of the behavioral characteristics of
habituation. Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, 92, 135–
138

7 Miercoles Case study 2 - habituation & sensitization (15%)

10 Marzo
UNIT 2. Competencies to be developed:
● Understand the differences between declarative, procedural and associative learning and the basic neural
processing underlying declarative and procedural learning
● Be able to describe the key principles of cognitive, social and socio-cognitive learning theories and their limitations
● Describe the classic studies that underpin the development of these theories.

7 Viernes 12 Feedback on Case studies 1 & 2

Marzo
8 Miercoles Declarative and procedural Squire, L. (2004). Memory systems of the brain: A brief history
17 Marzo learning - Part 1 and current perspective. Neurobiology of Learning and
Memory, 82, 171–177

8 Viernes 19 Declarative and procedural

Marzo learning - Part 2

9 Miercoles 7 Cognitive Theories Part 1. Smith, L. (2002). Chapter 23, Piaget’s Model. In: Usha Goswami
Abril (Ed) Blackwell Handbook of Childhood Cognitive Development.
[e-book available from library]
9 Viernes 9 Cognitive Theories Part 2. INTRODUCE GROUPS for part 2 of course
Abril
Schunk, D. H. (2012). Chapter 6: Constructivism. In: Learning
Theories: An Educational Perspective. (pp 228-277).
24 Marzo - 4 Abril (Semana de receso & Semana santa)

10 Miercoles Sociocultural learning theories

14 Abril Part 1: Bandura
10 Viernes 16 Sociocultural learning theories Akers, RL (2010). Social Learning Theory. In: Francis T. Cullen &
Abril Part 2: Bandura’s self-efficacy Pamela Wilcox (Eds) Encyclopedia of Criminological Theory,
theory & Vygotsky (pp. 21-29).

Deadline for 30% of grades

UNIT 3. Competencies to be developed:

● Understand the principle of learned helplessness, how it develops, and its relevant to various settings
● Recognize how behavioural, cognitive and social learning principles have developed our understanding of anxiety
and addiction and their treatment

11 Miercoles Learned helplessness & learned

21 Abril hopefulness - Part 1
11 Viernes 23 Learned helplessness & learned Martinko, M.J. & Gardner, W.L. (1982). Learned Helplessness:
Abril hopefulness - Part 2 An alternative explanation for Performance deficits. Academy
of Management Review, 7 (2); 195-204.
12 Miercoles Cognitive and behavioural Bennett-Levy, J., Butler, G., Fennell, M., Hackmann, A.,
28 Abril theories of fear learning Mueller, M., Westbrook, D. (2004). The Oxford guide to
behavioural experiments in cognitive therapy. New York:
Oxford University Press. - Read only p8-12 in Chapter 1 (e-
book available from library).

Heimberg, RG (2002). Cognitive-behavioral therapy for social

anxiety disorder: current status and future directions.
Biological Psychiatry, 51: 101–108.
Focus on the contrast between ‘Exposure’ and ‘Cognitive
Restructuring’ when reading this.
12 Viernes 30 Learning in addiction Berridge, KC, & Robinson, TE (2011). Chapter 2, Drug Addiction
Abril as Incentive Sensitization. In: George, G., & Poland, JS (Eds).
Addiction and Responsibility. [E-book available from library].

UNIT 4. Competencies to be developed:

- Understand the nature/nurture debate and how it applies to IQ
- Understand the key debates around defining and measuring IQ
- Identify how learning principles apply in educational settings and to our own learning

13 Miercoles 5 ¿What is IQ? Neisser, U. et al (1996). Intelligence: knowns and unknowns.

Mayo American Psychologist, 51, pp 77-84 (Read only sections 1 and
2).

13 Viernes 7 Nature/Nurture debate of IQ Neisser, U. et al (1996). Intelligence: knowns and unknowns.

Mayo
Information will be given about
group presentation task.
American Psychologist, 51, pp 84-90 (Read sections 3 and 4).
Dickens, W. and Flynn, J. (2001). Heritability estimates versus
large environmental effects: the IQ paradox resolved.
Psychological Review, 108, 346-369.

Scott S. and McCartney K. (1983) How people make their own

environments: a theory of genotype-environment interactions.
Child Development 54, 424 - 435. (Available here:
 http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.47
3.7792&rep=rep1&type=pdf

14 Miercoles The Flynn effect in IQ Rodgers JL. (1999). A critique of the Flynn effect: Massive IQ
12 Mayo 30 minutes of class = gains, methodological artifacts, or both? Intelligence, 26 (4):
opportunity to prepare group 337–356.
presentations
Daley, TC, Whaley, SE, Sigman, MD, Espinosa, MP, and
Neumann, C (2003). IQ on the rise: the Flynn effect in rural
Kenyan children. Psychological Science, 14(3): 215-9.
14 Viernes 14 Assessed group exercise - brief None
Mayo presentation of a principle of
learning, using effective
teaching techniques (15%)
15 Miercoles Learning in educational contexts Resnick, L. B. (1987). Learning in school and out. Educational
19 Mayo Researcher, 16(9), 13-20.
Information will be given about
Final exam. Zimmerman (2010). Becoming a Self-Regulated Learner: An
Overview. Theory into Practice, 41, (2), 64-70.

15 Viernes 21 Time to prepare for exam - no class.

Mayo
16 Miercoles Final exam (25%)
26 Mayo
16 Viernes 28 Feedback on final exam.
Mayo

METODOLOGIA

Knowledge will be developed through the delivery of classes by the professor and individual reading by
the students.

Individual and group exercises done in class (some evaluated and some not) will help students to think
actively about the principles being taught, which will develop deeper understanding and help students to
identify any areas they need to review.

PLATFORMS FOR VIRTUAL LEARNING

Brightspace (Bloque Neon) will be used for regular communication between students and the professor,
and to share educative materials such as class presentations and readings.

Classes will be carried out using the plataform Zoom (https://zoom.us). We recommend that students
download the application to their computer since using the web versión may be les effective.

EVALUACIÓN Y ASPECTOS ACADÉMICOS

1. Case study 1 - operant conditioning (15%). 10 March

This will involve identifying and applying operant conditioning principles in a series of practical
examples. Full instructions will be provided on the day of the evaluation.
Students are not permitted to use course notes in this practical but you will be given a summary
sheet of key definitions.

2. Case study 2 - habituation & sensitization (15%). 26 February

This will involve identifying and applying principles of habituation and sensitization in a series of
practical examples. Full instructions will be provided on the day of the evaluation.
Students are not permitted to use course notes in this practical but you will be given a summary
sheet of key definitions.

3. Group assignments during class. 30% Throughout the semester.

This course will involve regular group tasks during class time, where students must discuss a topic
in a group, in English. The aim is to promote active thinking about the class material and to
practice English speaking and writing. Groups will be randomly assigned by the professor and will
remain the same for various classes, but will be re-assigned 1-2 times during the course.
a) Some group tasks will involve a worksheet which will be uploaded to Brightspace (Bloque
Neon) before or during class. These are to be completed and submitted via Brightspace
within 15 minutes of the class ending. There will be time in class for uploading these to
Brightspace. A proportion of these worksheets throughout the course will be selected at
random and graded (approximately 30-35%). All students within a group will get the
same grade (as long as they attended that day). Worksheets will be all marked based upon
demonstrated knowledge, critical thinking and effort, as follows: 3 = excellent, 2 = good
level , 1 = acceptable, 0 = below acceptable.
b) The submitted worksheet should contain the group number AND a list of the names of
the students who contributed. If a student is unable to connect to a class for a valid
reason, it is their responsibility to check whether there is a worksheet in Brightspace and
then complete and submit the worksheet themselves within 24 hours. They should write
at the top of the submitted worksheet the reason for submitting the exercise individually,
rather than with their group, and this will be considered by the Professor. If the student
is unable to complete it within 24 hours (e.g. due to a medical reason), they should also
include this with the late submission.
c) All Group members are responsible for the quality of submitted work. If difficulties arise
between group members, students should contact the profesor to resolve the situation.
Additionally, during the course anonymous survey(s) may be conducted by the professor
asking students to report participation of their group members. If students report a
repeated lack of participation of their coursemates then this will be noted and will be
reflected by an adjustment to that student’s final grade. As noted in point (b), students
with valid excuses for not attending class should complete the worksheet individually. If
this has been done, then they will not be penalized for low group participation.

4. Presentations: Teaching about learning. (15%). 14 May.

Students will be assigned groups of 4-5 people. Together students will make a short (5 minute)
presentation about learning principles already covered in lectures. These must be presented in
class and a recording uploaded to Brightspace by one group member.
You will be assessed on (a) how clearly you explain the principles, and (b) how you apply principles
of learning theory in order to teach more effectively. Your group will be assigned 3 principles. The
aims of this laboratory are to (a) revise the key principles of this course in creative ways, and (b)
practice applying learning techniques in an educational setting.

- 10% of the grade will be awarded for the group presentation.

- 5% of the grade will be awarded for listening to 3 other group presentations and
submitting (via SICUA) an evaluation of these. For each of the 3 presentations, the
evaluation should describe in detail (i) two aspects from the presentation that they find
interesting or helpful (e.g. a particular example of the principle, a graph, or how the
principle was described) and (ii) one thing that could be improved (e.g. confusing
explanation, example does not seem relevant, presentation skills that could be improved).
The evaluations will be marked based on quality and originality.

5. Final exam 25%. 26 May.

This will cover material from all classes and readings in the course.
This will be partially multiple choice and partially short-note questions. The questions will be
based on key concepts and debates addressed in class lectures and the literature.
More details will be given nearer the time.

____________________________

Non-attendance at evaluations:

Any student who does not attend a programmed evaluation can receive a grade 0. However, if the student
contacts the professor and shows he/she meets criteria for a reasonable absence, an alternative activity
may be given. Reasonable excuses for missing a programmed evaluation include connectivity problems
and physical/health problems. In these cases, students are asked to email the professor as soon as
possible (ideally, before the time of the programmed evaluation) to explain the situation.

Regrading requests (Reclamos)

The official undergraduate students procedures will be followed (see below).

ART. 64. Todo estudiante que desee formular un reclamo sobre las calificaciones de cualquier
evaluación o sobre la nota definitiva del curso deberá dirigirlo por escrito y debidamente
sustentado al profesor responsable de la materia, dentro de los cuatro (4) días hábiles siguientes a
aquel en que se dan a conocer las calificaciones en cuestión. El profesor dispone de cinco (5) días
hábiles para resolver el reclamo formulado; vencido el término, informará al estudiante y al
coordinador académico la decisión correspondiente.

ART. 65. Si el estudiante considera que la decisión no corresponde a los criterios de evaluación,
podrá solicitar la designación de un segundo calificador mediante un escrito debidamente
sustentado, dirigido al consejo de facultad, dentro de los cuatro (4) días hábiles siguientes al
conocimiento de la decisión. Si el consejo encuentra fundada la solicitud, procederá́ a designar,
solamente para tal efecto, un segundo calificador cuya decisión debidamente sustentada será
definitiva e inmodificable. En ningún caso el segundo calificador podrá desmejorar la nota inicial-
mente asignada por el profesor. (Recuperado de: http://secretariageneral.uniandes.edu.co)

Rounding of grades (Política de aproximación de notas).

Grades will not be rounded up or down.

Other policies

Any student with more than 20% non-attendance will not pass the course, unless he/she has
communicated with the profesor and has a reasonable excuse for low attendance, in accordance with the
university undergraduate student policy.

Protocolo MAAD
El miembro de la comunidad que sea sujeto, presencie o tenga conocimiento de una conducta de maltrato,
acoso, amenaza, discriminación, violencia sexual o de género (MAAD) deberá poner el caso en
conocimiento de la Universidad. Ello, con el propósito de que se puedan tomar acciones institucionales
para darle manejo al caso, a la luz de lo previsto en el protocolo, velando por el bienestar de las personas
afectadas.

Para poner en conocimiento el caso y recibir apoyo, usted puede contactar a:

1. Línea MAAD: lineamaad@uniandes.edu.co

2. Ombudsperson: ombudsperson@uniandes.edu.co
3. Decanatura de Estudiantes: Correo: centrodeapoyo@uniandes.edu.co
4. Red de Estudiantes
● PACA (Pares de Acompañamiento contra el Acoso) paca@uniandes.edu.co
● Consejo Estudiantil Uniandino (CEU) comiteacosoceu@uniandes.edu.co