Learning and Behavior [Hardcover]

James E. Mazur (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 15, 1997 | ISBN-10: 0138575665 | ISBN-13: 978-0138575663 | Edition: 4

This is the core text for Introductory and Intermediate level courses in psychology of learning, behavior, and/or conditioning which are offered in departments of psychology. Focusing on both classic and contemporary studies and the most recent development and trends, Mazur's comprehensive book describes the psychological theories, applications, and experiments of learning and behavior in both humans and animals.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

This comprehensive survey describes the basic principles, theories, controversies, and experiments in the field of learning. Focusing on both classic studies and the most recent developments and trends, it deals with how people and animals learn, and how learning impacts behaviors. The emphasis throughout is on the importance of learning principles in everyday life. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From the Back Cover

Widely adopted for its thoroughness and clarity, this contemporary survey of the field of learning offers comprehensive coverage of both classic studies and the most recent developments and trends — with an emphasis on the importance of learning principles in everyday life. Covers classical conditioning, operant conditioning, aversive control, and stimulus control, habituation, physiological research on learning, comparative cognition, observational learning, and motor skill learning. Explores operant conditioning in depth — both basic studies and principles as well as applications in behavior therapy and modern research.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 433 pages
• Publisher: Prentice Hall College Div; 4 edition (July 15, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0138575665
• ISBN-13: 978-0138575663
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 7.3 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,020,227 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A must for anyone serious about behavior., January 16, 2001

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Ark Lady (Diana L Guerrero) "ArkLady" (California) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Learning and Behavior (Hardcover)

This book is not for the faint of heart but is indispensable for anyone seriously into the field of behavior. In the animal training field it is one of the five top books that I and many other trainers recommend.

Marked four stars only because it is not for the casual reader.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars excellent, August 20, 2003

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Emily Veinglory "veinglory" (United Kingdom) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Learning and Behavior (5th Edition) (Hardcover)

I have taught from this book in New Zealand and America. If your students are used to being spoon fed they may rebel at its complexity -- but if they are given proper guidance it will be useful first introduction and enduringly useful text for them. If you are graduating students with degrees in psychology and they cannot comprehend this book -- then their degree is not worth the paper it is printed on.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars no mention of mirror neurons, November 5, 2007

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W Boudville (Terra, Sol 3) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Learning and Behavior (6th Edition) (Hardcover)

The 6th edition was published in 2006. Mostly unchanged from earlier editions, as far as I can tell. The book is characterised as an explanation of decades of experimental work in learning. From the seminal efforts by Pavlov, which are basically known to much of the public as "Pavlovian" responses, to more specialised, but still crucial experiments by others.

If you're planning graduate work in this subject, here's a very useful synopsis. Granted, it's not a trivial read, and perhaps at the undergraduate level, should be restricted to 3rd or 4th years. Plus, if you have never read actual journal papers, the text is an easier introduction. It possesses much of the flavour of such papers; but typically simpler to understand, and the quality of writing may well be higher, given the refinements in each edition.

One slight puzzle is the lack of mention of mirror neurons. Discovered over 10 years and several editions of this book ago. For the first time, there is hard biological evidence for the mapping of empathy onto actual physical structures. A landmark result that is being intensively investigated. The book does have some mention of neurons, but very general.