1

WHAT IS PSYCHOLOGY ?
This chapter covers : CONTENTS
a) Brief Introduction to the Origin of Scientific Introduction
Psychology Meaning and Definition of Psychology
b) Meaning and Definition of Psychology Psychology as a Science
c) Psychology as a Science Subject Matter of Psychology
d) Brief ideas a bout di fferent Approaches to Origin and Development of Psychology
the Study of Psych ology: (i) Bi ol ogical, (ii) Pre-scientific period
Behavioristic, (iii) Cognitive Scientific period
e) Fields of Psychology Present status
i) Physiological and Comparative Approaches to the Study of Psychology
Biological approach
ii) Educational
Behaviouristic approach
iii) Child and Developmental Cognitive approach
iv) Industrial and Organizational Psychoanalytic approach
v) Abnormal Humanistic approach
vi) Social Socio-cultural approach
vii) Cognitive Psychology in Relation to Other Sciences
viii) Brief ideas on some emerging Fields of Psychology and Biology
Psychology: Health Psychology, Psychology and Anthropology
Environmental Psychology, Sports Psychology and Sociology
Psychology, and Counseling Psychology etc. Psychology and Medical Science
Fields of Psychology
After you go through this chapter, you would be able Physiological and Comparative Psychology
to: Educational Psychology
Understand the nature and scope of Child and Developmental Psychology
psychology as a social science discipline. Industrial and Organizational Psychology
Know the origin and development of scientific Abnormal Psychology
psychology. Social Psychology
Appreciate the importance of studying
Cognitive Psychology
psychology. Health Psychology
Environmental Psychology
Learn the approaches psychologists use in
studying individuals and groups. Sports Psychology
Counseling Psychology
Familiarize yourself with various
Cross-cultural Psychology
branches of contemporary psychology. Community Psychology
Other fields
Key Terms
Summary
Questions
Answers
Chapter 1

What is Psychology ?

Introduction

The opportunity for college education is only available to a few. The more fortunate ones
who make a smooth transition from high schools to colleges make a big leap in their educational
career. The adolescent in the High school, who was craving for independence from parental
restriction and teacher‟s discipline now breathes a sigh of relief at the doorstep of college
education. An adolescent student in a college is a relatively freer individual, experiencing
freedom from parental restriction, teachers‟ control, and restrictive home environment. He is at a
juncture in his life and educational career, where he can create more space for him, use time
the way he likes, make friends at his own choice, and learn whatever he wishes to learn. He is
relatively a freer individual, and the college environment opens up a wide range of avenues for
him to choose from.

The wider spectrum of choices in the higher educational set up poses a challenge to the
adolescent mind. For some students, college is an institution of higher learning with
opportunities for academic pursuits and possibly a professional engagement later, while for
others it is a platform to practice leadership roles. There are marked individual differences in the
way students perceive and selectively respond to their institutional environment. Some prefer to
make new friends for filling their leisure hours, some wish to create opportunities for interactions
with the opposite sex, some enjoy the newly-discovered independence of an adolescent life,
and for a few others, it is a wide-open confusion of what to do and what to choose from. Given
the same environment, people respond differently, which lead to different outcomes. Why do
they do so ? This is precisely the question that constitutes the subject matter of psychology.

Psychologists attempt to understand why and how individuals experience their

environment differently. More formally, psychology is a discipline devoted to the scientific study
of behaviors, experiences, and mental processes of the individual/organism in relation to its
environment.
The phenomena in pure sciences are relatively easier to predict with a certain degree of
accuracy. Given a particular treatment, a chemical behaves in a specific way. A ray of light
passing through a prism shows seven colors of varying wavelength. The phenomena studied by
psychologists are more variable, and therefore, more complex. A physicist studies the behavior
of objects either static or in motion; a chemist studies the behavior of chemical reactions; a
geologist studies the behavior of rocks; a botanist studies the behavior of plants, and a
physician studies the behavior of the physiological system. As you may imagine, the behaviors
of these people are far more complex and variable than the behaviors of the objects or systems
they study. The psychologist studies the behavior of individuals like these professionals. The
psychologists want to know how they perceive, learn, think, experiment, reason, judge, and take
decisions? Thus, psychologists deal with more complex systems.

Consider your own case as a student, and your experiences and behaviors in relation to
the college environment. Ask yourself the questions that follow. Each question pertains to an
area of study in psychology. What motivated you to prefer a course on psychology to other
similar courses (motivation)? How do you plan to learn the topics in psychology (learning)? How
would you remember what you learned and reproduce those in the final examination (memory)?
No matter how hard you try, you still would forget the learnt material from time to time
(forgetting)? Would you be able to keep cool, and deal with the feelings of stress arising from
hard work just before the examination (emotion)? Do you perceive and feel that your college
environment including the library, the teachers, and the instructional processes are supportive to
your learning (perception)? Why is it that you could not keep yourself awake beyond the
midnight just before the examination, no matter; how hard you tried (physiological basis of
behavior) ? You may also ask, “What percentage of your seniors secured above 70% marks in
psychology in the last examination?” to estimate your probability of securing marks above 70%
(statistics). (If you were prompted by this reason to prefer this course to others, you are
probably socially intelligent). If you are a serious student willing to think critically (thinking),
these and similar questions will cut across your mind from time to time. It is not that these
questions apply only to you; these questions also come to the minds of your friends, which they
either seek to answer or avoid. Furthermore, these questions are not only confined to college
education; they form a part of our everyday encounters with the world around. Psychology, as a
branch of social science would train you to obtain answers to these and similar questions so
that you can help yourself and others.
Meaning and Definition of Psychology
During the formative period of scientific psychology, many attempts have been made to
specify the meaning, scope, and definition of psychology. The term „psychology‟ has been
derived from two Greek words, psyche (soul) and logus (science). The literal meaning of
psychology is the ‘science of soul’. This was the earliest definition of psychology given by the
ancient Greek philosophers. This definition stood on very soft grounds because soul is
considered a philosophical and mystical construct, and cannot be directly observed. Hence, this
early definition was rejected.
Some philosophers used the term „mind‟ as a substitute for the word „soul‟, and defined
psychology as the ‘science of mind’. But the term „mind‟ was as vague and as indistinct as the
word „soul‟. Mind cannot be seen or observed, and therefore, cannot be studied scientifically. So
this definition was not also acceptable.
Some thinkers thought that since psychology studies human beings, it could well be
defined as the ‘science of man’. But problems arose again, because disciplines like physiology
and anthropology also study different aspects of human functioning. Through this definition we
cannot distinguish psychology from allied disciplines of anthropology and physiology. This
definition was also not found to be satisfactory. Some other thinkers defined psychology as the
‘science of mental activity’. But by restricting the scope of psychology to mental activity only,
the role of physiological functions that determine mental activity was ignored. Hence this
definition was not complete and was, therefore, rejected.
In 1879, Wilhelm Wundt established the first psychological laboratory at Leipzig in
Germany, and wanted to
give a formal status to psychology as a scientific discipline. Wundt defined
psychology as the ‘science of conscious experience’ and proposed introspection
(self-observation) as the method for understanding conscious experience. In
introspection, a trained person observes and analyzes his / her conscious
experiences, and provides a verbal report to the experimenter. E.B. Titchner
accepted Wundt’s definition, and popularized Wundt’s ideas in the United States.
But this definition did not last for long; it was later criticized on several grounds. A
detailed discussion of Wundt’s ideas and the related criticisms are presented later in
this chapter in the section on ‘Origin and Development of Psychology’.
J.B. Watson took a rigorous scientific approach, and wanted to make the
study of psychology more objective and quantitative. Watson was dissatisfied with
the philosophical and mentalistic constructs such as ‘soul’, ‘mind’, and
‘consciousness’. He defined psychology as the ‘science of behaviour’ and
established behaviorist school of psychology. By ‘behavior’ Watson meant all the
outward and the observable activities of the individual. Watson used objective and
experimental methods to study behavior. Watson’s definition was more acceptable
compared to others, but it did not provide a complete picture of what psychology is
concerned about. Behaviours can be overt (external) activities or covert (internal)
mental activities like perceiving, reasoning, thinking, imagining etc. The study of
internal mental activities was ignored in the definition given by Watson.
Furthermore, Watson undermined the role of the organism in any psychological
process, and overemphasized the determining role of the environment. Hence
Watson’s definition could not be considered as a complete and comprehensive
definition of psychology.
R.S. Woodworth, a member of the behaviorist school, defined psychology
as the scientific study of the activities of the organism in relation to its
environment. This definition was broader in scope compared to that given by
Watson. By using the expression ‘scientific study of activities’,
Woodworth emphasized the need to understand, predict, and control human behaviour. The
term „activities‟ includes both external observable behaviors (e.g., walking, jumping, running,
playing etc.) and internal mental processes (e.g., perceiving, memory, thinking, reasoning etc.).
The term „organism‟ includes human beings as well as other animals. The expression „in
relation to the environment‟ acknowledges the role of the organism and the environment in
shaping the individual‟s activities or behaviors. Woodworth‟s definition was considered a more
appropriate and acceptable definition of psychology; yet it was not comprehensive and
exhaustive.
As psychology advanced, researchers became increasingly aware of the role of
consciousness in shaping behavior. Wundt‟s ideas, which were rejected almost one hundred
years ago, were recognized in different forms. The role of internal mental processes in the field
of consciousness is now recognized as a valid subject matter of psychology. Most of the recent
textbooks of psychology include behaviors, mental processes, and experiences in the definition
of psychology. In the light of these viewpoints, psychology may be defined as the scientific
study of behaviours, experiences, and mental processes. This is the most acceptable
definition of psychology. The important features of this definition are discussed below:

1. Psychology is a scientific study. Psychology uses scientific methods for

studying behaviours, experiences, and mental processes. Some people have
difficulty in thinking of psychology as a science like physics, chemistry, or biology.
Science is not defined by ‘what’ it investigates but by ‘how’ it investigates. The
‘how’ part is covered by the methods. You will learn about the methods of
psychology in Chapter 2.

Scientists are curious individuals willing to think critically about issues and ideas. They
use a mixture of the methods of induction and deduction to investigate a phenomenon. The
purpose of science is to understand, predict, and control. When psychologists use an
intelligence test, they understand and assess the nature of intelligence in a student, predict his
achievement in school, and intervene in promoting the intellectual capacity of the student.
Science produces a systematic and organized body of knowledge, which is relatively
objective and verifiable. Psychologists develop laws and principles to understand various
dimensions of behaviour. Another researcher can verify the knowledge gained by a
psychologist. Since human behaviour is complex, psychologists differ among themselves in
their analysis and interpretation. But all go through a systematic procedure of study: identifying
a problem, stating hypotheses, designing a research strategy, collecting and analyzing data,
interpretation and conclusion, and formulation or revision of theories.
People sometimes carry wrong notions about what psychologists do. Some believe that
psychologists are fortunetellers, know about the future of a person, and can read one‟s mind by
looking at him. In fact, psychologists do not carry out any of these exercises. Some confuse
between psychology and psychiatry. A psychiatrist is a medical professional who has
specialized in the medical treatment of mental disorders. A psychologist may not have a medical
degree. Those who are clinical and counseling psychologists are trained in the use of
counseling and therapy with their clients. Psychology, thus, conforms to the basic principles of
the scientific tradition.
2. Psychology studies behaviors. Behaviors consist of all external and internal activities
of the organism. Psychologists study all forms of behaviours from simple reflexes (e.g., knee
jerk, eye blinking etc.) to more complex patterns of human behaviour (e.g., reasoning, problem
solving, decision-making etc.). Almost all forms of behaviour (simple or complex, verbal or non-
verbal, external or internal) are studied by psychologists.
In order to be objective, psychologists use the term ‘response* to denote behaviours. A
response is a measurable
activity generated by some sort of ‘stimulus’. A stimulus is defined by any change in the
physical energy that is capable of evoking a response. „Food‟ is a stimulus for the hungry man.
His salivation at the sight of food is a response. For some psychologists like Thorndike, and
Watson, psychology refers to the understanding of stimulus-response connections.

Behaviours can occur at different levels. Thus psychologists study the

behaviours of individuals, groups, organizations, crowds, and communities. They
study the behaviours of animals including rats, cats, dogs, and chimpanzees. They
use the findings from studies on animals for making inferences about behaviours of
human beings. They stud y all forms of abnormality to understand the causes of
abnormal behaviour. Recently, psychologists are focusing on behaviours as they
occur in natural settings, and the extent of cultural influences on patterns of
behavior. A good understanding of the beha viors is possible only when they are
interpreted in proper socio -cultural context. Psychology finds a place in all those
spheres, where behaviors of some sort are involved . Accordingly, there are
many applications of this discipline, giving rise to a large number of fields of
psychology.

3. Psychology studies experiences of people . In recent years, psychologists

have shown interest in both conscious and unconscious experiences of
people. Some experiences are very personal, and thus are unique to an
individual. Most recent textbooks on psychology include a chapter on
consciousness or altered states of consciousness. Consciousness is altered
when someone uses drugs, or performs meditation, or undergoes hypnosis,
or dreams during sleep. Psychologists study these u nique personal
experiences of the individual.
4. Psychology studies mental processes. The study of observable behaviours does not
provide a complete picture of what happens in the brain. The external world has a mental
representation in the brain. These mental representations obviously have a physiological base
in the form of neural activities in the brain and body. But these representations cannot be fully
understood in objective physiological terms. The representations consist of mental processes,
which have subjective as well as objective components. The mental processes consist of
learning, perception, memory, problem solving, thinking, decision-making etc., which involve
internal mental activities.

The mental processes cannot be directly observed, but they influence observable
behaviors. Hence, psychologists make inferences from observable behaviors regarding
the processes that take place internally. We cannot directly observe „thinking‟ but can know
whether or not a person is engaged in thinking by observing his behaviour while solving
problems. Similarly, we ask a person to recall the earlier learnt materials to make inferences
about his memory processes. Psychologists focus on how information is registered, processed,
and evaluated by an individual. Even they study the information processing mechanisms in a
computer to understand how human brain works. Hence the scientific study of the internal
mental processes constitutes an important subject matter of psychology.

Psychology as a Science

It has been mentioned earlier in this chapter that psychology is defined as the scientific
study of behaviors, experiences, and mental processes. This definition claims that
psychology contains the features of science. First of all, it is important to know
what science is. Second, if psychology is a science, is it a natural science like
physics, chemistry, or biology or a social science like sociology and economics? As
you will read later, psychology has evolved out of the combined influences of
natural science and philosophy. Hence, it contains some of the elements of natural
science.

What is science? Science refers to a systematic process of acquiring and

organizing knowledge. Science is defined not by its subject matter, but by the
methods employed to acquire knowledge. The methods used in science are
systematic, objective, and verifiable. The objective of science is to gain an
understanding of the cause-and-effect relationship among variables under carefully
controlled observations. The controlled observations, called experiments, usually
take place in the laboratory with the help of scientific instruments. While using
experimental procedures, certain variables or conditions are chang ed by the
experimenter to observe their effects on another variable. The variables changed
by the experimenter are called „ independent variables‟; the variables on which their
effects are observed are called „ dependent variables‟.

The process of gaining knowledge follows certain defined stages in scientific

enquiry: (a) identification and analysis of a problem, (b) formulation of a hypothesis
which states the expected outcome of an investigation, (c) preparing a design or
strategy, (d) collection and anal ysis of data, (e) interpretation of the findings, and
(f) developing or revising a theory.

Since Wundt established the first psychology laboratory in 1879 at Leipzig,

psychologists are claiming a scientific status for their discipline. In the early years,
psychology imitated the methods of physics and biology. It was also
considered to be a life science as it was connected with biology. Recently,
neuropsychology has emerged as a discipline, which studies the relationships
between biological structure of the brain and its psychological functions. Thus
psychology contains a few elements of natural sciences .

Let us take an example of how method of learning influences retention of the

learned material. Here, the „method of learning‟ is the „independent va riable‟; „the
amount of retention‟ is the „dependent variable‟. The method of learning may be
massed (no interval between learning trials) or distributed (a specific interval
between learning trials). After the problem is identified, a hypothesis is formul ated.
In this case, the hypothesis may be, “ The amount of retention would be more for
distributed than for massed method of learning.” . The design followed is an
experimental design with two conditions. In one condition, the subjects are
exposed to „massed‟ learning trials, and in the other, they are given „ distributed‟
learning trials. Other variables such as laboratory setting, number of trials, nature
of materials etc. are controlled, which means that they remain the same for the two
groups. After learning, the subjects are asked to recall what they learned. Thus
data are collected, analyzed, and interpreted. If the findings show that the
distributed condition results in better retention compared to the massed condition,
the hypothesis is supported; if it does not, the hypothesis is rejected. In this
example, the procedures and steps of natural sciences are followed. The
researcher has been objective and has collected information systematically. The
findings can also be verified by another scientist, who w ould probably obtain the
same results. These findings can be generalized to form scientific laws. Using
these laws, scientists can understand and make predictions.
Can we then call psychology a science? Yes, we can, because it fulfils many
conditions of science. It follows systematic and objective methods; its findings can
be verified; it examines cause -and-effect relationships to produce universal laws
governing human behaviour. The question arises, “Is psychology an exact science
like physics, chemistry, and biology?” The answer perhaps is „No‟. Unlike natural
sciences, psychology deals with behaviors and mental processes. Behavior is very
complex, dynamic, and ever changing. The mental processes are very abstract,
and are in a state of dynamic inte raction. Hence, the laws in psychology are not
as exact and precise as those in physics.

We cannot expect that psychology would conform to the laws of natural

sciences. Human beings not only live in their natural environment; they live in a
community having its unique socio-cultural features. The cultural influences vary
immensely from one setting to another. Hence it is difficult to come up with
universal laws that would be applicable in all contexts. Furthermore, many issues
of psychological interest cannot be studied in laboratory set up under artificially
controlled conditions. Considering all these, psychology can best be described
as a social science, devoted to the scientific study of behaviors, experiences,
and mental processes.

Subject Matter of Ps ychology

You will read later regarding different branches of psychology, which provide
a wide range of issues that psychologists are concerned with. The interests of
psychologists are both theoretical and applied. Psychologists propose theories in
the form of general laws. The knowledge so gained is applied for human comfort
and welfare. The subject
matter covers all aspects that deal with behaviours , personal experiences, and
internal mental processes of the individual. Psychology aims at understanding,
explaining, predicting and controlling all aspects of behaviour and experiences. A
brief idea about what psychology covers is given below.

The psychological and biological functions are interrelated. Both functions

are shaped by environmental forces. In order to understand behavior, one has to
understand its biological basis, because it is the biological organism that behaves.
Hence, psychologists stu dy the physiological bases of behavior, that is how
biological structures and functions influence behaviors and experiences. The
primary emphasis lies in the brain and the nervous system. At the same time, the
influences of the society and the cultural forces cannot be ignored.

The biological organ ism is in continuous interaction with the environment.

The environment directly affects our sense organs. We sense the external stimulus
world, attend to its relevant features, and finally perceive i.e., attach meaning to
our sensation. Psychologists study sensation, attention, and perception. These
are very important topics of study as they provide our first steps of interaction with
our environment. How do we attach meaning to the external world? We have to
learn. Without learning, we would be static bein gs, and every time we would
interpret our sensation the same way. As a result we would not be able to adapt to
the changing demands of our environment, and would therefore perish. Our ability
to learn helps us adjust to the world around us to make our livi ng comfortable.
Hence learning forms a core subject matter of psychology. Learning can be simple
or complex. It may range from learning an alphabet to learning to be a cosmonaut.
A wide range of skills and competencies are
acquired through learning. Psychologists carry out research in laboratories and
field settings to discover principles underlying learning.

Both perception and learning would not help us, if we did not have the ability
to remember. New information perceived and learnt are stored in our memory
system for future use. The information will be used only when we are able to recall
or recover it from our memory system. W ithout memory, the world would be a new
place for us every day, every hour or even every second. Neither shall we be able
to perceive nor be able to learn, if we had not a system for memory. Not all that we
store in our memory last forever. Information tends to be lost in course of time. We
forget the learnt material. Sometimes we purposefully forget to avoid unpleasant
feelings in order to adapt to our environment more effectively. Psychologists study
topics on memory and forgetting. How do we remember? Why do we forget? The
studies provide us great insights into very complex mental processes such as
thinking, reasoning, decision-making, problem solving, language learning etc.
These higher-order, complex, and internal mental processes are all interrelated. All
these internal mental processes are known as cognition or cognitive processes,
because they help us in acquiring know ledge from our environment. They are
continuously interacting with one another helping us to live a life of meaning and
purpose.

Man is a cognitive, conative, and affective being. Cognition refers to our

intellectual side. The conative aspect refers to mo tivation, while the affective side
refers to emotion. No matter how intellectually efficient the person is, he cannot
succeed if he is not properly motivated to perform and does not have the ability to
balance his emotions. Psychologists study motivation and emotion. Motivation
refers to the “why”
aspect of behavior. Without motivation, man would never be willing to engage in
mental activities that he is capable of. Motivation energizes a person to work
towards a goal. All the intellectual capacities of a student would not help him
perform successfully, if he is not motivated to study and learn. Emotions add color
to our lives. They can be constructive or interfering. Emotions, if not properly
regulated, can interfere with the execution of our mental p rocesses. Frustration,
anxiety, fear, hate, shame, guilt, love etc. are some of the emotions that influence
our mental processes and observable behaviors. The nature, the process, and the
consequences of motivation and emotion form a part of the subject ma tter of
psychology.

Every person experiences the basic psychological processes, yet each

person is different from the other. Not only people differ in their physical
characteristics such as height, weight, and color, they also differ widely in their
psychological characteristics such as personality, temperament, intelligence,
creativity, interests, and values. Understanding how individuals differ is extremely
important. If we know the strengths and weaknesses of each individual, we would
be able to help him develop personally through guidance and counseling. We can
learn the unique features of persons with different forms of disability, and help
them face challenges of life. Hence, the area of individual difference, particularly
relating to intelligence and information processing has received considerable
attention. Psychologists working in this area have developed tests and instruments
for measuring intelligence, and personality dimensions of individuals. They have
shown interest in understanding and contro lling abnormal behaviors and in
applying psychology in different individual and institutional spheres. The expanding
scope of psychology has made it an interesting topic of study
for even non-psychology personnel. Its applications are innumerable. In the last
two decades, psychological knowledge and principles are being increasingly
applied in the fields of health promotion, sports, defense, neuroscience,
information management, space and aviation research, hospital management,
business organizations, and forensic sciences, to name only a few. You will come
to know more about the different branches of psychology and different fields of
psychology later. Psychology is crucial to promoti ng the interests and welfare of
mankind.

Origin and Development of Psychology

“Psychology has a long past, yet its real history is short ”

was the statement made by Hermann Ebbinghaus (1908).
Psychology is as old as the human civilization. Man in his eternal
quest for knowledge has been curious about himself, his thought
processes, his reflections, and his experiences. Psychology grew
out of man‟s interest in studying and understanding himself. The
Wilhelm Wundt psychology we study today beg an in western philosophy. The
roots of psychology can be traced back to the ancient Greeks
and Romans. Yet the contribution of the Indian philosophers cannot be ignored.
While tracing the roots of psychology, the western textbooks hardly mention the
contributions of ancient Indian thinkers. But the most recent researchers in
psychology are turning their attention to the Indian vision of human consciousness.
The ancient Indian views are lately being respected by the western psychologists.
The Indian sages have dealt with and spoken extensively on the functioning
of consciousness. In order to understand
the experience of man, and the problems of mankind, the Indian sages used
experience and observation (pratyaksha) and reason (anumana), which were
supplemented by intuition and testimony (pramana). All Indian philosophical
discourses including Vedanta, Yoga, Nyaya, Mimansa, Budhism, Jainism, Sufi and
Charvak provide rich information regarding important psychological themes such as
mind, body, art of living, values, ethics, perception, emotion, motivation etc.
The modern discipline of psychology has its roots in ancient Greek
philosophical thoughts propounded by Plato and Aristotle. The development of
psychology can be divided into two peri ods: (i) Pre-scientific period, and (ii)
Scientific period. In 1879, Wundt founded the first formal laboratory of experimental
psychology at Leipzig, and was the first person to refer to him as a psychologist.
The year 1879 marked the boundary between the pre-scientific period and the
scientific period.
Pre-scientific Period
Prior to the 19th century, psychology was considered a
branch of speculative philosophy. It was not recognized as an
independent science with its specific subject matter, and methods
of study. The earliest Greek philosophers were of the opinion that
psychology was not different from philosophy. The development
of psychology as a distinct branch of knowledge was very much
influenced by Greek philosophical thought. Th e early Greek
philosophers described psychology as the science of soul. They E. B. Titchener
tried to explain how the soul functions, where it exists, whether
soul can be seen, and what happens to the soul after death. The ancient people
believed that soul exists even after the death of the man; soul is invisible, but
immortal.
The Greek philosophers like Plato and Aristotle (384 BC - 322 BC) tried to explain
the nature of soul, but they never tried to make it a subject matter of science, and
hence, never tried to establish psychology as a science. Plato explained the
concept of psychology as the “science of soul”, which is unscientific. Plato believed
that soul has no physical existence. As the soul can neither be seen nor touched,
nor its existence scientifically de monstrated, his concept of psychology was not
accepted. However, his ideas distinguished „soul‟ from the „body‟. Aristotle was of
the opinion that mind is the function of the body. He believed that heart is very
much related to the activities of human bein gs. The objects in the environment
stimulate the sense organs and the results of such stimulation are transmitted to
the heart. His view was to some extent correct as he said that the mental functions
are the products of physical entity.
The contribution of Rene Descartes (1596-1650) was important for the
development of psychology. He distinguished between mind and body, but
recognized that each influences the other . He believed that the animals do not
have soul, and therefore, behave lik e machines. The animals are
“automata” as their activities are mechanical. But man has a soul,
which controls his activities. The soul, as he believed, exists in the
pineal gland, which is located at the base of the brain. So his
concept of soul was different from that of Aristotle. His “dualism”
explains that the mind and body are different; yet there is

interaction between both. The interaction takes place in the pineal William James
gland. But his concept could not explain how this interaction takes
place. The physiologists questioned his idea of interaction between the
 agreement among the early founders with respect to what this
new science should be.
The philosophical thoughts during the eighteenth and
nineteenth centuries provided the basic ground rules for the
development of modern psychology. At the same time, the
proponents of natural science argued that the systematic

Sigmund Freud methods of formal sciences could be applied to study many

aspects of human behaviour. Charles Darwin, a British scientist,
published a book “The Origin of Species” in 1859, which revolutionalized thinking in
the fields of biology and genetics. He placed human beings and animals on a
continuum. Human beings, like other organisms, change as they adapt to their
natural environment. As such, they share some common characteristics, and much
can be learned about human behaviour by observing the behaviors of other
organisms. The methods of sc ience applied to the study of other organisms can
also be applied with human beings. As you will know later, the modern
psychologists have shown interest in studying the behaviors of rats, cats, dogs,
chimpanzees, and other animals, and have made inference s about human
behavior.

Figure 1.1 The dual roots of Psychology.

J.B. Watson
In summary, psychology emerged from philosophy and natural science . The
philosophers dealt with the relationship between mind and body, and with ideas
regarding how knowledge is acquired. The scientists in the fields of biology and
genetics used formal methods of science to understand the dimensions of
physiological behavior. This, in essence, speaks of the dual roots of psychology
(see Figure 1.1).
Scientific Period
Ideas from philosophy and natural sciences were combined to give rise to the
development of the new field of psychology. In the last quarter of t he nineteenth
century, psychology established itself as an independent
discipline. The formal start of modern psychology can be traced
back to 1879 when Wilhelm Wundt (1832-1920) established the
first psychological laboratory at the University of Leipzig i n
Germany. He was the first person to refer to him as a
psychologist. He did not believe in the philosophical approach to
the study of mind. He applied experimental methods for analyzing
human consciousness. He published a book entitled
„Fundamentals of Physiological Psychology‟, which was B.F. Skinner

considered to be the draft of the constitution of psychology as an

independent science. He opened his laboratory to students from all
over the world. As he took the first step in establishing psychology
as an independent science, Wundt is rightly regarded as the
father of modern psychology.
Wundt defined psychology as the study of conscious
experience, and Jean Piaget
 developed a model that came to be later known as structuralism . His aim was to study
the building blocks of mind. Thus he and his colleagues started analyzing human
consciousness to identify its basis elements. He believed that the mental state, in order
to be understood, has to be broken down into its fundamental components. In order to
achieve this, he and other structuralists used a method called introspection, whereby a
trained person (often called subject) carefully observes and analyzes his own mental
experiences (thoughts and feelings). The person turns inward or looks within to search
for what happens in his mind. Wundt was a master of introspection training. He trained
some of his students with minimum of 10,000 practice observations before they were
allowed to introspect themselves. Wundt’s views
Jean Pia get published first article
William James proposed Theory

Increased emphasis on cognitive

John Locke introduced “Tabula

Kohler published “The Mentality

Specialization of field increased

Watson published behaviorism
James published “Principles of

Wertheimer founded Gestalt

Skinner published “Science of

Pavlov won Nobel Prize for

Arnold’s Theory of Emotion

Medicine and Physiology

Achievement Motivation”
Maclelland’s Theory of
human behaviour”
of Emotion

Psychology”

perspective
Psychology

of Apes”
Rasa”

1690 1884 1890 1904 1907 1912 1924 1927 1950 1953 1960 1985 2000
A.D. A.D. A.D. A.D. A.D. A.D. A.D. A.D. A.D. A.D. A.D. A.D. A.D.

The Path The beginners Modern psychology

Finders

430 1908 1920 1957 1980

1879 1885 1900 1905 1939 1950 1990
B.C A.D. A.D. A.D. A.D.
A.D. A.D. A.D. A.D A.D. A.D A.D.
Jean Piaget’s death
Festinger’s “Theory of Cognitive dissonance”
Freud stated psycholo-dynamics of personality
Hippocrates stated four temperaments

Binet’s second revision of intelligence test

Ebbinghaus worked on memory

Harlow published “Theory of Motivation”

Greater emphasis on cultural

Wundt established first Psychology Laboratory

Binet published first intelligence test

Gestalt’s first publication “New ways in

psychology”

diversity

Figure 1. 2 : Important historical turning points in the development of psychology through ages
and assumptions spread far and wide, but they did not stand the test of time .

Structuralism. E. B. Titchener (1867-1927), who was a student of Wundt,

strengthened his teacher‟s thinking about mind and popularized his ideas in the

United States. Titchner advocated that psychology should focus on the study of

conscious experience using the method of introspection. Titchener, like his

teacher, departed from earlier philosophical approach, and emphasized the „What‟

of mental activity, rather than the „Why‟ and „How‟. He believed that all conscious

experiences consist of sensations, images, and affective states. Titchener‟s

approach came to be known as structuralism, as he was interested in studying the

basic elements that combine to form the structure of mind, and behaviors.

Structuralism represents a tradition in psychology, which suggests that the

structure of mind can be understood as the combination of simple events and

elements. The method for understanding mind‟s structure is introspection, which

means asking the experiencing person to present a verbal report of his mental

activity.

You can understand the basic f eatures of structuralism, if you have ever

asked a cook regarding the ingredients of a dish that you have liked. The dish

contains so many different ingredients. In order to understand the nature of a dish,

you need to familiarize yourself with its basic i ngredients as reported by the cook.

Similarly, the structuralists attempt to discover the basic elements of experience by

asking the person to analyze his thoughts and provide a verbal description of what

the contents of thought were like. Hence the method of introspection was

considered as a vehicle for exploring the mental experiences of an individual.

Both Wundt and Titchner contributed immensely to the

development of modern psychology. But structuralism hardly stood the test of time.

All the structuralists‟ ideas were criticized vehemently. First of all, reducing

complex mental experiences to basic sensations was considered far too simple to

describe human behaviour. Second, introspection was not truly a scientific method

because (i) the person cannot experience his feelings and analyze his experiences

at the same time; and (ii) there is no way of verifying whether the person‟s

introspective report was truly genuine. Third, animals and mentally retarded

persons cannot provide an introspective report of their conscious experiences.

Finally, the introspection is a subjective experience and its truth -value cannot be

ascertained by an independent observer. On all these grounds, structuralism fell

into pieces. The fall of structuralism gave way to other emerg ing schools of

thought. But the residues of structuralism even last till date. Psychologists in the

modern era have once again turned their attention to the study and description of

human consciousness. Structuralism that perished about 100 years ego has n ow

reflections in the minds of modern psychological thinkers, though in a different

form.

Functionalism. The model that largely replaced structuralism was known as

functionalism. William James (1842-1910) agreed with Titchener that the study of

consciousness must be the central theme of psychology. But James disagreed with

structuralists‟ search for basic elements of mind. Rather James emphasized that

psychologists should study how the mind functions . W illiam James published a

book titled „Principles of Psychology‟ in 1890, which promoted functionalism.

James agreed that consciousness is an ongoing stream, a property of the mind that

continually interacts with the environment. Through this interaction,

human beings learn to adapt to their environment. For James, the functions of mind
were more important than the structures of mind. Thus, his system was rightly
called as „functionalism‟.

Functionalism was later developed by the American philosopher John

Dewey. He applied the assumptions of functionalism in developing the field of
school psychology and educational practices. As the functionalists studied the
functions of consciousness, gradually their attention shifted to the learning process
itself. They paid less attention to the study of consciousness, an d more to the
environmental conditions that facilitate mental functions.

Gestalt School. Gestalt psychology emerged in Germany as a revolt against

structuralism. Later the gestalt psychologists criticized the reductionist approach of
behaviorists like Watson. This school was founded by Max Wertheimer (1880-
1943), and his colleagues Kurt Koffka (1886-1941), and Wolfgang Kohler (1887-
1967). They disliked the „brick and mortar‟ psychology of the structuralists. The
German word „gestalt‟ means „form‟ or „configuration‟. This school believed that
structuralists‟ analysis of mind into its component parts was wrong. On the other
hand, mind functions as a „whole‟ as it combines different units into a meaningful
whole or pattern. Their slogan was „The whole is different from the sum of its
parts‟.

The gestalt school focused on the study of how perception is organized. If

we would analyze our perceptual experience into its component parts, we would
miss the uniqueness or wholeness of our experience. The basic compo nents that
are combined to form perception produce something greater and more meaningful
than the individual elements alone. Gestalt psychologists provided the laws of
perceptual organization and theories on insightful learning and productive
thinking.
Psychoanalysis. While psychologists elsewhere were busy with the study of
conscious experience and observable behaviour, Sigmund Freud (1856-1939) in
Vienna, Austria emphasized the role of unconscious motives and urges in shaping
human behaviour. His school is regarded as psychoanalysis. Freud was a
psychiatrist and saw his patients suffering immensely because of mental conflicts.
The mental conflicts were manifested in the form of physical problems and
abnormal behaviour.

Freud believed that outward behaviour is motivated by inner forces and

conflicts over which the person has little awareness and control . Abnormal
behaviours can be understood if we explore the contents of the unconscious. The
methods used for studying the unconscious are hypnosis, free-association, and
dream analysis. He used all these methods with his patients. When the patients
were hypnotized and allowed to talk freely, they experienced some sense of relief.
Dream analysis revealed the hidden wishes of the patients that lied in thei r
unconscious. Freud understood the mind in terms of conscious, sub-conscious, and
unconscious processes, and emphasized that the „unconscious‟ primarily
influences the „conscious experience‟ . He proposed concepts of id, ego and
super-ego to understand and analyze the personality structures of individuals.
Alfred Adler, Carl Jung, and Erik Erikson worked with Freud in the early years,
but later, they developed their independent schools of thought. Freud‟s thinking
was revolutionary. Even those who have neve r taken a course in psychology are
aware of Freud‟s contribution.

Behaviorism. A revolution was made against the views on psychology held

by both structuralists and functionalists, and a school was established in America
by J.B. Watson (1878-1958). He argued that if psychology is to become a science,
it
must completely reject all the philosophical ideas and concepts like soul,
consciousness, or mind. He emphasized that the subject matter of psychology
should be observable behavior, and the methods to b e used in psychology
should be exactly like the methods used in pure sciences like physics and
chemistry. He rejected the method of introspection as too subjective and
unverifiable. He defined psychology as the “ science of behavior”. By “behavior”,
he meant the activities of the organism as a whole in response to the
environmental stimuli. He promoted stimulus-response (S-R) approach to the
study of psychology. Watson was an extreme environmentalist, as he believed that
environment solely determines behavio r. He neglected the role of heredity in the
growth and development of human personality. He emphasized the role of
environment and said,

“Give me a dozen healthy infants, well -formed, ........ and my own

specified world to bring them up, and I will guarant ee to take any one at
random, and train him to become any type of specialist I might
select......... doctor, lawyer, artist, merchant -chief, and yes, even beggar
man and thief, regardless of his talents .”

The view of Watson marked a turning point in estab lishing psychology as a

science. Later Skinner and Hull developed behaviorist ideas, and applied those in
the field of learning. Watson‟s views were one -sided as he completely neglected
the role of the organism in the process of development. He overemphasi zed the
role of environment, and restricted the role of psychology to the study of
observable behaviors. The man as the experiencing person was ignored by
Watson. In spite of criticisms, Watson‟s contribution marks a significant period in
the evolution of psychology.
Cognitive Revolution. An outline of the history of the development of psychology
would remain incomplete without mentioning the contributions of Swiss scientist,
Jean Piaget. His monumental theory of cognitive development, based on the
observations mainly of his own children, has profound influence on contemporary
developmental psychology. As a prolific writer, he published his first article in
1907, when he was only 10 years old, and since then, he has published more than
30 books and 200 articles. His theory of cognitive development has provoked
hundreds of psychologists to carry out research on intellectual development of
children.

He considered that human beings actively interpret information with the help
of cognitive structures. Hu man beings, as behaviorists claimed, are not passive
recipients of environmental stimulation. According to Piaget, human beings
actively construct and organize knowledge, which helps them to adapt to their
environment. His emphasis was on how children unde rstand the world, and
represent information in their minds. To cater to the interest of the readers, the
development of psychology in a broad historical timeframe is given in Figure 1.2.

Present Status

The psychology today rests on stronger theoretical and applied grounds. The
expansion is phenomenal. The current approach has inherited the ideas of earlier
schools of thought. The different schools and perspectives are no more considered
as presenting opposing views. Each school has its own strengths and
contributions, and supplements the other. Many recent approaches and theories
combine the strengths of several schools or perspectives.
The modern psychology places a great emphasis on cultural
determinants of behaviour. As cultures vary, the
models used for understanding behaviour need a different orientation.
Psychological theories are being developed, revised, and reconstructed to
understand human behaviour across varied socio -cultural contexts. The discipline
of psychology has now been extended t o cover almost every sphere of human
activities. W ith increasing technology and information, psychologists are facing
new challenges to address the issues of global concerns as well as local realities.

Approaches to the Study of Psychology

Psychologists use a variety of approaches to study the behaviours and

experiences. Each approach has its own points of view and assumptions. Each
approach defines a different area that is important for scientific analysis . Our
understanding of the roots of behaviors, exp eriences, and mental processes
depends on our approach to the study of reality. While some believe that our
behaviours depend largely on what happens in our body, others view that our
behaviours are largely the result of inner urges that lie in the unconsc ious. For
some, the observable behaviours are outcomes of our learning and constitute the
primary subject matter of psychology. Still others believe that our thought
processes primarily determine our way of interaction with the external world. Some
contemporary psychologists focus on the unique personal experiences of the
individual. The current emphasis is on the predominant role of culture in shaping
human behaviour. Accordingly, there have been several approaches or
perspectives to the study of behaviors and experiences.

Why are there so many approaches to psychology? Is one of them right, and
others wrong? In a sense, all approaches are correct. We cannot fully accept one
at the cost of the other. Each one provides a valid, but different understanding
of reality. The photographs of a person taken from different views are different, yet all
of them represent the same person. By taking different views of the same person, we can
develop a better understanding of the complete physical features of the per son.
Similarly, all the different psychological approaches represent a portion of the reality
with its unique emphasis on a particular dimension of behaviour . Approaches are judged
on the basis of whether they generate useful information. The different app roaches
discussed next are: (a) biological, (b) behavioristic, (c) cognitive, (d) psychoanalytic, (e)
humanistic, and (f) socio-cultural.

Biological Approach

This approach attempts to understand behaviors and experiences in terms of

biological structures and functions. In fact, the basis of behavior lies in the biological
system of the organism. The behaviors not only emanate from the biological system, but
they also influence the system. This approach analyzes behaviour at the molecular level
in physical terms. In this approach, environmental influences are recognized, but the
biological processes are considered more important. The biological approach studies
brain processes, nervous system, functions of glands, genetic basis of behavior,
biochemical and neural processes, role of instincts, and the influence of heredity. Simple
and even complex forms of behaviors are considered to have critical biological
components. The researchers use a variety of methods to study brain functions and the
causes of abnormal behavior.

The biological approach, because of its precise and objective methods of

investigation, has broad appeal. The methods adopted closely resemble those in natural
sciences. This approach has made major contributions in treating people
with severe mental disorders.

Behavioristic Approach

This approach focuses only on those aspects of behavior, which can be

directly observed, and the overwhelming influence of the environment in
shaping those behaviors. This approach stands in sharp contrast to the
biological, psychoanalytic, and cognitive approaches, which look inside the
organism to determine the causes of behavior. On the other hand, behaviorists
minimize the role of the organism, and look for the environmental factors that
control behavior. John B. Watson was the first American psychologist to advocate
the behavioristic approach. Other proponents have promoted similar kinds of views.
Those who favor this approach are known as behaviorists. They optimistically
believe that by controlling a p erson‟s environment, it is possible to train him to
show any kind of desirable behavior. Behaviors which get rewards from the
environment are strengthened and shown. Thus, by changing the reward system,
we can change the behaviors of persons. There is no n eed to look within the
organism to study his internal mental processes, because whatever these mental
processes are, they would at one time manifest in the form of observable
behaviors. Hence, behavior should be the primary focus of study for the
psychologists. Behaviorists adopt experimental and observation methods for
determining the environmental causes of behavior.

This approach has a lot of followers in modern psychology, because

emphasis on observable behaviors continues till date. Behaviorists have made
significant contributions in the field of learning, school educational practices,
treatment of mental disorders, controlling aggression, and treating
causes of drug-addiction.

Cognitive Approach

This approach focuses on how people know, unders tand, and think
about their world, and how their thoughts influence their behaviors . The
proponents of this approach believe that people do not respond to the external
events, but to their interpretation of those events. They propose that humans are
active processors of information. They receive external information, process it
stage by stage until they produce an output in the form of behavior. The
cognitivists emphasize the study of mental processes, which people use in
learning, perceiving, thinking, rem embering, deciding, problem solving etc. These
mental processes help us understand and react to our environment. Many forms of
abnormal behaviors are the results of maladaptive thought processes. Those who
think positively show successful adaptation to the ir environment. To help a person
get rid of his abnormal behavior is to train him to change his thought processes.
Only then he can improve his personality. In this approach, there is no emphasis
on unconscious urges.
The cognitive psychologists use exper imental method, sometimes with the
help of sophisticated instruments, to make inferences about the internal mental
processes. Cognitive approach has substantial influence in all aspects of
psychology, particularly in social, developmental, and educational areas.

Psychoanalytic Approach

This approach is based on the belief that behavior is motivated by inner

forces over which the individual has little control . It tries to understand the
inner person. Sigmund Freud is called the father of the psychoanalytic
school , which advocates that the inner energies that help us act lie in the unconscious. It
is these unconscious urges and motives that drive us to action. Each and every behavior
has an unconscious basis. As such, the unconscious forces are to be uncovered so a s to
understand different forms of behavior. This approach emphasizes the understanding and
the treatment of abnormal behaviors. We often notice people engaging in irrational
behaviors of which they later feel guilty and ashamed. These behaviors are the pr imary
focus of study for the psychoanalysts. Freud argued that the early childhood experiences
and hereditary instincts fully determine the adult personality. Abnormal behaviors can be
treated by resolving the early childhood conflicts. The psychoanalysts use free
association, dream analysis , and hypnosis to understand and resolve unconscious
conflicts.

The psychoanalytic model takes a negative view of human nature. Yet the
approach has a very powerful appeal even for the non -psychology students. The
psychoanalysts have contributed significantly to the understanding and treatment of
mental disorders.

Humanistic Approach

This approach suggests that people are basically good and potential enough to
make decisions about their lives and control their behaviors . Humanists reject the view
that behavior is determined largely by biological functioning, or by unconscious
processes, or by the environmental factors. Each person has his unique world of
experience. In order to understand his world, one needs to respect his feelings and
interpretations. Every behavior and experience is as good as the other. A behavior
considered abnormal by us may be very normal for the experiencing person.
To help him move towards maturity is to accept his feelings with genuine regar d.
Thus, every one has the power to reach higher levels of maturity, if given the right
opportunity. Carl Rogers feels that a person is disturbed if there is a big gap
between what he is, and what he thinks he should be. The psychologists‟ job is to
provide opportunities to the person so that he can make his own life choices, and
use his free will for self -improvement.

More than any approach, this perspective stresses the role of psychology in
enriching people‟s lives and helping them to achieve self -fulfillment. It deals with
the whole person. It takes psychology beyond the boundaries of science to include
valuable lessons from literature, history, art, and music.

Socio-Cultural Approach

This approach views that individuals‟ behaviors and mental processes

are strongly influenced by the social and cultural system in which they live .
As cultures differ, so also their behaviors and interpretations. An appreciable
behavior in one culture may be considered abnormal in another. In order to
understand behaviors completely, one needs to understand the socio -cultural
factors that shape behavior. The Western psychology is predominantly unicultural
in its focus. Recently, psychologists are advocating for multicultural perspectives
so as to understand the behaviors of people who belong to different cultures. Only
then we can understand their behaviors and help them adapt to their environment.
The cross-cultural psychologists advocate the understanding of the unique
influences of different cultures. Many national level p olicy and administrative
considerations take into account a multicultural perspective while addressing the
needs of people.
Psychology in Relation to Other Sciences

Psychology is a social science which studies behaviors and cognitive

processes as determined by various biological, anthropological, sociological, and
psychological factors. So psychology has close relationship with biological and
social sciences. It draws from biology, physiology, anthropology, sociology, and
medical sciences, to name only a few.

Psychology and Biology

Psychology is a science of behaviour, including both overt and covert

activities. Biology studies the activities of all living beings, and its aim is to study
how they grow, reproduce, and continue the life processes. Be haviour of man is the
result of his interaction with the environment. So, the behaviour cannot be
systematically studied without the knowledge of biological principles.

Biological sciences are related to physiology, which studies the functions of

living organisms and biochemical basis of behavior. They are also related to
neurology, which studies the brain processes, and the nervous system. There are
new branches called „physiological psychology‟ and „neuropsychology‟.
Physiologists study the functions of internal bodily organs, activities of glands, and
the nature of respiration, blood circulation, and digestion. All these activities are
related to behaviors, as biological and psychological systems are
interdependent. Further, the biological sciences have relations with „Genetics‟ that
studies the hereditary processes, and „Embryology‟ which studies the
growth and development of the organism before birth.

Though psychology has close relationship with biology, yet both differ in terms of
their emphasis. The primary focus of a biologist is to study the structures and functions
of the bodily organs. Psychology emphasizes the study of mental processes and behaviors
as they are shaped by the biological structures and functions. In spite of some
overlapping concern, each discipline maintains its unique emphasis.

Psychology and Anthropology

Psychology has relationship with anthropology or the “ science of man”.

Anthropology studies the history of human race, the physical evolution of mankind, and
the development of human civilization. It is concerned with the social problems of
primitive man and their culture, tradition, customs, and manners. Psychology studies how
these cultural factors influence the human behaviour. Particularly, the cross-cultural
psychologists draw from the knowledge base of the anthropologists to understand the
unique features and influences of a culture . They use the methods of the
anthropologists. So the study of anthropology facilitates the study of psychology.
Similarly, the knowledge of abnormal and social psychology helps the anthropologists in
explaining the man, his religion, and culture. Moreover, psychological techniques are
applied for the comparative study of culture. Thus, there is a close relationship between
anthropology and psychology. The relationships among anthropology, sociology and
psychology are so close that they are classified under the discipline of “Behavioral
Sciences”.

Psychology and Sociology

Psychology is related to sociology and both the branches of knowledge belong to

one discipline called social science.
Sociology studies the laws that govern the development and functioning of different

kinds of groups like political, social, economic, and religious. It emphasizes the

observable characteristics of group structure and group functions. Psychology

studies the activities of the individual and a group is formed by several individuals.

Sociology studies the group behaviour, and its influence on individual

behaviour. Knowledge of individual behaviour helps to understand the group

behaviour and the knowledge of gro up behaviour helps to analyze and interpret the

individual behaviour. Psychology studies the behaviour of the individual and

sociology studies the role of individual in group activities, and group structure. So

sociology and psychology are closely related.

Psychology and Medical Science

Psychology has close relationship with medical science. Knowledge of

psychology helps the physicians in the treatment of certain diseases like peptic

ulcer, asthma, migraine headache etc., which are called psycho -physiological

disorders. In this modern age, physicians admit that most physical diseases

emanate from psychological disturbances, and are therefore, psycho -

physiological in nature . We cannot understand and treat a disease without

recognizing the emotional conflicts that patients go through. Certain degree

of psychological help and counseling are necessary for helping patients face their
physical problems and recover from their illness. Similarly the knowledge of certain
physical diseases and the functioning of bodily organs help the psychologists to
understand human behaviors. A psychiatrist, who treats the psychological
disorders, examines the physical health conditions of the patients. So psychology
and medical science are closely related.

Fields of Psychology
Psychology has expanded its scope in modern times. W ithin the discipline,
several sub-fields have emerged. Each sub -field has its assumptions, theories,
methods of inquiry, and applications. In many academic institutions, psychology
constitutes one department, but psychologists differ in their interests, choice of the
subjects, and the degree to which they are involved in the application of
psychology in solving life‟s problems. In order to know the wide range of interests
of the psychologists, one needs to acquaint oneself with varied branches of
psychology. Some of the contemporary fields of psychology are discussed below.
Physiological and Comparative Psychology
Physiological and Comparative Psychology share a great deal in common.

As such, it is offered as a field of specialization in many educational institutions.

Experiments conducted in physiology influenced the development of scientific

psychology. By now, you know that mental activities are influenced by physiological

structures and functions. Physiological psychology primarily emphasizes the

study of biological structures and functions, and their role in shaping

behaviors. The physiological psychologists study how the brain, the nervous

system, the glands, and the

sense organs influence mental activities.

The comparative psychology deals with the similarities and differences

in the behaviors of animals belonging to different species . The major issues in
these two areas include neural basis of behavior, heredity and instincts, behavior
genetics, evolution of behavior, sleeping, eating, and drinking behaviors, states of
consciousness, the functions of nervous and glandular systems, neuropsychology,
and the effects of drugs. Experimental and observational methods are us ed to gain
knowledge about different physiological subsystems and the behaviors of different
species.

Educational Psychology

It is concerned with applying the general principles of psychology in

educational settings with a purpose to improve the quality o f the educational
process and learner‟s achievement . The educational psychologists are
concerned more with the learning, memory, and motivational processes of the
learner. There is a felt need to attend to the needs of the students with different
disabilities. Educational psychologists provide them special educational practices.
They study teacher and learner characteristics, the instructional climate in the
school, issues of classroom management, effectiveness of different evaluation
systems, and the individual differences among students. The focus is on training
teachers to address the educational needs of the students, creating a conducive
educational climate, and counseling and guiding students for scholastic and career
advancement. Evaluation of student performance is one of the major interests of
educational psychologists. In the present system, education of children with special
needs has become a prime concern of the educational and school psychologists.
Child and Developmental Psychology

Developmental psychologists study the physical and mental development of

human beings from the time of conception till old age. Child psychology is a

part of the developmental psychology as it studies the growth and

development of the child from conception till a dolescence. Studying the child is

helpful for understanding adult behaviors, as most of the adult personality and

behaviors are the results of childhood experiences. Moreover, the development is

much faster in the early years than later years of life. Both the developmental and

child psychologists have similar interests except that child psychologists confine

themselves to in-depth study of the behaviors during the early part of human life.

The developmental psychologists study the cognitive, emotional, an d

motivational development during the entire life span of the individual . It

covers all the life-span stages such as infancy, childhood, adolescence, adulthood,

and old age. This field focuses on the developmental changes in perception,

learning, thinking, emotion, language skills, personality, and social relationships.

For each stage of development, it identifies the needs and the challenges faced by

the individual. It also studies the developmental pattern of special groups of

people. Child psychology stu dies the same basic psychological processes in

children emphasizing the role of heredity and environment in shaping behaviors in

the early years of life. Child psychologists help parents and teachers in providing

guidance for children‟s development and edu cation.

Industrial and Organizational Psychology

Psychology has enormous application potentials in industry and

organizational sectors. In modern times, most people earn their living by working in

industries and business

organizations. The output in the b usiness sector largely depends upon the
efficiency and motivation of the employees. If the human resources in the
organizational sectors are not properly cultivated, the productivity will decrease in
spite of modern technology, and sophisticated equipments . This branch applies
the principles of psychology in the workplace to improve employee and
organizational effectiveness. Hence, it is one of the very popular branches of
psychology. The industrial psychologists study the employer -employee relationship,
the causes and prevention of accidents, the morale of the employees, problems of
absenteeism and labor strikes, the effectiveness of financial and non -financial
incentives, and the factors influencing the work efficiency of the employees.

Organizational psychologists apply psychological principles in

selection of employees, training and counseling employees, improving their
work motivation, managing conflicts, and improving the total organizational
culture. The human aspects and its mobilization for improvin g organizational
effectiveness constitute the major aim of the organizational psychologists.

Abnormal Psychology

Understanding maladaptive behaviour in human beings has a long history.

However, formal introduction of abnormal psychology as a new branch of
psychological inquiry dates back to Sigmund Freud‟s discovery of the unconscious.
As one of the most sophisticated and specialized branch of psychology, abnormal
psychology seeks to describe, explain, predict, and control behaviours that
are considered strange, maladaptive, or unusual . Its subject matter consists of
studying a range of behaviours that depart from some norm,
and harm the affected individual and others. These behaviour anomalies range
from simple adjustment problems, neurotic behaviour , anxiety problems, and socio -
emotional disorientation to severe psychotic disorders of schizophrenia and manic -
depressive psychosis. The purpose of abnormal psychology lies in the
classification of various mental disorders, locating and explaining their e tiology,
preparing tests and instruments for their assessment, and finally, making
provisions for treatment. Mental health problems are widespread in the
contemporary societies. Therefore, abnormal psychology takes up a new
assignment of prevention of ment al disorder by planning out mental health
programmes and counseling services.

Now-a-days, psycho-physiological disorders are a major concern of the

abnormal psychologists. Hypertension, asthma, peptic ulcer, migraine etc. are
happening to people in a very large scale. Medical practitioners also try to find out
a psychological root in almost every physical disease.

Social Psychology

This branch focuses on the nature and causes of individual behavior in

social settings. The principles of general psychology are applied in social
situations to understand how society, social groups, and the behavior of
others affect the individual‟s behavior. Social psychologists study how we
perceive other people, and how our social perceptions influence our behavior. They
study group formation and functions, formation and change of attitudes, spread of
rumors, nature of social prejudice, interpersonal attraction, leadership functions,
propaganda and public opinion, social motivation, and inter -group relations. Their
interest overlaps considerably with that of the sociologists. While the focus of the
social psychologists is on the
individual, sociologists are primarily concerned with studying societal institutions.

Cognitive Psychology

Cognition refers to all the psycholo gical processes used for acquiring
knowledge about the environment. Cognitive psychology studies how
individuals acquire, store, transform, evaluate, and use information . The study
of cognitive processes is included in the basic definition of psychology. T he major
cognitive processes include attention, perception, learning, memory, reasoning,
thinking, decision-making, problem solving, and language learning. As you may
see, all these processes are used in our everyday life situations. Cognitive
psychologists rely heavily on experimental methods in laboratory settings. They
work in collaboration with neuroscientists and computer scientists. Research in
cognitive psychology generates laws and principles that are meaningfully applied to
understand individuals‟ behaviors in other settings.

Health Psychology

Health psychologists explore the relationships between psychological

factors and physical ailments or diseases . There is a growing awareness among
doctors that almost all physical ailments have a psychologica l base. Health
psychologists study how psychological factors (e.g., stress, tension, anxiety,
unsupportive home conditions etc.) lead to physical illness. They deal with methods
and strategies to promote awareness among people regarding their health. They
create community awareness for avoiding unhealthy practices such as smoking and
drinking, and promote behaviors related to good health. Health psychologists
contribute immensely to modern health care and disease prevention.
Environmental Psychology

It deals with human behaviour as influenced by the physical characteristics of the

environment they live in. The environmental psychologists study how the
physical environment and the living conditions affect our emotions, inter -
personal interactions and the behavioral dispositions. They examine the
influence of the environmental stressors like noise, pollution, crowding, heat, and
humidity. In modern times, they focus on the effects of population explosion,
disposal of waste matters, nuclear radiation, clim atic changes, and the physical
resources of the community. This discipline is assuming increasing significance in
modern times.
Sports Psychology

This branch investigates the application of psychology in sports and

athletic activities in order to understand how sports performance is
influenced by psychological factors, and what can be done to promote sports
performance. It studies the role of motiva tion, the social aspects of sports, the
influence of training on athletic activities, and the effect of different forms of
physical exercises on muscle development. In recent years, quite a good member
of sports psychologists are involved in training sport s persons for the Olympic and
other international competitions.
Counseling Psychology
The counseling psychologists are trained professionals whose primary
focus is to help and guide persons experiencing mild personal, emotional,
and social problems. This branch has many overlapping concerns with the field of
clinical psychology. A large number of clinical and counseling psychologists are
employed in hospitals, clinics, and educational and vocational institutions. In many
cases,
they work in close association with the psychiatrists in treating people with severe
emotional disturbances. While psychiatrists treat patients with drugs, counseling
psychologists use a variety of cognitive and behavioral management techniques to
help clients for achieving pe rsonal effectiveness.
Cross-Cultural Psychology
The cross-cultural psychologists study how social and cultural contexts
influence human behavior . As cultures differ, so also the nature and
interpretations of human behavior. Behaviors judged normal in one culture may be
judged as undesirable in another culture. This branch of psychology examines all
aspects of cultural determinants of behavior. The cross -cultural psychologists rely
heavily on observational and ethnographic methods to understand culture‟s un ique
ways of child rearing and socialization practices. They attempt to understand those
aspects of human behaviors that help people adapt to their cultural environment.
Community Psychology
This branch is concerned with the application of psychological principles for
solving social problems arising in community life . Unhealthy relationships among the
different groups in a community, and frustrations resulting from unemployment etc. are
some of the problems of community life, which are dealt by community psychologists.
They also work for educating the public to adjust with other members of the community,
and develop a sense of oneness for a healthy community life.
Other fields
Besides the fields of specializations mentioned above, many other new branches
of psychology have emerged in recent times in response to the needs of the people and
the institutions. These new trends include rural psychology, cultural psychology, political
psychology, work psychology, neuropsychology, forensic psycholog y, rehabilitation
psychology, engineering psychology, peace psychology, managerial psychology, personnel
psychology, behavioral psychology, legal psychology, space psychology, aviation
psychology, and medical psychology. The interests of the psychologists have been so
varied that they offer special courses, and Masters and Ph.D. level courses in different
areas of specialization.
KEY TERMS
Psychology Response
Structuralism Functionalism
Psychoanalysis Stimulus

Cognition Introspection
Gestalt Behaviorism

SUMMARY
1. Psychology may be defined as the scientific study of behaviors, experiences and
mental processes with reference to the socio -cultural environment. This recent
most definition departs from its earlier definitions as ‘science of soul’, ‘ science
of mind’, ‘science of man’, ‘science of
Chapter 2
METHODS USED IN PSYCHOLOGY

CONTENTS
This chapter covers :

a) Experimental Method
Introduction

b) Observational Methods Observational Methods

i) Participant Naturalistic Observation

ii) Non-participant Participant Observation

Non-participant Observation
iii) Naturalistic
Subjective Observation
iv) Subjective
Advantages of Observational
Methods
Limitations of Observational
Methods
After you go through this chapter, you
would be able to : Experimental Method

Variables
 Appreciate the scientific temper of the Independent Variable
methods used in psychology.
Dependent Variable
 Describe the important features of the
experimental method. Controlled Variable
 Know various types of observational Control Group Design
methods.
Controlling Extraneous Variables
 Understand the importance of
correlational and case-study methods. Steps in Experimental Method
 Appreciate the strengths and limitations of Advantages
different methods of enquiry. Limitations

Correlational Method
Case-Study Method
Key Terms

Summary

Questions

Answers
Chapter 2

Methods Used in Psychology

Introduction
Psychology, as a science, uses methods that are systematic and objective, and produce verifiable
findings. Whether a branch of knowledge can be called a science or not depends on the methods it uses
to study its specific subject matter. So every science has its methods of study to suit its subject matter.
Like all other sciences, psychology has also developed its own methods. A study of historical
development of psychology shows that scientific methods were not used when it was treated as a
branch of philosophy. But psychology began to claim the status of a science with the establishment of
first psychological laboratory at Leipzig by Wilhelm Wundt in 1879. Some of the important methods
used in psychology are observation, experimental method, correlational method, and case-history
method, which are discussed next.

Observational Methods

Every science is based on observation of facts, and hence, observational methods are most
common to every discipline of science. Like all other sciences, psychology also uses observational
methods to study its subject matter. Observation can be objective or subjective. In objective
observation, a single observer or a number of observers can observe, whose findings can be cross-
checked, and verified. It is possible for a common man to observe the external or overt activities, and
this type of observation is objective observation. But when a person feels pain, hunger, or fatigue, it is
not possible for others to observe these experiences that are internal to him. Only the person himself
can be aware of these experiences and can observe himself. Such type of observation is called subjective
observation, which is otherwise known as introspection. Psychology studies both overt and covert
activities using objective and subjective observations, respectively. Observation can be made either in
the laboratory by creating an artificial situation, or can be made in natural settings, where the events
take place. Observing occurrence of events in the natural settings is called naturalistic observation.
The literal meaning of observation is clear perception of some objects or events. Observation forms the
basis of any scientific enquiry. Scientific observation cannot be regarded as just a simple perception of a
layman. When some objects or events are observed in a scientific manner, these objects or events are
examined systematically. Objective observation is concerned with the events of the external world.
Psychologists use objective observation to study the overt activities of the organism. The subjective
observation, called introspection, asks a person to look within, and report his mental experiences. Both
the methods have considerable utility in psychology. Recently, many psychological instruments are used
to record the inner experiences. Yet the observational methods have their own advantages.

The observation may take place in the artificial setting of a laboratory (laboratory observation),
or in the natural field settings (naturalistic observation). The observer may be a part of the situation to
be observed (participant observation), or may observe from a distance without being a part of the
event (non-participant observation). The observer may study the outward activities of other persons in
a systematic manner (objective observation), or may observe himself by looking within to analyze his
thought processes (subjective observation). Depending on how and where the observation takes place
and for what purpose, there are different kinds of observational methods. A few observational methods
are discussed below.

Naturalistic Observation

A systematic study of behaviour in the natural settings is called naturalistic observation. It is

very critical to the development of scientific knowledge. Behaviours which otherwise cannot be
observed in experimental settings can be studied through naturalistic observation. The researcher takes
a passive role and simply records what occurs. For example, a bird-watcher may observe the behaviours
of birds in a forest. A social psychologist may observe how a crowd is formed, and how people behave in
a crowd. Psychologists interested in studying animals may observe the social behaviour of monkeys. In
each case, the researcher does not intervene in the phenomenon.

The advantage of naturalistic observation is obvious. We get a real

picture of what people do in their natural habitat. The major limitation of this method is that the
researcher cannot control any of the factors of interest. Too many extraneous factors influence the
phenomenon. In order to observe an event, the researcher will have to wait until the appropriate event
takes place. If people know that they are watched, they may also alter their behaviour, which may not
be truly representative of their natural set of behaviours. Therefore, many researchers take recourse to
laboratory observation, in which the investigator observes the behaviors of interest under controlled
laboratory conditions.

Participant Observation

While conducting observations, the investigator may take the role of either a participant or non-
participant observer. In participant observation, the investigator actively participates in the group
activities, and thereby, becomes a part of the situation that is observed. Anthropologists make
extensive use of participant observation in studying the behaviors of and cultural practices of tribal
groups. They believe that a phenomenon can be best understood only when the researcher experiences
the situation by himself. Even in a laboratory set up, when a researcher administers a test to a subject,
his observation of the subject’s behaviour can best be described as participant observation. Teacher’s
observation of students’ behaviour in the classroom and observation of your friend’s behaviour in a
social get-together are examples of participant observation.

The participant observation can be overt in which the subjects know that they are being
observed or covert in which the researcher disguises his identity and acts like any other participant.
Covert participant observation yields more meaningful data, but can be criticized on ethical grounds.
The overt participant observation has a major drawback of not assessing the true picture of activities, as
the subjects would change their activities in the presence of the observer.

Non-participant Observation

In non-participant observation, researcher observes the phenomenon from a distance without

participating in the activities. Naturalistic observation is a form of non-participant observation. The
researcher takes care to see that he exerts minimal impact on the situation being observed. There are
occasions when non-participant observation is not possible. In order to observe the marriage customs
and marital life in a tribal society, it is not possible to stand back and observe the process. The subtle
and sensitive aspects of a situation would only be available to a participant observer. The nature of
observation would depend on the interest and requirement of the researcher.
Subjective Observation (Introspection)
In subjective observation, which is also called introspection, a person observes
his own mental activities. Introspection literally means, “looking within”. It means getting
insight into one‟s own mental activities. In introspection, a person perceives, analyses, and
gives a report of his own feelings and experiences. Although introspection is self-
observation, all self-observations are not introspection. A person may keep his hand on his
forehead and report that he his having temperature, and is suffering from fever. This is not
introspection, but self-examination. Introspection is a type of self-observation in which a person
perceives his mental activities.

Introspection method was introduced by Wundt and was popularized by E.B. Titchener,
the founder of structuralism. Wundt viewed that psychology is a science of mental contents and
Titchener defined psychology as the “science of consciousness or mind.” So, both psychologists
accepted mental activities as the subject matter of psychology, and accordingly, they used
introspection as the method of study. For this reason, Titchener‟s system is sometimes called as
“Introspectionism”. He said that observation is a method common to all sciences and
introspection is a form of observation. But introspection requires two tasks to be done
simultaneously, i.e., to engage in a mental activity, and also to look within to analyze the
contents of this mental activity. The person has to be trained to introspect. Wundt trained his
subjects with a minimum of 10,000 practice trials to be able to introspect. Thus introspection
requires hard work and considerable effort on the part of the person who would introspect
himself.

The introspection method has merits as well as limitations. First, let us consider the
advantages.

a) It is an easy and simple method and provides direct observation of mental processes. By
other scientific methods, the mental processes cannot be directly observed since those
are purely private and personal experiences. Introspection is the only method by
which the person can be directly aware of his own experiences.

b) While using experimental method to study the mental activities, laboratory and scientific
instruments are required. But for the use of introspection method, no laboratory or test
materials are required. So introspection method can be used at any time and at any
place.
c) The subjective observation method provides an opportunity to check the results
obtained through other methods. For example, the general finding is that the pleasant
materials are better remembered than the unpleasant ones. Suppose, in an experiment
the results suggested that the unpleasant materials were better remembered than the
pleasant materials. The reason for this unexpected finding can be found from the
introspective report given by the subject. The subject might have reported that he was
inattentive or mentally disturbed or feeling unwell when the pleasant materials were
presented to him. Here the introspective report would be helpful in explaining the results.

In spite of some advantages, the method of introspection or subjective observation has some
limitations.

a) The observer is expected to perform two mental activities simultaneously. He

experiences his mental processes, and at the same time analyzes what these
experiences were like. At the same time, he acts as the „observed‟, and the
„observer‟. Obviously, his mental experiences would be distorted, and not reflect the
true nature of mental activities.

b) The subjective observational report lacks objectivity, as the verbal report of the
subject cannot be verified by other scientists. Furthermore, the experiences of one
person cannot be generalized to understand the mental activity of another person. A
universal principle concerning the mental processes cannot be stated, as mental
processes would differ from person to person. Thus, the method lacks scientific validity.

c) Most persons would not like to reveal their private experiences such as the
feelings of guilt and shame. The report in such cases would be distorted

d) The method of subjective observation cannot be applied to the study of the mental
activities of the animals, children, insane, and persons having language disabilities. The
behaviors of these subjects are of interest to the psychologists. Thus, introspection
has only a limited applicability.

e) The unconscious experiences cannot be accessed through introspection. The

psychoanalytic school founded by Freud argues that most of human behaviors are influenced by
the unconscious motives and urges. A person cannot observe
his unconscious mental processes, which means that the method of subjective observation
leaves out a large chunk of relevant mental experiences.
Some psychologists have suggested that the inherent difficulties with the method of
subjective observation can be overcome by observing the mental process after it ends. This is
known as “retrospection”, or backward introspection. In retrospection, one is asked to give a
report about his mental process after the mental activity ends. In case of anger or fear, he will
give a report about his experiences after the anger or fear responses end. He will be asked to
recall the experiences immediately after the anger or fear responses and will give a report. But
Titchener and others did not give importance to this type of post-mortem examination. It was
viewed that retrospection is not actual observation of the mental process, but simply the recall of
experiences and analysis of memory. Such reports cannot be taken as accurate.
In spite of the above-mentioned limitations, introspection method is still used as a
method in psychology, because it is the only method that provides direct observation of mental
processes.
Advantages of Observational Methods
a) Observation forms the basis of any scientific enquiry. It is the primary mode of
acquiring knowledge about the environment. Through systematic observation, and a
process of induction, the investigator forms hypotheses, which are tested later by using
experimental methods.
b) The results obtained through any other scientific method need to be in conformity
with the outcomes of skilled observation. In case of any departure, the processes
adopted in the „other‟ methods have to be carefully scrutinized and evaluated.
c) The experimental and other laboratory-based methods study behaviors under artificially
controlled conditions. But through observational method, the investigator gets a real
picture of the behaviors and the events as they manifest in natural settings. Systematic
and unbiased observation can yield a true picture of individual‟s natural set of
behaviors.
d) Certain phenomena can be accessed and properly
understood only through observation. Crowd behavior, social behaviors of the animals, and
mother-child
interaction at home are some exemplary situations, which can be meaningfully assessed and
understood only through observation.

Limitations of Observational Methods

a) The major problem with the observational methods is that the investigator has little
control over the situation he is interested to observe. In the natural setting, too
many extraneous factors influence the phenomenon. As a result, it is difficult to assess
what causes or determines the behaviors of researcher‟s interest. It is extremely difficult,
and sometimes impossible to establish cause-and-effect relationships in our
understanding of the behaviors. The observational report in most cases turns out to be
descriptions of events rather than explanations for the event that can be used for
prediction and control.

b) In many cases the observer has to wait until the appropriate event takes place. To study
crowd behavior, the investigator would have to wait until a crowd is formed in a natural
setting. Therefore, some types of observations are time-consuming, and labor-
intensive.

c) Observer-bias is one of the important problems in observational research. The

personal philosophy, attitudes, beliefs, convictions, and sometimes the personal
interests of the observer are most likely to color his perceptions of the event. His
observational report may in part reflect his biases in describing and interpreting the
event. Thus, the description may not reflect the true features of an event.

d) The observer himself may be affected during the process of observation. His initial
neutral disposition may be affected and distorted. The outcome would be a description
of the event as personally experienced by the observer. These descriptions would be
subjective, and cannot be generalized to other similar situations.

e) Finally, the presence of the observer may influence the phenomenon itself. In
other words, those subjects who are observed may change their activities in the
presence of the observer. As a result, the observer would fail to obtain a true picture of
subject‟s behaviors, i.e., those behaviors that would have taken place, if the observer
would not have been present. It is always better to supplement the observational record
with the findings obtained through other methods.
Experimental Method

Establishment of the first psychological laboratory at the Leipzig University in the year 1879
certified the use of experimental method in psychology. Physiological psychologists already prepared
the ground work for the experimental method in their efforts to analyze and understand psychological
processes involved in sensation, attention, perception, feelings, images, and so on. Further impetus to
the use of experimental method was provided by the psychophysical experiments, which recognized
that the relationship between stimulus and the corresponding sensory experience could be studied in a
laboratory setting. Hermann Ebbinghaus’s discovery of nonsense syllables and his series of experiments
on memory opened a new era in the history of experimental psychology. The classic experiments of E.L.
Thorndike, I.P. Pavlov, B.F. Skinner, and W.G. Kohler ensured that the experimental method could be
meaningfully applied to the study of behaviors. By the turn of the 21st century, the use of the
experimental method was diversified, and was considered as the predominant method of
understanding, explaining, and predicting the psychological processes.

Experimental method is a method in which the investigator systematically manipulates one or

more variables to study their effects on other variables in a carefully controlled laboratory setting.
Manipulation of variables is made according to a schedule, which is called the design of the experiment.
A number of such experimental designs are developed to deal with the queries of psychology. The
experimental method is used either to collect data, or to explore a relationship, or to test a hypothesis.
If the experimenter wants to explore or find out what would happen by introducing a variable, it is
called an “exploratory experiment”. If he wants to test a hypothesis or supposition made on the basis of
findings of experiments conducted earlier, it is called a “confirmatory experiment”. A hypothesis is
formed on the basis of knowledge available from previous experiments. Usually, hypotheses are not
formed relating to exploratory experiments because no provisional answer to the problem under
investigation is available in the past studies. But in a confirmatory experiment, there is a definite
hypothesis.

Variables

Experimental method uses variables. A variable is a fact or a phenomenon within or outside

the organism that evokes a response in the organism and can
take on different values. The response evoked through the process is also a variable. In the context of
an experiment, variables are defined as independent variables, dependent variables, and controlled
variables.

Independent Variable

The purpose of an experiment is to find out whether changes in one variable (say, X) cause
changes in another variable (say, Y). Here ‘X’ is referred to as the independent variable, and ‘Y’ as the
dependent variable. Thus, independent variable is the variable that is systematically altered in an
experiment. While designing an experiment, attempt is made to control the situations in such a manner
that a meaningful relationship can be explored between the antecedents and consequences.
Antecedents are the conditions that are present in the environment or in the organism. Those are
referred to as the independent variables, when the experimenter manipulates them in an experimental
setting. In the words of Ghorpade, “An independent variable is one that can be introduced, varied, or
removed by the experimenter in order to study its effect on the phenomena he studies.” When the
experimenter introduces the independent variable, the response of the subject begins. When he
changes the independent variable, the subject’s response changes and as he removes the independent
variable, the response no longer occurs. So independent variable is the cause for the response to occur.
In an ideal psychological experiment, there is usually one independent variable. If there are more
independent variables in an experiment, complex experimental designs are used to study them.

Dependent Variable

The dependent variable in an experiment is the performance or response of the subject. It is

the aspect of behaviour that is measured in an experiment. This is so called, because it depends on the
independent variable. For example, an experiment is designed to study the effect of alcohol on memory.
Here, alcohol intake is the independent variable, and the score on a memory test is the dependent
variable. Precisely, dependent variable is the result of an experiment. Changes in the dependent variable
occur due to manipulation of the independent variable. The dependent variable is also called the
“response variable”. In a graphical presentation of the result, the independent variable is plotted along
the OX axis or abscissa and dependent variable is plotted along the OY axis or ordinate.
Controlled Variable
In the context of an experiment, there may be variables other than the independent variable,
which are likely to influence the response of the subject. The experimenter does not allow those
variables to influence the result. He, therefore, keeps those variables same throughout the experiment
either by keeping them constant or by neutralizing them through counter-balanced designs. For
example, in studying the effect of alcohol on memory, alcohol intake is the independent variable. But
the amount of materials, nature of materials, method of learning etc. are the other variables, which are
likely to influence the result. These variables are called “controlled variables”. Thus, controlled variables
are the relevant variables in an experiment whose effects on the dependent variable are neutralized

Control-Group Design

Control-group design is a simple form of experimental design. In such an experiment, two

similar groups of subjects are used, one as the Experimental Group and other as the Control Group (see
Figure 2.1). Independent variable is administered to the subjects of the Experimental Group, and it is not
administered to the subjects of Control Group. Finally, the performances of the subjects in the
Experimental Group and the Control Group are compared. Suppose an experiment is conducted to study
the effect of alcohol on memory. The experimenter may take two groups of subjects, consisting of equal
number of people, belonging to the same sex, and age group and having roughly the same learning
ability. The subjects in Group-A (Control Group) are not be given alcohol, i.e., the independent variable
and the subjects in Group-B (Experimental Group) are given alcohol. Then a test of memory is
administered to both the groups and their performance on the memory task may be compared. The
differences in their performance may be attributed to the intake of alcohol.

But sometimes it is difficult to match the subjects of Control and Experimental groups. The
experimenter will match the subjects on a number of factors, which are considered relevant and then
randomly select them into either the Control Group or the Experimental Group.
 Control Group No Independent Behaviour Comparison
Subjects: 1,2,3….n Variable
measured of the
behaviour of
the Control
and
Experimental
Experimental Group Independent Behaviour
Subjects: 1,2,3….n Variable groups
measured

Figure 2.1 : The design of a control-group experiment

Controlling Extraneous Variables

The goal of the experimenter is to obtain precise answers to research questions. The
dependent measure is susceptible to the influences of many variables other than the
independent variable. These other variables are called extraneous variables. In order to
determine the influence of the independent variable on the dependent variable, all other
variables likely to exercise a potential influence need to be controlled. These relevant but
extraneous variables may be organismic, situational, or sequential in nature. The subject related
variables such as sex, personality, intelligence etc. are organismic variables. The situational
variables include the environmental factors operating in the experimental setting such as
temperature, physical arrangement in the laboratory, humidity, noise etc. The sequential
variables relate to the sequence of different conditions the subject experiences. Exposure of the
subject to one treatment condition may influence his response in later conditions. Moreover, the
exposure to multiple treatment conditions may result in practice or fatigue that would unduly
distort the dependent variable. There is a felt need for controlling the influence of the extraneous
variables. The experimenter can achieve this by following one or some of the important
techniques discussed below.
1. Holding variables constant: One way of controlling for the effects of the extraneous
variables is to hold them constant for all subjects and all treatment conditions.
Through this, the experimenter ensures that their effects remain the same for all the
experimental conditions, so that differences, if any, in the dependent variable can be
attributed to variations in the independent variable.
2. Eliminating: The experimenter may eliminate those variables from the experimental settings,
possible. But in some cases, elimination is not
 possible. In such situations, the experimenter may attempt to hold them constant for all
conditions.

3. Matching: Particularly for the organismic variables, the experimenter may select
subjects who are matched on relevant variables of interest. This procedure is
known as matching.

4. Random assignment: The experimenter is best placed by randomly assigning

subjects to different groups. Through this, the experimenter eliminates the possibility
of any systematic differences between groups.

5. Counterbalancing: If there are two or more experimental conditions, the order in

which the subject is given the conditions can be counterbalanced. These designs
are called counter-balanced designs. Suppose thirty subjects are to go through two
experimental conditions, half of the subjects may receive the first condition followed by
the second, where as the other half would receive the second condition followed by the
first. Counter-balanced design eliminates the effect of the order of the conditions on the
dependent variable.

Steps in Experimental Method

The investigator goes through a series of steps systematically in using the experimental
method, which are discussed below.

1. Stating the research question. The initial step is to identify the problem to
be investigated, and state the problem in the form of a question. The
research question gives direction to the study. In fact, a question well stated
makes the rest of the tasks easier for the researcher. It is said that a
question well asked is half answered.

2. Formulating hypothesis. The hypothesis is a tentative statement of the expected

relationship between two or more variables. Variables refer to any measurable attribute of an
object or organism that varies. First of all, the variables may be clearly defined and their
relationships be stated in the form of hypotheses. In a learning experiment, the hypothesis may
be, “Those who are given feedback on their performance would require lesser number of trials
to learn compared to those who are not given any feedback.” The hypothesis gives direction to
the research.
They are derived from the findings of earlier research, existing theories, and researcher‟s
observation, and personal experiences.

3. Designing the experiment. This is a very critical step in experimental research, where
the researcher will have to decide how exactly he is going to perform the experiment.
The important questions to be addressed at this step are: (a) How would the
independent variable be manipulated? (b) What would be the different conditions of the
experiment? (c) How would these conditions be ordered? and (d) How would the
extraneous variables be controlled? These general questions and any others relating to
a specific experiment is to be addressed.

4. Data Collection. Once the experiment is designed, the actual empirical part begins. The
experimenter collects information on the variables of interest, mostly in a quantitative
form. The focus is on obtaining information on the dependent variable and in some
cases on the independent variables. The subjects are given clear instructions to run
through the experiment and necessary empirical data are collected by using scientific
instruments or tools prepared by the experimenter. Subject‟s overt activities considered
relevant for the experimental purpose are recorded. Introspective reports, if considered
necessary, are taken to facilitate interpretation of unexpected results later.

5. Data Analysis and Interpretation. The researcher has to make meaning of the data he
has collected. In the raw score form, the data would not be easy to comprehend. The
data need to be compiled into a proper form, and then analyzed statistically or
qualitatively to throw light on the problem and hypotheses of the study. After data
analysis, the researcher would be able to know if the hypothesis was confirmed.

6. Preparing Report and Publication. The findings of the research should be shared with
the scientific community. A very well conducted research would be of little help for the
advancement of knowledge, if its findings were not shared with colleagues with similar
scientific interests. Hence the researcher prepares a report according to the guidelines
specific to a discipline and publishes it on personal initiative or submits it to a scientific
journal. Through this, knowledge gained from a single research is shared with a wider
audience.
Advantages

1. The experimental method, in many respects, is the best way of gathering scientific information
that is the information, which is empirical, reliable, systematic, and verifiable. It is possible
because the experimenter plans his research carefully and makes observations under controlled
conditions so as to eliminate the influence of extraneous variables.

2. Among all the methods, the experimental method exercises greater control over the
independent variable. The researcher can manipulate the independent variable as he wishes in
order to examine its effect on the dependent variable. In doing so, the experimenter attempts
to determine the cause and effect relationships among the variables.

3. Since, the method is clearly laid out, one can replicate the experiment elsewhere to examine
whether similar results are obtained. It is not wise to draw conclusions from a single
experiment. In fact, several experiments by different investigators should be conducted to
arrive at a universal principle. The steps in experimental method are so clearly laid out that
many experimenters can repeat the same procedures with a high degree of exactness.

4. The method is so objective that there is a very little scope for the experimenter’s bias and
personal opinions to affect the results. Use of modern equipments and technological devices to
record the behavior of the subjects eliminates, in a large measure, the role of experimenter’s
personal opinion and competence in influencing the outcome of the study.

Limitations

1. The major drawback of the experimental method is that the behavior is often studied in an
artificial environment under controlled conditions. The more the conditions are controlled, the
more the artificiality. Thus the behavior observed in a laboratory set up is a distortion of what
would naturally occur. Because of this artificiality, it is difficult to generalize the experimental
findings to the natural world settings.

2. Certain events and phenomena cannot be accessed through experimental methods. This
method cannot be applied in situations that may be considered
dangerous, painful, or unethical for the subjects. Obviously, children cannot be given severe
punishment in order to determine how severe punishment influences conformity
behaviors in children. Such practices are unethical and punishable under law.

3. The research subjects know that they are in an experiment, and are being tested and
measured. They react to this awareness by trying to please (or displease) the
researcher, guess the purpose of research, and behave in a way that is different from
their natural behaviors. They identify the demand characteristics of the research, and
engage in purposeful behaviors that might influence the outcome of the experiment. This
is known as subject‟s reactivity.

4. The experimenter states his research expectations in the form of hypotheses. The
researcher‟s expectancy may lead him to behave in a way so as to elicit an expected
kind of behavior from the subjects. The subjects‟ behaviors would be distorted and
conform to the expectation of the experimenter. This is called self-fulfilling prophecy.

5. Some critics challenge experimental research on ethical grounds. Certain types of

experiments are unethical, as they invade the private world of the subjects. Some
experimental procedures may interfere with the physical and psychological well being of
the subjects. In some experiments, the subjects are deceived, that is they are not told
about the true purpose of the experiment. Such experimental designs are criticized on
grounds of being unethical.

Correlational Method

The basic feature of the experimental method is that the experimenter

manipulates variables to observe their effects on subjects‟ behaviors. It is,
however, not always possible to directly manipulate variable s. Intelligence as a
variable is not under the control of the investigator. He cannot create persons with
high or low levels of intelligence. In other words, he cannot manipulate intelligence.
There are innumerable variables of greater psychological intere st on which the
researcher has no control, and, therefore, he cannot alter those variables to see
their effects on subjects‟ behaviors. These variables are called attributes. All that a
researcher can do is to examine how these variables are related to var iables of his
interest. In such
situations, correlational method would help the researcher determine how one
variable is related to another.

Psychologists use correlational method, when they want to determine how

changes in one variable are associated with changes in another variable . The stronger
the relationship, the more successfully one variable can be predicted from the other.
Since, prediction is an important goal of science, correlational method assumes greater
importance. In fact, many research investigations in psychology are correlational in
nature. However, correlational studies cannot determine the causes of relationships;
they can only suggest them. These suggestions often provide the impetus for
experimental research.

The researcher uses correlational methods to determine the strength and the direction of the
relationships. He uses a statistical formula to compute coefficient of correlation, which indicates how the
variables are related. If changes in one variable are associated to a large extent with changes in another
variable, the coefficient of correlation would be high. A positive correlation suggests that the increment
in one variable is associated with increment in another variable. A negative correlation suggests that
increment in one variable is associated with decrement in another variable. As intelligence increases, so
also academic achievement; so, intelligence and academic achievement are positively correlated. On the
other hand, the common observation is that if the level of anxiety increases, the level of achievement
decreases; hence, anxiety and achievement are negatively correlated.

Correlation should, however, be not taken to indicate cause-and-effect relationships. If social

status is related to the amount of monthly expenditure, it does not mean that social status is the cause
and the amount of monthly expenditure is the effect. Correlational research does not carry the rigor of
experimental research. Correlational research is preferred over other methods, when (a) it is impossible
to manipulate the variables, (b) the investigation is exploratory in nature in that the researcher has
limited knowledge about the relevant variables, and (c) it is unethical to manipulate variables.

The correlational method offers several advantages. It can be used to study behaviors in real life
settings. It is highly efficient in yielding a large amount of interesting information within a short period
of time, as it can accommodate many variables of interest
in a single research. Unfortunately, the findings from correlational research are not conclusive
with respect to cause-and-effect relationships. The very fact that two variables tend to rise or fall
together simply reflects that both may be caused by a third variable. In spite of some limitations,
correlational method is a powerful method for scientific investigation.

Case-Study Method

It is one of the qualitative research methods used mostly by the clinical psychologists. It
is an in-depth look at the individual in the context of his environment. Sometimes much can be
learned from studying just one individual and his unique experiences and behaviors for helping
him improve some aspects of his behavior. Even if the focus is on the individual‟s behavior, yet
the case-study method carries implications for understanding human mind and behavior in
general.

Usually, case-study examines behaviors in the real life context, collecting

information about the individual from multiple sources, such as parents, family
members, peers, teachers, and other relevant persons in the life of the individual. The
background variables that have contributed to the present status of the individual are assessed.
His medical, family, and social histories are taken into consideration to understand his unique
experiences. The assessment of individual‟s current level of psychological functioning is done
within the context of all the background variables. Such an exercise helps the investigator in
understanding the fears, aspirations, and fantasies of the individual, and provides guidelines
regarding what can be done to deal with the problems faced by him. Usually, case studies have
a clinical orientation with a focus on helping the individual for self-improvement. In special
cases, case studies of the lives of great persons can be an illuminating experience for those
willing to learn from the life experiences of such people. A researcher while using the case-
study method may use psychological tests and questionnaires, and may interview relevant
persons to collect information regarding the life experiences of the individual.

The two most important figures in psychology, Sigmund Freud and Jean Piaget, used
case-study approach. Freud observed his patients, and his insights led to the development of
psychoanalytic school of thought. Jean Piaget observed his children to understand how
development takes place, and his insights led to the development of the
most powerful theory in developmental psychology. A good deal of insight is required to make
generalizations from the experiences of a single person.

Case studies closely resemble naturalistic observations, as they focus on understanding

behaviors in a natural context. But a great deal of caution needs to be exercised when we try to
generalize information from case studies. This method has some limitations. First of all, case
studies suffer from problems of reliability and validity, because people interviewed may
overemphasize certain selected aspects of behavior while ignoring others. The unique
experiences that are prone to arouse feelings of shame and guilt may not be easily accessed. It
is, therefore, extremely important that researchers use multiple sources of information, objective
measurements, and repeated assessments of the relevant variables.
 KEY TERMS
Naturalistic observation Participant observation
Non-participant observation Subjective observation
Introspection Experimental method
Independent variable Dependent variable
Controlled variable Extraneous variable
Control-group design Hypothesis
Observer-bias Demand characteristics
Self-fulfilling prophecy Random assignment
Correlational method Case study
 SUMMARY
1. Psychology, as a science, uses methods that are systematic, empirical and objective, and
produce verifiable findings. The two of the most important methods in psychology are
observation and experimentation.

2. Observation forms the basis of any scientific enquiry and provides the ground rules for
developing scientific knowledge.

3. A systematic study of the behavior in natural settings is called naturalistic observation. It helps
researchers assess how people behave in their natural habitat. The major limitations of this
method are: (a) too many extraneous variables influence the phenomenon, (b) the researcher
has little control over the situation, and (c) the researcher will have to wait until the event
occurs.

4. The investigator may take the role of either a participant or a non-participant observer.
Participant observation may be either overt (the subjects know that they are being observed), or
covert (the subjects do not know that they are being observed as the researcher disguises his
identity). In overt participant observation, the subjects may change their behaviors in the
presence of an observer. The covert participant observation is criticized on ethical grounds.

5. The subjective observation, which is also called introspection, refers to the observation, and
analysis by a trained person of his internal mental experiences. The introspection method lacks
objectivity and reliability. It may be difficult for a person to act as the ‘observer’ and the
‘observed’ simultaneously. Furthermore, unconscious experiences cannot be accessed through
introspection. Thus, the results of introspection should be supplemented with findings obtained
through other methods of enquiry.

6. The major limitations of all the observational methods are (a) researcher’s inability to control
the variable, (b) observer-bias, and (c) the unwanted influence of the observer’s presence.

7. Experimental method is considered to be the most scientific of all methods as it allows the
experimenter to manipulate certain selected variables to observe their effects on other variables in a
controlled condition. The variable manipulated by the experimenter is called the independent variable,
while the variable on which the effect of such manipulation is observed is called the dependent variable.
The

variables, which are held constant for all experimental conditions, are controlled variables.
8. The control-group design consists of taking a control group and an experimental group.
The subjects in both groups should be equivalent in every way except for the
independent variable. This design helps the researcher in determining whether or not
the independent variable influences the dependent variable.

9. The variables other than the independent variable, which can have potential influence on
the dependent measure, are the extraneous variables. The experimenter can control the
extraneous variables by holding them constant, eliminating them, matching the groups
on those variables, randomly assigning subjects into different conditions, and
counterbalancing the order of the experimental conditions.

10. The steps in the experimental methods are (a) stating a research question, (b)
formulating hypothesis, (c) designing experiments, (d) data collection, (e) data analysis
and interpretation, and (f) preparing report and publication.

11. The experimental method yields empirical, systematic, reliable, and verifiable data, with
the researcher having greater control over the independent variable. It helps in
determining the cause-and-effect relationships among variables in an experimental
setting.

12. The major drawbacks of the experimental method are (a) observation of behavior in
artificially controlled situation, (b) experimenter bias, (c) subjects‟ awareness of the
demand characteristics of an experiment, (d) inaccessibility of certain phenomena for
experimentation.

13. Correlational method helps researchers determine how changes in one variable are
associated with changes in another variable. It, however, does not determine the cause-
and-effect relationships among variables. Though it does not have the rigor of
experimental research, it is a useful technique in situations where it is not possible to
manipulate variables experimentally or on ethical grounds.

14. Case-study is a qualitative research method that takes an in-depth look at the individual
in the context of his environment. It throws light on the unique experiences of the
individual as shaped by his personal, medical, family, and social histories. As the case-
study reports may suffer from problems of reliability and validity, it should be
supplemented with multiple sources of information, objective measurements, and
frequent assessment of relevant variables.
 QUESTIONS

A. True - False Questions

(State whether each of the following statements is „True‟ (T) or „False‟ (F))

1. Scientific method uses objective approach.

2. Introspection is otherwise known as subjective observation.

3. Bird-watchers use naturalistic observation.

4. Introspection is a technique to observe the behaviors of others.

5. Self-observation method can be applied to children.

6. The researcher does not intervene with the phenomena in naturalistic

observation.

7. All variables are manipulated in an experiment.

8. Introspection method is objective.

9. Observation can be objective or subjective

10. In experimental method, the facts relating to life are collected.

11. Dependent variable is the cause of the behaviour.

12. Subjects behave naturally in the presence of the participant observers.

13. All self-observations are not introspection.

14. Introspection helps to look at unconscious experiences.

15. Watson accepted introspection as a method in psychology.

16. Experimental method is subjective.

17. Subjective observation can uncover unconscious experiences.

18. Independent variable refers to the result of an experiment.

19. Titchener popularized introspection method.

20. Correlational method establishes cause-and-effect relationships.

21. The experimenter manipulates the dependent variable.

22. In experimental method, we study the relationship between independent and dependent
variables.

23. Behaviour of the animals cannot be observed.

24. Naturalistic observation is a form of participant observation.

25. Psychologists in general prefer introspection to experimental method.

26. Usually hypotheses form a part of the experimental method.

27. The variable, which is manipulated in the experimental method, is called the
independent variable.

28. The experimenter can control the variables in naturalistic observation.

29. Case studies are retrospective.

30. Participant observation can be either overt or covert.

31. In case-history method, information is collected about the individuals having behavioral
problems.

32. Case study is a qualitative research method.

33. Observation method cannot be applied to study children.

34. Matching can control the effects of extraneous variables.

35. Naturalistic observation is artificial in nature.

36. Behaviours of monkeys can be best studied through participant observation.

37. Hypothesis is stated after designing the experiment.

38. Outcome of an experiment may be distorted because of self-fulfilling prophecy.

39. The coefficient of correlation indicates the relationship between variables.

40. Experiments on deception are criticized on ethical grounds.

B. Multiple-Choice Questions
(Choose the correct alternative from the bracket to fill up the blank or answer the question)
1. The best method to analyze personal experiences is ........ (objective observation, introspection,
experimentation).
2. ..........method is most suitable to study the migration of birds. (naturalistic observation,
experimental, case-study).
3. The data collected through ........method is most likely to suffer from researcher’s bias
(experimental, observational, correlational).
4. Introspection is also called.......... (subjective observation, objective observation, subjective
experimentation).
5. In the experimental method, psychologist manipulates ........variable (independent, dependent,
extraneous)
6. All of the following are involved in the experimental method except..........(independent variable,
controlled variable, introspection)
7. .......... is a statement of the expected result, (hypothesis, design, dependent variable).
8. The covert activities can be studied through ........observation (objective, subjective,
naturalistic).
9. In ......... a person provides a verbal report after the mental activity ceases (introspection,
retrospection, observation)
10. .........method helps in establishing cause-and effect relationship (experimental, correlational,
case-study).
11. ..........experiences cannot be accessed through introspection (conscious, personal,
unconscious).
12. An experimental situation always requires .......... (a laboratory, controlled conditions, statistical
analysis).
13. ..........method is most scientific method in psychology, (case-history, observational,
experimental)

14. In the experimental method, the psychologist keeps, ........variables constant

(independent, dependent, controlled).

15. Crowd behaviour can be observed through the method of .............................. (case-
history, experimentation, naturalistic observation)

16. By........ method, the overt activities are observed, (introspection, objective observation,
statistical)

17. While using ...........method in psychology, one has to divide his attention between two
mental activities, (experimental, subjective observation, case-study).

18. Teacher‟s observation of students‟ behaviour in the classroom is an example of …….

observation (covert participant, overt participant, naturalistic).

19. By randomly assigning subjects into different groups, the experimenter controls the
effects of ……. variables (independent, dependent, extraneous).

20. Hypothesis is stated before deciding the ……. (problem, research design, independent
variable).

C. Short-Type Questions

(Write the answer to each question in five sentences)

1. What are the limitations of the experimental method?

2. Write a note on subjective observation.

3. What is naturalistic observation?

4. What are the advantages of observational methods?

5. What is independent variable?

6. Examine the concept of dependent variable

7. Write a note on observation method.

8. Give an example of dependent variable.

9. What are the limitations of observational methods?

10. What is the purpose of correlational method?

11. Explain the concept of controlled variable

12. What are the merits of the experimental method?

13. Point out the limitations of the introspective method.

14. What are the limitations of the case-history method?

15. How is participant observation different from non-participant observation?

16. How can extraneous variables be controlled?

17. Briefly state the steps in the experimental method?

18. What is a control-group design?

D. Essay-Type Questions

(Write long answers)

1. What is observational method? Discuss the merits and limitations of different types of
observations.

2. Discuss the important features of the experimental method. What are the merits and limitations
of this method?

3. What is subjective observation? Discuss its merits and demerits.

4. What is experimental method? Discuss how extraneous variables can be controlled?

5. Discuss the utility of and steps involved in the experimental method.

6. Explain the case-study method using a suitable example, and point out its merits and
limitations.

7. Explain the utility of the correlational method with the help of an example.
ANSWERS
A. True-False Questions

1. T 2. T 3. T 4. F 5. F 6. T 7. F 8. F 9. T 10. F 11.
F 12. F 13. T 14. F 15. F 16. F 17. F 18. F 19. T 20. F 21.
F 22. T 23. F 24. F 25. F 26. T 27. T 28. F 29. T 30. T 31.
T 32. T 33. F 34. T 35. F 36. F 37. F 38. T 39. T 40. T

B. Multiple-Choice Questions

1. introspection 2. naturalistic 3. observational 4. subjective

observation observation
5. independent 6. introspection 7. hypothesis 8. subjective
9. retrospection 10. experimental 11. unconscious 12. controlled
conditions
13. experimental 14. controlled 15. naturalistic 16. Objective
observation observation
17. subjective 18. overt participant 19. extraneous 20. research design

observation
Chapter 3
PHYSIOLOGICAL BASES OF BEHAVIOUR

This chapter covers : CONTENTS

a) Structure and Functions of Neuron Introduction
b) Neural Impulse Transmission Receptors
c) Brief Ideas about Methods of Study-
ing Brain Functions: Effectors
i) Ablation Neurons: Building Blocks of the
ii) Stimulational Nervous System
iii) Electrical recording Basic Structure of a Neuron
iv) Scanning methods Types of Neurons
d) Structure and Functions of the Cen- Functions of the Neurons
tral Nervous System:
Neural Transmission
i) Spinal cord
Nervous System and Its Divisions
ii) Brain
The Central Nervous System
e) Structure and Functions of the Pe-
ripheral Nervous System: The Spinal Cord
i) Somatic The Brain
ii) Autonomic The hindbrain
After you go through this chapter, you The midbrain
would be able to: The forebrain
 Understand the role of biological How Does Brain Function?
processes in determining individual‟s
behaviour and experiences. Theory of Equipotentiality
 Understand the structure and The Principle of Mass Action
functions of neuron as the basic The Peripheral Nervous System
building block of the nervous system.
The Somatic Nervous System
 Describe the structure and functions
of the Central Nervous System and The Autonomic Nervous System
the Peripheral Nervous System. The Endocrine System
 Gain an understanding of the Methods of Studying Brain
methods used for studying brain
functions.
Functions
Traditional Methods
Scanning and Imaging
Techniques
Key Terms
Summary
Questions
Answers
Chapter 3

Physiological Bases of Behaviour

Introduction
Psychology is the scientific study of behaviours and conscious experiences
of the organism in relation to its environment. What is behavior ? Behaviour is what
the organism does externally or internally – covertly or overtly from the very
conception till death. Organism means any living being. Animals o r organisms
continue to behave whether they are awake or asleep, and all their behaviours take
place in the context of an environment.
The study of behaviour involves three different but closely related
physiological processes such as receptor process, effector process, and process of
nervous system. Physiological psychologists study these processes to understand
biological bases of behaviour. The three kinds of physiological processes work with
three kinds of structures. In fact, there are receptor struct ures, effector structures,
and structures of the nervous system.

Receptors
Receptors are the gateways to information. Our body has eight kinds of
receptors, such as visual receptors (eyes), auditory receptors (ears), olfactory
receptors (nose), gustatory receptors (tongue), tactual receptors (skin),
labyrinthine receptors (cochlea in inner ear giving us sensation about our position
of the body in space), kinesthetic receptors (deep joints and muscles) and
visceral receptors (about internal organic sensation). Thus receptors are divided
into eight types according to sense modalities.
Any event, which causes the sense organs to be active, is termed as
stimulus. Receptors are those sense organs of the body by which w e receive
the stimulation of various kinds from the environment. These receptors are
sensitive to stimulation. What is stimulation? Stimulation is physical energy.
Our eyes, ears, tongue etc. are sensitive enough to notice stimulation
through our receptors. Without these receptors
we would sense nothing, feel nothing, would see nothing and would have no
information about the world.
Specific stimulations are received by specific receptors. For example, visual
stimuli (color, people, light, books etc.) are received by only visual receptors i.e.,
eyes only. Similarly, auditory stimulations (music, sound, noise, chirping etc.) are
received by pair of ears only. We also receive combined stimulations from the
environment and these are integrated in the brain. Thus, receptors being the
sensitive parts of our body detect any changes in stimuli present in the
environment. The cells in our sense organs are built to receive information in
special ways. All receptors are able to produce impulses as a result of changes in
some form of energy. There are mainly 3 categories of receptors, such as: (a)
exteroceptors, (b) interoceptors, and (c) proprioceptors.
The exteroceptors receive stimulus information from external sources
but only when the source of information comes in direct physical contact with the
receptors. Such receptors are found in the sense organs like eyes, ears, nose, skin
and tongue. The interoceptors receive stimulus information form internal
sources. Such receptors are found in organism‟s sense organs such as lining of
the stomach, bladder, viscera etc. These receptor cells may be called as organic
receptor cells. When our stomach is empty for example, the organic receptor cells,
which are present in the stomach boundary wall, receive this information. The
proprioceptors do not require either an external or internal stimulus to be
stimulated. These receptor cells are stimulated by themselves. These are found
in the kinesthetic sense organs, which constitute muscles, tendons, joints etc., and
the static or vestibular sense organ (semi -circular canal of the inner ear). These
receptor cells are also called kinesthetic or vestibular rece ptor cells, respectively.
Kinesthetic receptor cells receive information form our muscles and joints as they
move. Vestibular receptor cells receive such information when our body is lifted, or
is moving, falling down or speeding up.

Effectors
Effectors are the muscles and glands, which are the exercising organs for
doing action. Effectors are the organs, which bring “effects” in the
environment. Effect leads to changes; we execute our actions by our hands,
legs, and muscles. Secretions
from glands within the body at appropriate times supply energies to such activities.
The “effects” or changes, which are brought by our bodily effectors, are called
“responses” or “performances”. Salivary glands, digestive glands, and sweat glands
are a few examples of glands.
Nervous System connects all receptors with all effectors . It spreads over
the entire body through nerves. A single nerve consists of a bundle of many
individual neurons. Neurons in a nerve differ both in sizes of axon and diameter of
axon. There are chains of neural structures, which connect each receptor with each
effector. These connections are made by nerves and neurons inside. The neurons,
which conduct impulses from different sense organs to the brain, are called
sensory neurons. For example a n euron, which carries impulses from the ears to
the brain, is an example of sensory neuron. Sensory neurons are called afferent
neurons. Most sensory neurons extend from each sense organ to the central
nervous system, which is composed of the brain and the spinal cord. The neurons
that transmit nerve impulses from the brain to the motor organs (or effectors) are
called motor or efferent neurons. The nerve impulses are carried by efferent
neurons to the muscles or glands in order to contract, relax or to expa nd according
to the responses made by the organism.

Neurons : Building Blocks of the Nervous System

To understand how the nervous system controls behaviour, it is essential to
understand the structure and functions of its basic building blocks, i.e., the neurons
or the nerve cells. How many neurons are there in the nervous system? No one has
actually counted the number. But we can see estimates of neurons in the nervous
system in different books to be between 100 and 1000 billions.
Basic Structure of a Neuron
The neuron is the basic element of the nervous system. The neuron or the
nerve cell is the information transmitting and information -processing
element of the nervous system. Neurons come in many different shapes,
sizes and varieties according to the specialized jobs they perform. Some of
them are very small in size. They are so small that we will require an
electronic microscope to detect them. Some of the neurons are very lo ng in
structure. Their length in some cases may be more than one meter.
Whatever may be their sizes and shapes, neurons usually have a
common form. We shall consider the
structure and functions of neurons having a
common form. Neurons in general have the
Dendrite
following structures: (i) cell body or soma, (ii)
dendrites, (iii) axon, and (iv) terminal buttons
or axon terminals (see Figure 3.1). Cell body

Cell Body or Soma. The enlarged

“head” of the neuron is called “cell body”
or soma. The soma or the cell body is
enclosed by the cell membrane and contains
the nucleus of the cell. Soma is the head side Axon Dendrite

of the neuron. It uses oxygen and nutrients to

generate energy to carry out the work of the

Presynaptic Cell
cell. Its shape varies considerably in different
kinds of neurons. Node of Ranvir

Myelin sheath
Dendrites. Dendron is the Greek word
Axon
for tree and the dendrites of a neuron look
very much like trees. Dendrites are extended
from the cell body. There are several
extensions from the cell body of the neuron. Terminal
Dendrites receive the neural impulses from
the receptors or from several adjoining
Dendrite
neurons. In no case, other parts of a neuron
excepting dendrites receive the impulse.
Postsynaptic Cell

Cell
Axon. There are two types of body

extensions from the cell body. The

many shorter extensions from the cell
body are called dendrites. The longer
single-branched extension is called
the axon.
Figure 3.1 The major structures of a neuron, the
basic element of the nervous system.
Each neuron has one axon that extends trunk -like from the cell body. The point in
the axon nearest the cell body is cal led the axon hillock. Axons are very thin and
long. Like tree trunks, axons may have some branches also. These branches are
called axon collaterals.

Axon has two coverings, which of course may not be found in the axons of
all neurons. The outer boundary of the neuron is called membrane. The membrane
serves as a barrier for the neuron. In the axons of some of the neurons, there is a
fatty white sheath called myelin sheath. Axons, which have myelin sheath, are
called as myelinated axons and which do not have it are called unmyelinated
axons. Myelin sheath is found only around the axon, and not around any other
parts of the neuron. Myelin sheath is made up of a series of specialized cells of fat
and protein. It is not of equal thickness around the axon. Its fu nction is to insulate
the message while traveling along the axon. It also serves to increase the velocity
with which the electrical impulses travel through the axons.

Neurilemma is another covering found in axons of neurons exclusively

outside the brain and the spinal cord. It is a very thin covering, which takes part in
regeneration. Therefore, if a neuron outside the brain and the spinal cord is
damaged, it can be regenerated. But the neurons of the brain and spinal cord
cannot be regenerated, as they do not have neurilemma in their axons. They
are highly specialized cells and if damaged, they are damaged forever.

Terminal Buttons. Axons end in smaller branching structures called axon

terminals or terminal buttons. These are swollen bulb-like structures located at
the end of the axon through which stimulations pass to near by glands,
muscles, and other neurons. There are some bag -like structures called as
synaptic vesicles at the tips of axon terminals. These have th e capability of
transmitting information to another neuron. Thus, the axon terminal end of the
neuron is the delivering side of the neuron. Dendrites receive and axon terminals
deliver. Neurons transmit information in only one direction: from the dendrites
through the cell body to the axon to the terminal buttons. This is known as the law
of forward induction. We shall discuss the process of neural transmission in
detail later.
Types of Neurons
In general, there are three major classes of neurons: sensory neurons, motor
neurons, and inter-neurons. Sensory neurons, which are also called afferent neurons,
carry messages from the sensory receptors toward the central nervous system to be
finally interpreted by the brain. The receptor cells are specializ ed sensory neurons that
are sensitive to the external stimuli such as light and sound.
The motor neurons, also called efferent neurons carry the messages away from
the central nervous system toward the muscles and glands. They are responsible for all
our actions, movements, and responses. Usually the motor neurons are long.
The sensory neurons rarely come in contact with the motor neurons. They rely on
the network of inter-neurons, which are mainly located in the central nervous system
with 85 per cent being in the brain. They receive messages from the sensory neurons, and
relay the same to other inter -neurons or to motor neurons. It is estimated that for every
motor neuron, there are as many as 5000 inter -neurons, which do the intermediate task.
Supporting Cells. Neurons constitute only about half the volumes of the central
nervous system. The rest consists of a variety of supporting cells. Because neurons have a
high rate of metabolism but have no means of storing nutrients, they must constantly be
supplied with nutrients and oxygen or they will quickly die. Thus, the cells that support
and protect neurons are very important.
The most important supporting cells of the central nervous system are the glia
cells. These cells surround neurons and hold them i n place. They also supply some
chemicals to the neurons, which they need, to exchange messages with other neurons.
They also insulate neurons from one another, so that neural messages do not get
scrambled.
Two of the most important glia cells are astrocytes and oligodendroglia.
Astrocytes produce chemicals that neurons need to fulfill their functions. In
addition, astrocytes help control the chemical composition of the fluid
surrounding neurons. It is very important to note that the chemical composition
around the neuron must be kept within a critical level for smooth transmission of
neural impulses. On the other
hand, the principal function of oligodendroglia is to provide support to axons to
produce myelin sheath.
Functions of the Neurons
Conduction of Nerve Impulse. The important function of the neuron is to
communicate “messages of stimulation ” in the form of nerve impulses. Sensory
(afferent) neurons come from receptors and go to the brain and motor ( efferent)
neurons go to muscles and glands. The inter-neurons are the linking neurons. All
our behaviours involve the flow of nerve impulses. There are about 10 billions or
more neurons firing in our brain, i.e., sending and receiving various nerve
impulses. This is the communicative action of a neuron. Neurons also send nerve
impulses when we are asleep. The communicative mechanism is conduction of
nerve impulse. When a neuron is adequately stimulated an electrochemical
reaction occurs inside. Like a gun, neurons fire or do not fire; there is no in
between stage. The neurons follow an all-or-none law, i.e., they are either on
or off.

How do the neurons serve their communicative function? Let us see how
nerve impulses or nerve energies are formed. The cell membrane of a neuron is
semi-permeable. The neuron contains fluid, which is known as intracellular fluid.
The fluid on the outside of the neuron is called the extra-cellular fluid. The cell
membrane is in between the intracellular fluid and extra -cellular fluid.
The fluid contains many dissolved substances. Many chemical substances
are broken to pieces when they dissolve in water or any fluid. Ions are particles
formed when a substance is dissolved in fluid. Ions are electrically charged
particles when dissolved. The electrical charges carried by ions are of two types,
negative and positive. Positive electrical charges repel each other, so also the
negative electrical charges. On the other hand positive and negative electrical
charges attract each other. The same thing happens in a neuron. Ions are found in
extra cellular fluid and in intracellular fluid as well.
When a neuron is in a resting state, there is a negative electrical charge of
about -70 millivolts (a millivolt is one -thousandth of a volt) within the
neuron. This is called the resting potential of the neuron, which does not
come automatically; the neuron works to maintain its resting potential. It
pumps out the positively charged
ions (electrically charged particles) to its outside, and only keeps the negatively charged
ions. The neuron can be compared with a battery with the inside of the neuron
representing the negative pole and outside of the neuron representing the positive pole
(Koester, 1991). When a message arrives and the neuron is stimulated (by external
stimuli such as light, heat, and sound etc. or by messages from other neurons), the
positively charged ions outside the neuron rush inside the neuron at rates as high as 100
million ions per second. The sudden arrival of the positive ions inside the neuron causes
the charge to change from negative to positive. When the charge

(a) The neuron in a resting state has slight

Inside of a Neuron
negative charge of - 70 millivolts across
the cell membrane
(b) The positively charged particles enter
into the neuron eliminating the Inside of a Neuron

negative charge, when the neuron is

stimulated. Neural impulse is
conducted.
(c) After a brief period, positively charged Inside of a Neuron

particles are pumped out.

(d) Neuron returns to the resting state
with a negative charge of - 70
Inside of a Neuron
millivolts.

Figure 3.2 : Conduction of nerve impulse in a neuron .

reaches a critical level, an electrical nerve impulse known as action potential travels down the axon
of the neuron (see Figure 3.2).
The action potential moves from one end of the axon to the other. After the nerve impulse
has traveled, the positive ions are pumped out of the axon, and the charge returns to negative. As a
result, the neuron returns to its resting state, and becomes ready once more to fire again. The flow
of the nerve impulse is 10 to 250 miles per hour depending upon the diameter of the particular
neuron. A larger diameter carries nerve impulse speedily. A smaller-diameter axon carries the nerve
impulse slowly.
Absolute Refractory Period. Just after an action potential has passed, the neuron cannot be
fired again immediately, no matter how much stimulation it receives. It is almost similar to the act
of reloading the gun after each shot. As soon as the action potential is transmitted by the neuron, it
takes rest for a brief period of time. This brief period just after carrying action potential during
which the neuron is inactive is called the “absolute refractory period.” During this period, the
neuron is in “resting potential”. This period of resting time is usually less than 1/1000th of a
second. An action potential cannot be produced during the absolute refractory period. When this
short refractory period (i.e., no action) is over the neuron can carry a nerve impulse. The absolute
refractory period is followed by a relative refractory period during which a strong stimulus can
make the neuron active, i.e., carry a nerve impulse
Threshold point. The point at which a stimulus triggers an action potential is called the
threshold of a neuron. Stimuli especially too weak cannot produce an action potential in a neuron.
A weak stimulus, which is too small to produce an action potential, does not open the membrane-
gate and does not produce nerve impulse. A stimulus of certain strength is needed to produce
action potential. Different neurons have different thresholds of excitation. Some require greater
stimulation than others to make them fire. Thus weak stimuli evoke few impulses in only a few
neurons. Strong stimuli evoke high rates of impulses in many neurons. Generally threshold point of
each neuron is fairly constant.
The rule usually for determining the threshold of a neuron is that if a stimulus causes a
nerve impulse 50 percent of the time, that stimulus is said to be at the threshold of that neuron. In
other words, the threshold of a neuron is the point at which a stimulus causes a nerve impulse
50% of the time. During the absolute
refractory period, the threshold of a neuron becomes very high as a result of which
the neuron does not carry action potential.
All or None Law. In conducting action potential, the neuron obeys a law
called “all-or-none law.” This law states that neurons fire or do not fire; there is
no in between stage. It is similar to the action of a gun. If you pull the trigger, the
gun fires. Pulling the trigger harder is not going to make the bullet travel faster.
Your finger pressure on the trigg er must be of certain intensity for the gun to fire. A
pressure less than what is required will not result in gun fire and more pressure
would not result in a better fire. Similarly, the neurons follow the all-or-none law.
The stimulation must reach a threshold to generate enough of an action
potential to be conducted through the axon. Below the threshold, the stimulus
cannot excite the nerve. Once the threshold is reached, the stimulus intensity does
not have any effect on the amount of the nerve impulse conducted. The nerve
impulse is an electrochemical stimulation, which does not decrease in its
intensity as it travels through the axon . If an axon carries any nerve impulse at
all, the impulse continues to maintain the same strength throughout its travel in the
axon until it reaches the terminal buttons.
What happens when the stimulus intensity increases beyond the threshold
point? As the stimulus intensity increases, the sensory neurons increase the rate of
their impulse generation to as many as 200 to 1 000 impulses per second.
Furthermore, a stronger stimulus generates impulses in more neurons. On the
other hand, weak stimuli evoke low rates of responses and a few impulses in only a
few neurons. The axons of the neurons are not of the same size. The spee d of a
nerve impulse depends on the diameter of the axons. The larger the diameter, the
greater is the speed. The strength of the nerve impulse depends on the nature of
the axons. The dendrite and the cell body do not obey the all -or-none law. Only
the function of the axon is governed by this law.

Neural transmission
All our behaviors have a neural base. The neural activity is the biological
medium in which all our psychological processes occur. Changes in neural and
nervous system activities lead to chang es in how people think, perceive, learn,
memorize, and behave. All the mental functions stem from biological functions, and
in
turn also influence the biological activities. It is, therefore, important to understand
how neural impulses travel from o ne part of the biological system to another.
It is not only that the neural impulse travels within a neuron, but also from
one neuron to the other. The two major parts of the neural transmission are: (i)
communication within a neuron (action potential), and (ii) communication between
neurons (synaptic transmission). While describing the functions of a neuron, we
have already stated how neural impulses travel from one end of the neuron to the
other end. The next thing to discuss is how neural impulses trave l from one neuron
to other neurons. Both these actions constitute the topic of neural transmission.
Synapse. The synapse is a space between neurons that provides a junction
for information transfer. Neurons are not connected with one another. There is a
small but important gap between the axon terminals ( terminal buttons) of each
neuron and the dendrites of the adjacent neurons. This gap is called the synapse.
The width of the synaptic gap is about 100 angstroms (one angstrom unit is one
ten-millionth of a millimeter). The synapse is found between the axon terminal
of one neuron and the dendrites of another .
A single neuron in the brain may share very large number of synapses with
other neurons. It is estimated that billions of neurons in the brain have trillions of
synapses. The synapse serves very important and useful functions in making the
organism‟s behavior adaptive and flexible. The synaptic gap controls the rate of
flow of nerve impulses. If the impulse is of high intensity, the gap restricts the
flow, and does the opposite when the stimulus is weak. W ithout the synaptic gap,
the man would have been rig id like a machine.
Synaptic Transmission, The neural impulse travels through the length of
the neuron along the axon, finally arriving at the terminal buttons or axon terminal.
There is no direct physical connection to the next neuron. The impulse has to cross
the gap called the synapse. Thus a sequence of events called synaptic
transmission begins in which the information is relayed from one neuron to another
across the synaptic gap (see Figure 3.3).
Pictures taken with electronic microscope revealed the complexities of the
synapses. It has been observed that at the axon terminals, there are sacs or
synaptic
 Neurotransmitter
molecule

Axon
Neural
impulse
Vesicles

Presynaptic
membrane

Synaptic
cleft

Some neurotransmitters
Postsynaptic do not “fit the lock”
membrane Receptor
Some neurotransmitters sites
“fit the lock”
Dendrite
Figure 3.3 Transmission of the nerve impulse through the synapse.

vesicles. As the neural impulse reaches the axon terminal, the synaptic vesicles move
from within the cell to the inner membrane of the terminal buttons. Each vesicle contains
neurotransmitters, which are biochemical substances that stimulate other neurons.
When the synaptic vesicles get fired, they release the neurotransmitters into the synaptic
gap. The dendrites of the receiving neuron come in direct contact with these
neurotransmitters, and receive the message. If the neurotransmitters are sufficiently
stimulated, the receiving neuron will experience a change (either being excited into firing
or inhibited from firing). The impulse so received will be conducted
within the neuron, and will be relayed from neuron to neuron until the message is
completed.
The dendrites of the receiving neuron are not excited electrically no matter
how intense is the electrical stimulation. Dendrites are excited only by the
neurotransmitters. Thus the impulse crosses the synaptic gap chemically and
moves inside the neuron electrical ly. The process of neural transmission is
electrochemical in nature .

Nervous System and its Divisions

We have already discussed in this chapter that there are three kinds of
neurons present in our body; namely sensory neurons, inter -neurons, and motor
neurons. All these neurons taken together constitute the nervous system. It is a
system of nerves, which is involved in perception, learning, thought processes,
heartbeat, motor coordination and almost all the activities that we do. The nervous
system is a complex structure that regulates bodily processes, and is responsible
ultimately for all aspects of conscious experience. The nervous system of human
beings is much more complex than that of any other organism.
All parts of the nervous system are interrelat ed. The system functions as a
„whole‟, but for purposes of theoretical discussion, the nervous system can be
separated into two major divisions, each of which has further subdivisions as
shown in the Figure 3.4.
The central nervous system includes all the neurons in the brain and the
spinal cord. The peripheral nervous system includes all the neurons (sensory and
motor neurons) connecting the brain and spinal cord to other parts of the body. The
peripheral nervous system is further divided into the somatic nervous system and
the autonomic nervous system. The somatic system carries messages to and
from the sense receptors, muscles, and the surface of the body. It specializes in
the control of voluntary movements. The autonomic system connects the internal
organs and glands to the central nervous system. I t is concerned with parts of the
body that keeps us alive: the heart, blood vessels, glands, lungs, and other organs
that function involuntarily without our awareness. The sympathetic system
prepares the body to meet stressful emergency situations. In cont rast, the
parasympathetic system
 NERVOUS SYSTEM

Central Nervous System Peripheral Nervous System

(Neural tissues outside
brain and spinal cord)

Brain Spinal Cord

Somatic System Autonomic System

connects central nervous connects central nervous
system to voluntary system to internal
organs, muscles, glands
muscles

Sympathetic system Parasympathetic system

Trouble-shooter House-keeper
Meets emergency calms body after
situations
emergency

Figure 3.4 The major divisions of the nervous system.

maintains the routine vital functions of the body, and clams the body after
emergency situation is resolved.
Let us now examine the nature and functions of the central and peripheral
nervous system.

The Central Nervous System

The central nervous system is the center of all neural activities . It is well
protected in the bony case of the skull and the spinal column. It integrates all
incoming
information and controls all the bodily and psychological processes. It consists of
the spinal cord and the brain.
The Spinal Cord
Structure. The spinal cord is a white, soft and cord (rope) like substance
running through the backbone. The internal structure of the spinal cord is much
simpler and more uniform throughout its various parts than that of the brain. No
matter where it is sectioned, it gives the sam e general appearance. The interior of
the spinal cord looks gray because it is filled with neurons without having myelin
sheath in their axons (unmyelinated axons). In other words, the interior of the
spinal cord is filled with some gray matter. Interestin gly, the gray matter is so
distributed that the interior looks almost as a butterfly whose essential form is the
English capital letter “H”. The outer of the spinal cord looks white as it is filled with
some myelinated axons. In other words, the outer of t he spinal cord is filled with
some white matter. The chief function of the gray part of the spinal cord is
integrative in nature, whereas the chief function of the white part is
communicative in nature .
There are thirty-one pairs of peripheral spinal nerves connected to the spinal
cord. The sensory spinal nerves are connected to the cord at the back or the dorsal
part. In fact, there are two (left and right) dorsal roots through which sensory
information enter into the spinal cord. The motor spinal nerves are connected to
the cord at the front or the ventral part. There are two (left and right) ventral roots
through which motor information go out of the spinal cord. The sensory information
goes towards the brain in the two dorsal columns of neurons and moto r information
go downward of the spinal cord in the two ventral columns of neurons. There are
also two sets of lateral (side) columns of neurons whose function is both sensory
and motor in nature.
Functions. The spinal cord has two major functions: (a) carrying
information, and (b) coordinating reflexes. First it receives sensory information
through the afferent nerves from the sensory receptors throughout the body, and
sends them to the brain. It also carries information from the brain through efferent
fibers to the muscles and glands. Second, it coordinates reflexes without the
involvement of the brain. Thus, the spinal cord has both communicative and
integrative functions.
Reflex Actions. Except the above sensory and motor functions, spinal cord
controls some other important functions also. These are called reflex actions. In
order
 CONNECTOR
NEURON
to control reflex actions, the spinal cord AFFERENT
does not take any assistance from the (SENSORY)
NEURON
brain. Reflex actions are automatic,
unlearned, involuntary, and inborn
responses. Therefore, these actions are
sudden in nature and have a purpose of
protecting the individual or his organs
from sudden danger. For example, if
someone throws a stone towards you,
suddenly you move your body to avoid
the incoming danger of being hurt. The SPINAL
NERVE
path through which reflex action is
EFFERENT
conducted is known as “reflex arc”, (MOTOR)
which involves (a) receptor (b) afferent NEURON
neuron (c) spinal cord (d) inter -neuron
(e) efferent neuron (f) muscles or gland
(see Figure 3.5).
EFFECTOR (MUSCLE)
The Brain
Unlike the spinal cord, the human brain
is a very complex structure. As such, it is RECEPTOR
(SKIN)
really very difficult to know the different
structures of the brain and the functions
Figure 3.5 Parts involved in reflex action
they carry out. However, physiological
psychologists have evolved some methods through which it is now possible to
study some of the important struct ures of the brain and the functions they carry
out. The methods for studying brain functions are presented later.
Brain controls almost all the activities that we do, except of course the reflex
activities that are controlled by the spinal cord. Brain con trols perception, learning,
thinking, and different types of motor activities. Specific regions of the brain have
been identified by scientists, which control specific behaviour patterns. All the
regions of the brain act in close cooperation with one another. Now, let us examine
these different regions of the brain as they control different functions. We shall
limit our discussions to some of the important structures of the brain only.
We shall begin with the back of the head, where the spinal cord rises to meet
the brain. Gradually we shall come to discuss the front and upper portion of the
brain through the middle. The brain can be divided into three main parts: the
hindbrain, the mid brain and the fore brain (see Figure 3.6).
The hindbrain
The backside of the brain is called the hindbrain. It has three sub -divisions:
medulla, cerebellum and pons.

Cerebrum

Thalamus Forebrain

Midbrain

Hypothalamus
Hindbrain
Cerebellum
Medulla

Spinal Cord

Fiture 3.6 The structures located at different levels of the brain

Medulla. It is also called medulla oblongata. This structure is the most caudal
(lowest) portion of the brain stem. It is a link between the brain stem and the
spinal cord. 12 layers of nerves extending from the medulla connect some vital
regions of the body; such as hearts, lungs, intestine, bladder, etc. Therefore,
medulla controls some vital and autonomic functions such as respiration,
circulation of blood, digestion of food, etc. It also plays a role in sleep, sneezing
and coughing.
Cerebellum. Cerebellum is also called as the „little brain‟. It is a miniature version
of the cerebrum. Its outer surface looks gray and the interior white. It has two
hemispheres. It receives input from almost all the sensory areas of the body. Its
vital function is to control body balance and posture , as it is connected with the
static or the vestibular sense organ. Injury to the cerebellum may lead to lack of
motor coordination, stumbling, and loss of muscle tone.

Brain

Hindbrain Midbrain Forebrain

Medulla Reti c ul ar Acti vati ng Syst e m Thalamus

Hypothalamus
Pons

Limbic System
Cerebellum

Cerebral Cortex
Figure 3.7 Structures included in three parts of the brain.

Cerebellum also controls biological rhythm or the perception of time. In

other words, the biological clock is located in the cerebellum . Therefore, many
of us can tell the approximate time without looking at the wall clock in the middle of
night if we wake up form sleep.
Some surprising new evidences have identified that the direct neural
connections between the cerebellum and frontal parts of the brain are involved in
language, planning, and reasoning (Middleton and Strick, 1994). These connecting
circuits are much larger in human beings than in other animals. These and other
evidences suggest that the cerebellum may play a role in the control and
coordination of higher mental functions as well as in the coordination of
movements.
Pons. The pons is a large bulge in the brain stem, lies between medulla and
the midbrain, immediately ventral to the cerebellum. Pons is a Latin word, which
means “bridge”, but it does not look like one. It is so named because of the bundle
of nerves
 that passes through it. The pons transmits information about body movement
and is also involved in functions relate d to attention, sleep, and alertness. It
has important functions to carry out in dreams. The various cranial nerve nuclei in
the pons play a significant role in feeling and facial expressions.
The midbrain
The mid brain is located approximately at the cen ter of the brain and above
the pons. It is a tube-like structure, the outside of which looks white and inside
gray. Through this tube, a fluid -like substance called cerebrospinal fluid passes,
which gives nutrition to the brain. Except this, it has got sen sory and motor
pathways. It contains primitive centers for vision and hearing. It plays a role in the
regulation of visual reflexes. The midbrain consists of two important structures.
They are the tectum and the tegmentum.
The tectum (roof) is located in the dorsal portion of the midbrain. Its principal
structures are superior colliculi and inferior colliculi. The superior colliculi are a
part of the visual system and help in locating visual objects. The inferior colliculi
are a part of the auditory system and process the auditory signals before sending
them to the actual auditory center (temporal lobe) of the brain.
The tegmentum (covering) consists of the portion of the midbrain beneath
the tectum. Its function is the movement of the eye from one directi on to the other.
The midbrain contains an extension of the reticular activating system.
Reticular Activating System (RAS). The RAS begins in the hindbrain and
ascends through the region of the midbrain into the lower
part of the fore brain (see Figure 3.8). It is a network of
neurons crossing each other. The RAS is vital in the
functions of shifting of attention, sleep, arousa l, and
activity. Stimulation of the RAS causes it to send messages
to the cortex, making us more alert to sensory information .

Figure 3.8 The reticular activating system (RAS) Electrical stimulation of the RAS awakens sleeping
animals. But if the RAS is damaged, the animal may not die, but will sl eep forever.
This kind of sleep is called as comatose or simply coma. Another important
function of RAS is selective attention or filtering of information through learning. It
allows important information to go for processing by higher centers of the brain
while screening out less important information. Thus, while you are inside the
class, you listen only to the lecture, even though a lot of noise is taking place
outside the class.
The forebrain
The forebrain is the most important part of the brain for it possesses virtually
all the parts concerned with perception, coordination of behaviour patterns
including those of emotion, motivation, learning, memory, language and thinking.
The major parts of the forebrain are thalamus, hypothalamus, limbic system and
the cerebrum.
Thalamus. The thalamus sits at the top of the brain stem in the central core
of the brain. It consists of an egg -shaped cluster of neurons. It is a structure of
three different types of nuclei, which process different types of sensory info rmation
and send them to the appropriate regions of the brain. For example, the lateral
geniculate nucleus receives sensory information from the eye and sends them to
the primary visual cortex; the medial geniculate nucleus receives information from
the ear and sends them to the primary auditory cortex; and the ventral -basal
nucleus receives information form the somato -sensory sense and sends them to
the parietal lobe. Thus, the thalamus receives input from all of our senses except
olfaction (smell), performs some preliminary analysis and then transmits the
information to other parts of the brain. Therefore, it is called the great relay
station of the brain. Except this relaying function, the thalamus is also involved in
controlling sleep and attention in coordination with other brain structures, including
the RAS.
Hypothalamus. The hypothalamus is a tiny collection of nuclei located
beneath the thalamus. Even though, it is very small in structure (weighs about four
grams), it exerts profound effect on our behaviour. It regulates the autonomic
nervous system. In other words, it regulates such activities like sweating,
salivating, shedding of tear, changes in blood pressure, etc. It plays a key role in
homeostasis that is the maintenance of the body‟s intern al environment at
optimum levels. In other words, it controls body temperature, the concentration of
fluids, the storage of nutrients and various aspects of motivation and emotion.
When an organism is under stress,
homeostasis is disturbed and processes are set into motion to correct the
disequilibrium. For example, when we are too warm, we perspire; and if we are too
cool, we shiver. The purpose in both the situations is to store normal temperature.
Portions of hypothalamus seem to play a role in the regulation of eating and
drinking. Stimulation of lateral nucleus of hypothalamus causes psychological
hunger, and the person takes more and more food. If damaged, the organism
refuses to take food. Similarly, if it is stimulated, the organism will go on tak ing
more and more water, and if damaged, it refuses to take water. Ventromedial
nucleus of the hypothalamus is the satiation center. If stimulated, the animal stops
taking food and water. If damaged, this inhibition is impaired. However, it has been
observed that if it is stimulated, the animal may take sweet food only.
The hypothalamus also controls the activities of endocrine system. Thus, it
plays a role in reproductive physiology and sexual behaviour . The hypothalamus
also plays a role in the sensation of emotions and our response to stress producing
situations. Therefore, sometimes it is called the brain‟s stress center.
Limbic System. The limbic system or the borderline system lies along the inner edge of
the cerebrum. It consists of a group of structures that form a part of the old mammalian brain.
The brain stem and the cerebellum are found in all vertebrates, but only mammals and reptiles
have limbic system. It is a ring like structure having several other structures. Limbic system
receives input from the olfactory sense, and as such is responsible for olfactory perception. It is
structurally interconnected with the hypothalamus. Therefore, it is also involved in the drives of
hunger, sex, aggression, and some of the behaviours regulated by the hypothalamus. The three
principal structures in the limbic system are amygdala, hippocampus, and septum. The
amygdala is involved in memory, and certain basic emotions. The damage to the amygdala
causes an animal to be less fearful and over curious, hypersexual, and more exploratory.
The hippocampus has been observed to play a special role in memory. The
effects of surgical removal of the hippocampus have demonstrated that people can
retrieve old memories but cannot permanently store new information. In other
words, damage to the hippocampus affects short -term memory. Destruction of
another area of the limbic system, the septum, leads some mammals to respond
aggressively, even with slight provocation.
Basal Ganglia. The basal ganglia are a group of nuclei buried beneath the cortex
in front of the thalamus. They are involved in the control of postural movements
and the co-ordination of limbs. Basal ganglia produce most of the brain‟s
dopamine, which is a neurotransmitter. Degeneration of neurons in the basa l
ganglia has been linked to Parkinson‟s disease in which the patient finds it difficult
to coordinate different limbs. Excess production of dopamine leads to a mental
disorder called schizophrenia.
The Cerebrum. The cerebrum or the cerebral cortex is the crowning glory of
the brain and is highly developed in humans than in any other animal. It is
protected by the skull. Below the skull, there is a space filled with a fluid, which is
gray in color and protects the cerebrum. The outside surface of the cerebrum is
called the cerebral cortex. The cortex looks gray because it consists largely of cell
bodies and unmyelinated fibers. The inside of the cerebrum beneath the cortex
looks white as it is composed mostly of mye linated axons. The cortex has got many
ridges called gyri throughout. In between the two gyri, there is a small depression
called sulcus (valley) or fissure.
A very deep depression or fissure divides the cerebrum into almost two
equal halves- the left hemisphere and the right hemisphere. The left hemisphere
is connected with the right hand side of the body, and receives sensory information
from right hand side of the body. The right hemisphere is connected with the left
hand side of the body, and as such r eceives sensory information from the left hand
side of the body. The two hemispheres are connected with each other by a thick
fiber bundle known as corpus callosum.
Each of the hemispheres of the cerebral cortex is divided into four parts, or
lobes by two fissures. On the top middle of each hemisphere, the fissure of
Rolando or central fissure runs from the top vertically towards the bottom. Another
fissure, the fissure of Sylvius or lateral fissure runs laterally in each hemisphere.
The frontal lobe lies in front of the central fissure, and the parietal lobe lies behind
it. The temporal lobe lies below the lateral fissure. The occipital lobe however is
not clearly demarcated. For our purposes we can say that it is located at the rear of
the brain (see Figure 3.9).
The frontal lobe is specialized for the planning, execution, and control of
movements. The primary motor cortex, adjacent to the central fissure, contains
neurons that participate in the control of movements. Electrical excitation to
different parts of the primary motor cortex causes movements of different parts of
the body. Because the cerebral hemispheres are connected with the opposite sides
of the body, stimulation of the right primary motor cortex moves parts of the left
side of the body. Similarly stimulation of the left primary motor cortex moves the
right side. In the motor cortex, the body is represented upside down. For example,
the face is represented at the upper part of motor area of the brain, trunk further
down face and tongue.
The posterior (back) lobes of the brain, such as the parietal, temporal and
occipital lobes are specialized for perception and experience of touch, pressure
and pain etc. The primary somato -sensory cortex lies immediately close to the
central sulcus, i.e., in the parietal lobe. This cortex receives information from the
somatic senses. Therefore, this area is specialized for touch, pressure and pain.
The occipital lobe contains the primary visual cortex. It lies in the backside of the
cortex. It receives visual inputs from the eyes. The temporal lobe contains the
primary auditory cortex, which receives information form our ears.
Association Areas. The areas of the cerebral cortex that are not directly concerned with
sensory or motor functions are called association areas. Each lobe is having an association
area. The association areas are assumed to play a role in integrating the activities in the
various sensory systems and in transmitting sensory input into programs for motor output. In
addition, the association areas are involved in complex cognitive activities such as thinking,
reasoning, learning and remembering etc.
The junction of the three posterior lobes is known as the PTO (parietal,
temporal, and occipital) area. In this area, the somato -sensory, auditory, and visual
functions overlap. Persons who sustain injury to PTO area may have difficulty in
reading and writing.
In many ways, the left and right hemispheres of the brain are structurally and
functionally equal. But they are not entirely equal. For 96 percent of those people
who are right-handed, the left hemisphere contains the language functions. For 70
percent of those people who are left -handed, the left hemisphere also contains
language functions. For 15 percent of left -handed individuals, the right hemisphere
contains language functions. For the remaining 15 percent of left -handed persons,
both the hemispheres contain language functions. The dominant hemisphere with
regard to language functions as described above contains Broca‟s area and
Wernicke‟s area. Damage to either area causes aphasia - that is, a disruption of
the ability to understand or produce language. Broca‟s area is located in the frontal
lobe and Wernicke‟s area is located in the temporal lobe.
Corpus Callosum. The two hemispheres of the cerebrum are connected with
each other by a band of fibers known as corpus callosum. Roger Sperry, the Noble
Prize winner in 1981, damaged corpus callosum in a series of experiments and
observed that the right hemisphere is specialized in the functions of memory for
patterns of stimulations or images, and the left hemisphere specialized in
analytical, logical and mathematical functions. However, both hemispheres act in
close cooperation with each other.

How Does Brain Function ?

Physiological psychologists from the days of Johannes Muller are trying to

answer the question of whether or not the brain functions as a „w hole‟? There are
differences in views. A group of researchers believed that each part of the
cerebrum had a definite function. Other group of researchers believed that parts of
the brain are functionally interchangeable. From the modern findings, the answer is
that brain functions in parts as well as in whole. Experiments on localization by
Franz and Lashley were carried out and their findings are expressed in two
theories, i.e., theory of equipotentiality, and theory of mass action .

Theory of Equipotentiality

A monkey was trained to open a door by handling a switch after continuous

training. After the learning was established, a portion of the frontal lobe was
removed. It was found that the monkey could not perform the learnt skill of door -
opening showing forgetting. Thus one can conclude that motor activity is
dependent on a part of the motor cortex area of the frontal lobe. But it was found
that the monkey could relearn the same trick. But when more amount of cerebral
cortex was removed the a nimal could not learn again. Both Lashley and Franz
carried out such studies repeatedly on several animals. Their findings were that
ordinary maze learning was possible equally well in any part of the cortex.
Difficulty of task needs more amount of cortex. Lashley concluded that complex
learning does not depend on any definite structure of a specific area of
cortex. It rather depends on the total organization of the cortex.

The theory of equipotentiality means capacity of the injured part of the brain
to function as a substitute for another lesioned part in the brain. That means,
according to this theory, all parts of the cortex are equally potential enough for
simple learning functions.

The Principle of Mass Action

This theory put forth the findings that the brain basically functions as a
whole, and therefore more parts of the cortex available, the better would be the
learning capacity. By comparing decorticated animals with normal animals, Lashley
found that animals having decorticated cortex demonstrated general reduction in
sensitivity, exploratory activities and aggressiveness. Thus, the removal of any part
of the brain affects the learning process in a general and global manner.
On the basis of the experimental findings with apes and injured persons, the two theories
are found to be confirmed. Thus, according to these theories the brain functions as a
whole and also in parts depending on the types of learning functions required.

The Peripheral Nervous System

The peripheral nervous system cons ists of the sensory and motor neurons that
transmit messages to and from the central nervous system. Without the peripheral
nervous system, our brain will be isolated from the world. It would not be able to receive
any information and would not be able to control or show any activity. The peripheral
nervous system has two divisions. They are the somatic nervous system and the
autonomic nervous system.
The Somatic Nervous System
The somatic nervous system consists of sensory neurons, which run from our sens e
organs towards the central nervous system for perception, learning etc. and the motor
neurons, which carry messages from the brain towards the striped muscles of the body
for activities. As a result, we are able to experience the beauties and horrors of the world
and also show such actions like moving our hands or legs, singing, running, jumping,
riding, and so on. Thus, the somatic nervous system in general controls the striated or
striped muscles of our body.
The Autonomic Nervous System

The autonomic nervous system regulates the glands and involuntary

activities such as heartbeat, digestion, blood circulation etc. Thus, it controls the
smooth muscles and glands of our body. The autonomic nervous system is called
as „autonomic‟ because many of the activ ities it controls are autonomous, or self -
regulating and continue even when a person is asleep or unconscious. For
example, digestion, blood circulation, etc. continue even when we are sleeping
(see Figure 3.10).
The autonomic nervous system has two divisions: sympathetic and
parasympathetic nervous systems. Both these divisions have survival functions for which
the autonomic nervous system is often called as survival nervous system. One is to assist
the organism to escape or cope with a life-threatening situation. The
Sympathetic System
CENTRAL NERVOUS Sympathetic System
SYSTEM
Constricts
Pupil Dilates
Brain pupil

Stimulates
tear gland No effect on
tear grands

Strong Weak stimulation

stimulation of salivary flow
of salivary flow

Dilates
Constricts bronchi
bronchi

Accelerates
heart
Slows Heart
Dilates arterioles
Constricts
arterioles
Stimulates motility
and secretion Inhibits
motility
and secretio Inhibits
pancreas

Stinulates
pancreas Stimulates
glucose
release
by liver

Stimulates Inhibits
gall bladder intestinal
motility

Sympathetic
ganglia

Secretes adrenaline

Spinal cord
Stimulates
erection

Stimulates
ejaculation

Figure 3.10 The autonomic nervous system

other is to co-ordinate, produce and conserve the bodily resources necessary to
maintain the organism throughout its life span.
The autonomic nervous system is intimately connected with the spinal cord.
The sympathetic nervous system outflow takes place through the thoracic-lumbar
regions of the spinal cord. The parasympathetic nervous system outflow takes
place in the cranial-sacral regions of the spinal cord.
The sympathetic division tends to act as a unit. It is excited in emotional
situations. Thus, sympathetic nervous system is the division for emergency
survival. During emotional excitement, for example, the diges tion is stopped,
heart-rate is increased, the arteries of the heart and skeletal muscles are dilated,
blood flow to the internal organs is redirected to the skeletal muscles, the air
passages in the lungs are opened to facilitate oxygen transfer and the en docrine
system (ductless glands) is stimulated to release several chemicals that increase
the effectiveness of the entire motor system.
Unlike the sympathetic nervous system, the parasympathetic system tends
to affect one organ at a time. Whereas the symp athetic system is activated during
violent emotions or excited activities, the parasympathetic system is dominant
and active during normal times or during quiescence . It stimulates processes
that conserve the bodily energy. Activation of this system slows heartbeat, lowers
blood pressure and diverts blood away from skeletal muscles to the digestive
system, and conserves and protects bodily resources.
At first glance, it appears that the sympathetic and parasympathetic systems
compete with one another in a head-on clash. In fact, this is far form the case. The
sympathetic and parasympathetic systems function in a coordinated manner .
For example, if a person eats a very large meal in a feast, the parasympathetic
system stimulates digestion while at the same t ime the sympathetic system
increases sweating in order to eliminate excess heat.
The Endocrine System
The nervous system is one primary instrument of communication within the body. There
is also another system which serves a similar function – the Endocrine System. This system
consists of a number of ductless glands, called the endocrine glands. These
glands release chemicals called hormones into the
blood stream and send messages throughout the
nervous system via the circulatory system. The
circulatory system carries hormones from the
endocrine glands to various organs and systems of the
body. The endocrine system is controlled by the
Autonomic Nervous System activity. Like the nervous
system, the endocrine system uses chemical
substances to transmit information. In the nervous
system, the chemical substances are
Figure 3.11 The Endocrine Glands
neurotransmitters that excite or inhibit postsynaptic
cell; in the endocrine system, the chemical substances are hormones that affect specially
sensitive cells in the target organ. Since endocrine glands they release chemicals into the blood
stream, their effects are slow compared to the neurotransmitters but the effect last for a longer
duration. Some important endocrine glands are described below (see Figure 3.11).
The Pituitary Gland
The major gland of the endocrine system is the pituitary gland. It is found just below the
hypothalamus and is regulated by the hypothalamus. Pituitary is called the „master gland‟ of the
body because it releases hormones that regulate and control the actions of other endocrine
glands (adrenal, thyroid, pancreas, ovaries in females, testes in males etc.). Besides controlling
other glands, the pituitary has also its own important functions. The hormones secreted by the
pituitary gland control body growth. Extremely short people or unusually tall people have
pituitary gland abnormalities.
The pituitary has two independently functioning parts – posterior pituitary and anterior
pituitary. The posterior pituitary prevents loss of water through kidney and releases oxytocin
which controls the production of milk in females. The anterior pituitary releases hormones that
regulate the activities of other endocrine glands. The anterior pituitary releases growth
hormone which is released steadily through childhood with extra spurt during adolescence. It
also releases gonadotropic hormone that regulates the functions of sex glands (testes in the
males and ovaries in the females).
Pituitary is also related to important brain locations that play a role in emotions. Though pituitary
is the „master gland‟, it is actually the servant of the brain because brain is ultimately
responsible for endocrine system‟s functioning.
The Pineal Gland
The pineal gland is located in the brain nearer to the back. It secretes a hormone called
melatonin, which regulates sleep-wake cycle.
The Adrenal Glands
The adrenal glands are located on the top of the kidneys. Each has two separate parts –
adrenal medulla and adrenal cortex. The central area is adrenal medulla, which secretes
epinephrine (also known as adrenaline) and norepinephrine (also known as noradrenalin).
These hormones help the body to handle emergencies such as increased heart rate, blood
pressure and blood sugar. These hormones stimulate hypothalamus as a result of which
emotion in an individual stays even when the stressor has been removed.
The adrenal cortex secretes a group of hormones called corticoids which affect body„s
metabolism and blood pressure. These hormones are excessively produced when the individual
remains under pressure and harm the body.
The Thyroid Gland
The thyroid gland plays a vital role in the regulation of body metabolism. It is located in
the neck and produces thyroxin which influences body metabolism. Overproduction of thyroxin
speeds up the metabolic rate. As a result, the person becomes highly active resulting in weight
loss. Underproduction of thyroxin makes the person inactive resulting in weight gain. A low level
of thyroxin during childhood is the cause of cretinism, a form of mental retardation.
Pancreas
The pancreas produces insulin which helps to break down glucose for use by the body
and also for storage as glycogen in the liver. The rate of insulin production depends on how
much sugar has been ingested and how much have been burnt through exercise. If it produces
too little insulin, it results in diabetes. If it produces too much insulin, it results in hypoglycemia
or low blood sugar. Diabetic patients who miss their meals or under physical and mental stress
may lapse into insulin come because of lack of sugar.
The Gonads
The gonads are the sex glands including the testes in males and the ovaries in females
are the gonads. They secrete hormones that regulate sexual behavior. The production of sex
hormones in both sexes (testosterone in males and progesterone in females) increases during
adolescence. Testosterone in males brings physical change such as growth of body hair,
deepening of voice with age, increase in sexually oriented behavior and aggressive behavior.
Progesterone in females controls the beginning of menstruation and if fertilization occurs, then it
influences the fetal development. Both males and females produce estrogen and progesterone
and it is the balance between them that determines gender behavior.
Methods of Studying Brain Functions
A variety of procedures are used by physiological psychologists to study the functions of
different areas of the brain. Some of them are very old methods and outdated; some of them are
most recent in origin and frequently used by modern investigators. The methods help us to
study the localization of the functional areas of the brain.
Traditional Methods
Surgical Ablation or Method of Extirpation. In lesioning or extirpation,
tissues at a particular part of the brain are destroyed electrically and the behavioral
effects of such destruction are observed. In surgical ablation, a part of the brain is
surgically removed. Human beings cannot be studied with these methods directly
except in situations when an accident or disease requires a lesion or when the
removal of abnormal brain tissue is essential to the well being of human beings.
Stimulational Method. A specific part of the brain may be stimulated either
by electric current or by chemicals. Through electrical stimulation, we can only
stimulate the desired part of the brain. B ut by chemical methods, we can stimulate
or defunct a particular part of the brain for a fixed period of time and observe their
effects on behaviour.
Electrical Recording or Action Potential Method. The rhythmical electrical
discharges of the brain are re corded by an instrument called electroencephalogram
(EEG). The EEG can detect minute electrical activities of the brain cells during
sleep,
arousal, and activity. The brain parts having greatest electrical activity can be
linked with behaviors and se nsations of the body. This will tell how the body
surfaces are represented in the brain.
Histology. The structural features of neurons and fiber connections can be
studied through microscopic examination of brain tissues. This method is called as
histology. Three important techniques of histology have been developed. They
are: (a) fixation in which the tissue is preserved in a fixative such as formalin, (b)
sectioning in which the tissue is sliced through a microtone (an instrument), and (c)
staining in which the desired portion of the brain or cell is stained or dyed (colored)
before its microscopic examination.
Scanning and Imaging Techniques
The advances in modern technology have made it possible to study the
internal workings of the brain without hav ing to cut surgically into a person‟s skull.
The brain scanning are the mechanical and electrical measurements of biochemical
and electrical activities of specified brain areas. Some of these techniques are
discussed below.
Computerized Axial Tomography (CAT). Thousands of separate X -rays are
taken at slightly different angles, and the computer constructs an image of the
structures of the brain by combining these X -rays. It is very useful for showing
abnormalities in the stru cture of the brain such as swelling and enlargement of
certain parts. But it does not provide information about brain activity.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). It produces a strong magnetic field in
which the person‟s head is positioned. The radio waves directed at the brain cause
the hydrogen atoms to emit signals, which are analyzed by a computer. The details
of the MRI are superior to CAT scan, because it can distinguish between closely
related brain structures.
Positron Emission Tomography (PET). It shows the biochemical activity
within the brain at a given moment in time. The PET scan begins with the injection
of radioactive water into the blood stream, which makes its way to the brain. The
computer measures the location of radiation within the bra in and determines which
are the more active regions. The technique is good to provide a picture of brain‟s
functioning.
Superconducting Quantum Interference Device (SQUID). It is sensitive to tiny
changes in magnetic fields that occur when neurons fire . When neurons fire, they
create an electric current, which gives rise to a magnetic field. This magnetic field
is interpreted by the SQUID as neural activity. This helps to pinpoint the location of
neural activity.

KEY TERMS
Receptors Effectors Exteroceptors
Interoceptors Proprioceptors Neuron
Cell body Soma Dendrite
Axon Terminal Buttons Axon terminal
Myelin sheath Law of forward conduction Afferent neurons
Efferent neurons Inter-neurons Glia cells
Absolute refractory period Relative refractory period Threshold point
All-or-none law Neural transmission Synapse
Synaptic vesicles Neurotransmitter Central nervous system
Peripheral nervous system Somatic system Autonomic nervous system
Sympathetic system Parasympathetic system Spinal cord
Reflex arc Hindbrain Midbrain
Forebrain Medulla Pons
Cerebellum Reticular activating system Thalamus
Hypothalamus Limbic system Amygdala
Hippocampus Septum Basal ganglia
Cerebrum Left hemisphere Right hemisphere
Association area Corpus callosum Frontal lobe
Parietal lobe Temporal lobe Occipital lobe
Equipotentiality Mass action Surgical ablation
Electroencephalogram Action potential method Histology
CAT scan MRI PET scan
SQUID Reflex action
 SUMMARY
1. A branch of psychology known as physiological psychology studies the
biological bases of behaviour.
2. The study of behaviors and conscious experiences involves three
physiological processes such as receptor process, effector process, and
processes of the nervous system .
3. Receptors receive information; neurons conduct and effectors carry out
activities.
4. Neurons are the basic building blocks of the nervous system, responsible for
transmitting and integrating information. In general, the neurons have the
following structures: (a) cell body or soma, (b) dendrites, (c) axon, (d)
terminal buttons or axon terminals. The cell body contains the nucleus of the
cell that sustains its life. The dendrites extend from the cell body and
receive stimulations from other neurons or sensory receptors. The axon
conducts information from the cell body to the terminal buttons. The terminal
buttons convey messages to other cells.
5. The glia cells surround neurons and hold them in place. They insulate
neurons from one another so that neural messages do not get scrambled.
6. The transmission of information inside the neuron takes place by the
movement of positively and negatively charged ions across its cell
membrane. The glia cells produce neuron‟s myelin sheath.
7. Neurons operate on all-or-none law, i.e., the neurons either fire or do not
fire. It fires only when the stimulus intensity reaches a particular threshold.
Following stimulation, the neuron comes back to resting potential.
8. Action potentials refer to rapid changes in the electrical properties of the cell
membranes of the neurons and constitute the basic mechanism by which
information moves through the nervous system.
9. The three types of neurons that constitute the nervous system are sensory
neurons, motor neurons, and inter-neurons.
10. The synapse is the space between neurons that provides a junction for information
transfer. As the neural impulse reaches the axon terminal, the synaptic vesicles get
fired, and release neurotransmitters into the synaptic gap. The dendrites of the receiving
neuron come in contact with the neurotransmitters and receive the message. The neural
transmission is an electrochemical process.
11. The nervous system has two major divisions: central nervous system and peripheral
nervous system. The central nervous system consists of the brain and the spinal cord.
The peripheral nervous system has two divisions: the somatic system and the autonomic
nervous system. The autonomic nervous system is further divided into the sympathetic
system and parasympathetic system.
12. The spinal cord carries information to the brain via afferent nerves and carries
information from the brain to muscles and glands via efferent nerves. It also plays a key
role in coordinating reflexes.
13. The brain may be divided into three parts: hindbrain, midbrain, and forebrain. The
hindbrain contains medulla, cerebellum, and pons. The medulla regulates heartbeat and
respiration. The pons is involved in respiration and dreams. The cerebellum makes our
bodily movements precise, smooth, and coordinated.
14. The reticular activating system (RAS), which is a part of the midbrain, is involved in
regulating arousal, attention, and sleep.
15. The major structures of the forebrain are thalamus, hypothalamus, cerebrum, limbic
system, and basal ganglia. The thalamus lies at the central part of the brain, and
processes and relays sensory information on its way to the cerebrum. The
hypothalamus located just below the thalamus regulates the autonomic nervous system
and bodily homeostasis.
16. The cerebrum or the cerebral cortex is the seat of higher mental processes such as
thinking, language, planning, reasoning, and memory. Buried within the cerebrum are
clusters of gray matter known as basal ganglia. The three important structures of the
limbic system are hippocampus, amygdala, and septum.
17. The cerebral cortex is divided into four lobes: frontal lobe, parietal lobe, temporal lobe,
and occipital lobe. The frontal lobe is specialized for planning, execution, and
control of movements. The parietal, temporal, and occipital lobes are specialized for perception
and experience. The parietal lobe contains the primary somato-sensory cortex; the
occipital lobe contains the primary visual cortex; and the temporal lobe contains the
primary auditory cortex.
18. The peripheral nervous system consists of the somatic and autonomic nervous systems.
The somatic nervous system connects the central nervous system with sensory
receptors, muscles, and surface of the body.
19. The autonomic nervous system regulates glands and involuntary activities like heartbeat,
respiration, digestion etc. The autonomic nervous system is divided into sympathetic and
parasympathetic nervous systems.
20. The sympathetic nervous system is most active during emotional responses that spend
the body‟s reserves of energy such as fear and anxiety. The parasympathetic nervous
system is most active during quiescence or during processes that restore the body‟s
reserves of energy.
21. The endocrine system consists of a number of ductless glands, called the endocrine
glands, which release chemicals called hormones into the blood stream and send
messages throughout the nervous system via the circulatory system. The effects of
hormones are slow but their effects last for a longer duration.
22. Some important endocrine glands are the pituitary gland, the pineal gland, the adrenal
glands, the thyroid, pancreas and the gonads. The pituitary is the master gland of the
body as it controls the functions of other endocrine glands. The hormones secreted by
the pituitary gland control body growth.
23. The pineal gland located in the brain nearer to the back secretes a hormone called
melatonin, which regulates sleep-wake cycle. The adrenal cortex secretes a group of
hormones called corticoids which affect body‟s metabolism and blood pressure. These
hormones are excessively produced when the individual remains under pressure and
harm the body.
24. The thyroid gland located in the neck produces thyroxin which influences body
metabolism. The pancreas produces insulin which helps to maintain the blood sugar
level. If it produces too little insulin, it results in diabetes.
25. The gonads are the sex glands including the testes in males and the ovaries in females
are the gonads. They secrete hormones that regulate sexual behavior.
26. The physiological psychologists use a variety of methods to study the functions of the
brain such as surgical ablation, electrical and chemical stimulation, electrical recording
of the action potentials, and histology. The contemporary imaging and scanning
techniques include CAT scan, MRI, PET scan, and SQUID. The imaging techniques
have proved very useful in detecting brain functions and abnormalities.
QUESTIONS

A. True-False Questions

(State whether the following statements are True (F) or False (F))

1. The glia cells in the brain are called neurons.

2. The synapse is a part of the neuron.

3. Reflex arcs are coordinated in the brain.

4. The temporal lobe contains the primary visual cortex.

5. The synaptic gap controls the rate of flow of neural impulses.

6. The hypothalamus controls the body temperature.

7. The soma sustains the life of a neuron.

8. Reflex action is not possible without the spinal cord.

9. The synaptic vesicles are in the dendrites.

10. The neural transmission is electrochemical in nature.

11. Thalamus is called the seat of emotions.

12. The somatic system controls the voluntary movements.

13. The dendrites conve y messages to other cells.

14. The glia cells surround the neurons.

15. The sympathetic system meets the emergency situations.

16. The cerebellum is a part of the hindbrain.

17. The state of inactivity following neural stimulation is the absolute refractory
period.

18. Neurons function according to all -or-none law.

19. The medulla controls the body balance and posture.

20. The cerebellum is called as the little brain.

21. The thalamus controls the functioning of the autonomic nervous system.

22. Damage to the hippocampus affects short -term memory.

23. Our body has five kinds of receptors.

24. The electrical charge in the neuron is positive when it is in a resting state.

25. Sympathetic division is a part of the autonomic nervous system.

26. The spinal cord is a part of the autonomic nervous system.

27. The midbrain contains the primitive centers of vision and hearing.

28. The limbic system contains amygdala.

29. The left hemisphere controls the right side of the body.

30. Lashley propounded the princ iple of mass action.

31. The parasympathetic system is dominant in normal times.

32. CAT scan is based on person‟s reaction in a strong magnetic field.

33. Terminal buttons receive impulses form the receptors.

34. Neurilemma helps regeneration of neurons.

35. Neurons obey the law of forward induction.

36. The biological clock is located in the cerebrum.

37. Hypothalamus is called the relay station of the brain.

38. Corpus callosum connects the two hemispheres.

39. The glia cells provide nutrients to neurons.

40. Histology is a brain imaging technique.

41. The endocrine system consists of ductless glands.

42. Hypothalamus regulates the functioning of the pituitary gland.

43. The adrenal cortex is known as the master gland of the body.

44. The endocrine glands release hormones into the respiratory system.

45. Endocrine system is an instrument of communication within the body.

46. Both males and females produce estrogen and progesterone.

47. Compared to neurotransmitters, the effects of hormones last for a shorter duration.

48. The functioning of the endocrine system is controlled by the brain.

49. Progesterone is a female sex hormone.

50. More adrenaline flows into blood stream when the individual is under too much pressure.

B. Multiple-Choice Questions

(Choose the correct alternative from the bracket to fill up the blank or
answer the question):

1. The fatty substance that provides a protective coating to axons is called

......... (terminal button, myelin sheath, soma, synapse).

2. .......... contain neurotransmitters (dendrites, synaptic vesicles, axons, cell

bodies).
3. The autonomic nervous system is controlled by ..........(brain, hypothalamus,
spinal cord, thalamus).

4. A sensory neuron is also called ..........(afferent neuron, efferent neuron,

synapse, soma).

5. The primary cortical area for somesthesis is located in the .......... lobe
(temporal, frontal, occipital, parietal).

6. Motor neurons are also called ..........neurons (afferent, efferent, cortical,

inter).

7. .......... is a part of the autonomic nervous system (sympathetic division,

spinal cord, frontal lobe, cerebellum).

8. The dendrites are at......... of neurons (receiving end, middle, delivering end,
below).

9. ......... discovered the speech area in the brain (Broca, Miller, Moody,
Stebbins).

10. ......... plays a significant role in emotional behaviour (thalamus,

hypothalamus, frontal lobe, parietal lobe).

11. The receiving end of a neuron is called ......... (dendrites, axon. end brushes, nucleus).

12. Action potentials are recorded from ..........(eyes, neurons, ear, frontal lobe).

13. Corpus callosum connects ......... (two cerebral hemispheres, cerebrum and
cerebellum, medulla and pons, cerebral hemisp here and midbrain).

14. Unit of nervous system is ..........(cyton, axon, neuron, dendron).

15. The biological clock is located in the ....... (medulla, hypothalamus,

cerebellum, spinal cord).

16. .......... is called the relay station of the brain (hypothalamus, amygdala,
cerebellum, thalamus).

17. ........ plays a key role in maintaining bodily homeostasis (hypothalamus,

amygdala, cerebellum, thalamus).
18. ......... receive stimulations from the internal body organs (exteroceptors,
interoceptors, proprioceptors, effectors).

19. ........ coordinates reflex actions (brain, spinal cord, hypothalamus, medulla).

20. .......... is a part of the hindbrain (medulla, amygdala, cerebrum, thalamus).

21. Damage to ......... leads to coma (RAS, thalamus, pons, medulla).

22. .........controls the activities of the endocrine system (thalamus,

hypothalamus, medulla, cerebellum).

23. Damage to the …….. increases exploratory behavior (amygdala,

hippocampus, septum, basal ganglia).

24. The ........... lobe contains the primary visual cortex (frontal, parietal,
temporal, occipital).

25. ....... is not a method for studying brain functions (MRI, electrical stimulation,
PET, electroconvulsive shock).

26. The endocrine glands secrete chemicals known as ………(neurotransmitters, hormones,

pheromones, endorphin)

27. ………. gland is located just below the hypothalamus (pituitary, thyroid, adrenal,
thalamus)

28. Insulin is secreted by ………. (pituitary, adrenal, pancreas, thyroid)

29. Kamalesh did not grow to be very tall. The doctor told his parents that ………. gland did
not function properly (pituitary, thyroid, adrenal, gonad)

30. If pancreas secretes too little insulin, it results in ………. (hypothyroidism, dwarfness,
diabetes, hypoglycemia)

31. ……..is not a part of the endocrine system (adrenal, hypothalamus, gonads, pineal)

32. ………. regulates the functioning of other endocrine glands (pineal, adrenal, thyroid,
pituitary)

33. The sleep-wake cycle is regulated by the ……… gland (pineal, pituitary, adrenal, thyroid)
34. The corticoids are secreted by the ……. (thyroid, pituitary, adrenal cortex, gonads)

35. Hormones secreted by the ………. controls body growth (adrenal, pituitary, thyroid, gonads)

36. Thyroid plays an important role in regulating ……. (body metabolism, blood pressure, sexual
behavior, blood sugar)

37. The gonads secrete chemical to regulate ………. (blood pressure, metabolic rate, blood sugar
level, sexual behavior)

C. Short-Type Questions

(Write the answer to each question in five sentences)

1. What are the functions of the receptors?

2. What is reflex arc?

3. Briefly state the structures of a neuron.

4. What is reflex action?

5. What is the function of parasympathetic division?

6. How are dendrites different from terminal buttons?

7. Differentiate between receptors and effectors?

8. Explain all-or-none law.

9. What are the functions of hypothalamus?

10. What is the difference between afferent and efferent neurons?

11. What is the role of autonomic nervous system during emotion?

12. Discuss the functions of the spina l cord.

13. Briefly state the functions of a neuron.

14. State the divisions of the cerebrum.

15. What are the major divisions of the hindbrain?

16. Does the human brain act as a whole?

17. Explain the law of equipotentiality.

18. Explain the principle of mass action.

19. What is neuron?

20. Explain synapse.

21. Briefly state the major functions of the autonomic nervous system.

22. What is the function of the cerebellum?

23. Which part of the human brain is responsible for temperature regulatio n?

24. What is neural transmission?

25. What are the functions of the sympathetic division?

26. Why the pituitary is called the master gland?

27. Briefly state the functions of adrenal glands.

28. What important functions gonads serve in the endocrine system?

29. What happens when thyroid gland functions abnormally?

30. What are the functions of the pancreas?

D. Essay-Type Questions

(Write long answers)

1. Describe the structure and functions of a typical neuron with the help of a
diagram.

2. Describe the structure and functions of the human brain.

3. Explain the structure and functions of the central nervous system.

4. Describe the structure and functions of the autonomic nervous system.

5. Describe the structure of a neuron and explain the proc ess of neural
transmission.

6. Discuss the different methods used for studying brain functions.

7. Describe the endocrine system along with the functions of its different parts.

ANSWERS

A. True-False Questions:

1. F 2. F 3. F 4. F 5. T 6. T 7. T 8. T 9. F 10. T 11.
F 12. T 13. F 14. T 15. T 16. T 17. T 18. T 19. F 20. T 21.
F 22. T 23. F 24. F 25. T 26. F 27. T 28. T 29. T 30. T 31.
T 32. F 33. F 34. T 35. T 36. F 37. F 38. T 39. T 40. F
41. T 42. T 43. F 44. F 45. T 46. T 47. F 48. T 49. T 50. T
B. Multiple-Choice Questions :

1. myelin sheath 2. synaptic vesicles 3. hypothalamus 4. afferent neuron

5. parietal 6. efferent 7. sympathetic division 8. receiving end
9. Broca 10. hypothalamus 11. dendrites 12. neurons
13. two cerebral 14. neuron 15. cerebellum 16. thalamus
hemispheres
17. hypothalamus 18. interoceptors 19. spinal cord 20. medulla
21. RAS 22. hypothalamus 23. amygdala 24. occipital
25. electroconvulsive shock
26. hormones 27. pituitary 28. pancreas 29. pituitary
30. hypoglycemia 31. hypothalamus 32. pituitary 33. pineal
34. adrenal cortex 35. pituitary 36. body metabolism 37. sexual behavior
Chapter 4
SENSORY AND PERCEPTUAL PROCESSES

This chapter covers : CONTENTS

Introduction
a) Brief Ideas about Sense Organs Detecting the Sensory World
b) Nature and types of Attention and Attention
Determinants of Attention Nature and Span of Attention
Types of Attention
c) Meaning and Operational Definition of and Determinants of Attention
Processes involved in Perception Perceptual Process
(Receptive, Selective, Symbolic and Perceptual Organization
Affective processes) Laws of Grouping
d) Principles of Perceptual Organization Figure-Ground Relationship
The Law of Pragnanz
e) Role of Needs, Past Experiences and Perception of Movement
Cultural Factors in Perception Real Motion
f) Errors in Perceptual Process- Illu- Apparent Motion
sion and Hallucination Auto-Kinetic Effect
Stroboscopic Motion
g) Brief Idea about Perception of Depth Phi-phenomenon
and Distance Depth and Distance Perception
After you go through this chapter, you Perceptual Constancies
would be able to : Individual Differences in Perception
Past Experiences
 Understand the nature of sen sory Needs and Motives
and perceptual pro cesses. Culture
 Discuss the principles underlying Set
perceptual organization. Attitude and Prejudice
Mood and Emotion
 Appreciate how individual‟s needs, Errors in Perception
experiences and culture influence Illusions
the way s(he) perceives. Hallucinations
 Distinguish between illusion and Distinction between Illusion and
hallucination. Hallucination
Sense Organs
 Explain the principles under lying Structure of the Eye
depth, distance, and movement Functions of the Eye
perception. Sensing Sounds
 Gain an understanding of the Structure and Functions of the Ear
structures and functions of the visual and Auditory Perception
Key Terms
auditory sense organs.
Summary
Questions
Answers
Chapter 4

Sensory and Perceptual Processes

Introduction
Perception is one of the many cognitive processes that help us acquire
information from the environment. The environment consisting of various objects
and events always excite us in some forms by creating its initial impression on our
sense organs. Our first interaction with the environment begins when an external
stimulus is sensed, attended to, and perceived. It is through these primary and
basic mechanisms, we make sense of what happens in the world around us. We
thus experience perception as one of the first psychological processes on which
other higher psychological processes such as learning, thinking, memory, problem -
solving etc. are based.
In the previous chapter on biological bases of behaviour, we came to know
that we receive information from our environment through the sense organs. The
information so received is transmitted to the brain for processing. Receiving
information from the environment by any of the sense organs is called
sensation. The sensation is the initial contact between the organism and the
physical environment. The stimuli in the environment emit physical energy, such as
light, sound, and heat. The sense organs detect this energy, and transform it into a
code that can be transmitted to the brain. But sensa tion alone is not enough to
gather relevant experiences about a particular object or event. It is a simple
mechanical process of registering the environmental input, which is then carried to
our central nervous system for processing. The information must b e organized and
interpreted; otherwise, they would be of no use to us. The process through which
we organize our sensations to meaningfully interpret them, and thereby form
a mental representation of our world is called perception. Perception is a
complex mental process and is not mechanical in nature like sensation. It is not
simply a passive process of decoding sensory information; it is a dynamic process
based on the foundation of sensation. In our everyday life, the two processes of
sensation and perception are practically inseparable.
 Sensation SENSORY Attention
STIMULUS PERCEPTION
RECEPTORS

Processes in Perception

Sensation is a simple and mechanical process; attention is filtering process; perception

is an integrated and interpretative process for forming mental representations.
When you enter into your classroom, everything present there including doors, windows,
walls, fans, blackboard, books, chalks, teacher, friends and so on impacts out sense organs.
Everything in the classroom is sensed. But we selectively attend to only a few of them – for
example, the blackboard and the chalk. We become increasingly aware of them. We attend to
these objects and form a mental image of these objects in the context of our earlier
experiences. We perceive the characteristic features of these objects. Then we can use such
information for other psychological processes such as learning, thinking, memory, problem
solving etc. Following our perception, we may judge that the blackboard needs to be cleaned
and there needs to be more chalks placed near the blackboard.
Detecting the Sensory World
Sensation involves the basic elements of experience. Different types of
stimuli activate different sense organs. The light stimuli activate the sense of sight,
while the sound stimuli activate the sense of hearing. The stimulus energy arrives
at our sensory receptors as physical energy, which is then converted to neural
impulse. The process by which one form of physical energy is converted into
another form such as neural impulses is known as transduction. Each stimulus
that is capable of activating a sense organ can also be considered in terms of its
strength and intensity. The issue of how the intensity of a stimulus influences our
sensory responses is dealt by a branch of psychology known as psychophysics .
Psychophysics is the study of the relationship between the physical nature of
stimuli and the sensory responses they evoke . Psychophysics provides the link
between the external physical world and the internal psychological world. Classic
research in psychophysics has examined two types sensory thresholds: absolute
threshold, and sensory threshold.
Absolute threshold. A stimulus requires a minimum intensity to activate the
receptor cells of a sense organ; otherwise there would be no sensation and
perception.
The minimum stimulus value, which is required to activate the receptor cells
of a sense organ, is called the absolute threshold or the stimulus threshold for
that sense organ. In German, it is called reiz limen (RL). A stimulus below this
threshold value does not activate the receptor cells of the sense organ, and hence,
the sensation does not pass on to the brain. Therefore, in order that a perceptual
activity is conducted, the stimulus intensity must reach the absolute threshold. The
value of absolute threshold varies from person to person, for different sense
organs in the same person, and also for varying internal and organic conditions of
a person.
For example, suppose a very dim and faint light is presented to you from a
distance, you may not be able to see the light. Now, the intensity of the light is
increased a bit, you also may not be able to see it. Intensity is increased a bit
further; you still don‟t see the light. Now, if the intensity of the light goes on
increasing this way, at one t ime you would be able to see the light. The light
intensity which you can detect 50% of the times it is presented is the absolute
threshold for your perception of light Thus, the absolute threshold is the least or
minimum value of a stimulus which is perce ived by a person at least in fifty
percent of presentations. The threshold for one person may not be the same for
another person as individuals differ from one another in relation to their absolute
threshold values for different senses.
Difference threshold. Two stimuli of a particular kind may vary from each
other in intensity, but may not be perceived as different. For example, the
brightness of two lights may be different, but if the difference is very small we do
not notice the difference between them. Similarly, when we add a little more salt to
our curry, we may not notice a difference in saltiness of the curry. Thus, in order to
actually notice a difference between two stimuli of the same kind, we need a
minimum difference in the intensity between th e two stimuli. The minimum
difference in the intensity of two stimuli, which is required to perceive them
as different 50% of the times, is called the differential threshold or differential
limen (DL). Thus, the difference in stimulation produced by two s imilar stimuli
should be at least above this threshold to generate any kind of a stable difference
in sensation and perception of those stimuli.
Signal-Detection Theory. The signal detection theory is an alternative to
the approaches of classical psychophysics. It emphasizes that the judgment about
the presence or absence of a stimulus depends on two processes: (a) an initial
sensory
process, which involves subject‟s sens itivity to the intensity of a stimulus, and (b)
a decision making process, which reflects psychological factors within the
individual. The signal detection theory explains the role of psychological
factors in judging whether a stimulus is present or absent .
Whether we perceive a single stimulus or a difference between two similar
stimuli, our perception of events depends on several factors. The intensity of
stimulation, described in absolute threshold and differential threshold is one of the
factors. Background factor in our perceptual field is another important condition,
which influences our perceptual process. Background factor refers to the presence
of other stimuli in which the perceived stimulus is observed or embedded. In other
words, how are the other stimuli happening in respect to our perceived stimulus is
called the background factor. For example, it is easier to hear a sound in a quite
room than in a noisy room. Here noise is in the background of our perception of the
sound. The efficiency of the person‟s sensory system, which is involved in
sensation, is also another factor in perception. For example, a normal child is
experiencing so many varieties of visual sensations, which a visually handicapped
child is deprived of. A young boy listens to di fferent voices distinctly and clearly as
compared to an old man. Besides these physical and biological factors, several
psychological factors like learning, motivation, interest, and expectancy also
influence our perception. For example, we fail to hear a loud noise very close to us
probably because we do not want to hear it. The signal detection theory holds
that the physical, biological, and psychosocial factors of the individual
determine his perception to a large extent.
Attention
Nature and Span of Attention
The process of selecting a stimulus or a group of stimuli from a large pool of
stimuli is called attention. Roediger views attention as the focusing of perception that leads to
a greater awareness of a limited number of stimuli. According to Dumville, attention is the
concentration of consciousness upon one subject rather than upon another. While attention has
been defined in several ways, all the definitions point to the following facts.
 a. Attention is essentially a process, not a product.
b. Attention is selective in nature.
c. Attention helps us in being conscious of our environment.
d. Attention is readiness to deal with stimuli and give a response.
e. Attention is determined by the properties of the individual as well as by the
properties of the environment.
f. Though attention is basically a cognitive process, it is influenced by emotional and
motivational factors.
Span of Attention
Span of attention refers to how many items (digits or letters) one can attend in single
glance of attention in about one-tenth of a second which makes eye movement or counting
impossible. The more items one can attend to, the greater is the span of attention. On the basis
of many experiments, Miller concluded that span of attention varies within the limit 7+ 2 (that is
from 5 to 9 items). That is probably the reason why motor bikes and cars have number plates
containing only four digit numbers with some alphabets. In case of traffic violations, a traffic
police can easily read and note these numbers with alphabets.
Individuals vary in their span of attention. The span of attention of the same individual
varies from one situation to another and from one type of stimuli to another. Younger children
have lower attention span compared to the older ones. Fast readers have a greater span
compared to poor readers. Span of attention can be determined in the laboratory by the use of
an instrument called „tachistoscope‟. Variables like nature of material (letter, digit or word),
stimulus size and color, exposure duration, mental set and age influence individual‟s span of
attention.
Types of Attention
Attention has been classified in a number of ways. A process-oriented view divides it into
two types: selective attention and sustained attention.
Selective attention is bringing into focus a limited number of stimuli from a large pool of
stimuli. Our perceptual system has a limited capacity; if selection does not take place, the brain
would be overloaded. How do certain stimuli get selected? Psychologists
have identified a number of factors which may be classified as „internal‟ and „external‟. External
factors refer to stimulus properties in the environment such as size, shape, intensity, movement
etc. Internal factors refer to qualities within the individual such as needs, interests, attitudes,
mental set, emotional state etc. These factors are discussed at length later.
Sustained attention is maintaining attention on an object for a relatively longer duration.
It is equivalent to „concentration‟ or „vigilance‟. A high-achieving student has to concentrate on
certain aspects of his studies for a longer period of time. The work of a driver, a pilot, an air-
traffic controller and a radar operator are all examples of vigilance. They have to constantly
watch and monitor signals and movements. They have to be right all the time because a single
error can be fatal; they all have to be vigilant. Sustained attention is influenced by several
factors such as stimulus clarity (intense stimuli are attended better), sense modality
(performance is better for auditory than for visual stimuli), temporal gap (stimuli coming at
regular intervals are attended better than stimuli at irregular intervals) and spatial position
(attention is better for stimuli appearing at a fixed place than at random locations).
Sometimes we can also attend to two or more different things at the same time. This is
called divided attention. An expert car driver can talk to a friend or attend to a phone call even
while driving a car. Though driving takes a major share of attention, a part of the attention is
also given to other activities. This is an instance of divided attention. Divided attention becomes
possible only with highly practiced activities that can be performed almost automatically.
Performance of these activities requires very little conscious mental effort. Even while talking
with a friend, the driver can put on the break reflexively and unconsciously if he finds a person
coming suddenly in front of the car. The processing is almost automatic.
Another type of classification was given by Ross in 1951.
Non-voluntary attention is aroused when we attend to an object without any conscious
effort on our part. It can be enforced or spontaneous. Enforced non-voluntary attention is
aroused by our instincts or curiosity such as attention towards members of the opposite sex or
attention to a sudden loud noise or bright colors. When we make an appeal to the sex instinct or
curiosity of a young man, he becomes quite attentive in the task. Spontaneous non-voluntary
attention is aroused by sentiments. We
 ATTENTION

NON-VOLUNTARY VOLUNTARY

ENFORCED SPONTANEOUS IMPLICIT EXPLICIT

(sustained by (sustained by (obtained by a (obtained by
instincts) sentiments) single act of will) repeated acts of will)

spontaneously attend to the object, person or idea to which we are connected sentimentally.
Mothers non-voluntarily attend to their children. We non-voluntarily attend to our relatives in a
gathering.
Voluntary attention requires conscious effort through the arousal of a single act or
many acts of will. We attend to a task in order to accomplish a clear-cut goal. Voluntary
attention can be implicit or explicit. Implicit voluntary attention is aroused by a single act of
will. A student is warned by the teacher that he should complete the home task or else he would
be punished. The student attends to his home task and completes it properly to avoid teacher‟s
punishment. Here the attention is aroused by a single act of will – to avoid being punished. This
is an example of implicit voluntary attention. Explicit voluntary attention is aroused by
repeated acts of will. Here the person struggles hard to keep his attention focused on certain
tasks to accomplish his goal. An example is: a few days before the examination, a student
gathers his will power and attends to his studies against many odds and distractions to
accomplish the goal.
Determinants of Attention
Attention is the process of selecting certain stimuli from the environment for further
processing. How do certain stimuli get selected? In other words, which conditions are the
determining factors of attention? The factors influencing attention are of two types: External or
Objective factors (properties of the environment) and Internal or Subjective factors
(characteristics within the individual).
External (Objective) determinants of attention
1. Nature of the stimulus: The stimulus may be visual (to be seen), auditory (to be
heard), olfactory (to be smelt), gustatory (to be tasted) or tactual (to be touched).
Among all sensations, visual and auditory stimuli attract more attention and between the two,
visual stimuli are more attended than auditory stimuli. Pictures attract attention more readily
than words. Among pictures, the pictures of human beings get more attention than those of
animals and objects. Among human beings, those of beautiful women, handsome men or
great personalities capture more attention. Among all pictures, one‟s own picture invites
more attention. Colored pictures are more powerful than black-and-white pictures. In the
auditory domain, melodious voices attract more attention. The advertisers capture these
features to influence their customers.
2. Intensity of the stimulus: Compared to a weak stimulus, a stronger stimulus attracts more
attention. Our attention is easily directed towards a loud sound, a bright light, a strong smell,
a heavy prick, or an acute pain. Against the buzzing sound in a market place, we easily hear
the horn of motor vehicles. It is not just the intensity that determines our attention. Calling
out our name in the midst of loud sounds in a market place attracts more attention from us.
As a matter of fact attention does not depend on any single factor.
3. Size of the stimulus: In the visual domain, as a general rule, the bigger size attracts more
attention. A large building will be more readily noticed compared to small ones. A large-
sized or a tall man will be more readily seen in a crowd.
4. Contrast: The contrast factor is very powerful determinant of attention compared to
intensity, size or the nature of the stimulus. A beggar in the market place, a dwarf person in
a gathering, a woman in the midst of men, a westerner among Indians or a small
advertisement against a very wide background are more readily noticed because of the
contrast factor.
5. Change, Variety and Novelty: Exposure to the same thing again and again diminishes our
attention. Change and variety attract our attention. In order to capture attention, advertisers
change their advertisements, we change our dresses on a daily basis or a good teacher
changes his style of presentation depending on student competency. A teacher introduces
variety to his lessons such as using maps, charts and activities to ensure student attention
and keep them engaged. Variety along with novelty attracts better attention. We get
compelled to attend to anything that is new and different because novelty breaks the
monotony.
6. Duration of the stimulus: Other things being equal, objects exposed for a moderate
duration will catch our attention better than the one exposed for a shorter duration.
Visuals and sounds exposed for a moment escape our notice. A card containing digits or letters
exposed for 30 seconds will invite more attention than if it is exposed for fraction of a
second. The duration should be optimal to capture our attention. Presentation for too long a
duration may not catch our attention. For example, a sudden flash of light in a dark night will
attract our attention more than a continuous burning lamp. Noise at regular intervals will
attract us more than a continuous noise. Exposure for a moderate duration is good for
inviting attention.
7. Location of the stimulus: Other factors remaining same, the location of the stimulus
determines our attention. A visual stimulus located in front of our eyes attracts our attention
than the one in the periphery. A student sitting in the far corner of the class or a man sitting
in an isolated corner of the park will capture our attention. The appearance of an
advertisement on different pages of a newspaper/magazine or at different places on the
same page determines the amount of attention we would naturally give. Advertisements
given on the front page or in the upper half of any page attract more attention.
8. Repetition of stimulus: We may ignore a stimulus the first time but if it is presented to us
again and again, it captures our attention. In a lecture, important points are repeated so that
the attention of the audience remains focused on those valuable points. A misspelled word
occurring three times in a paragraph is more likely to be noticed than if it occurs only once.
Repetition should be used cautiously because too much repetition may be boring and we
may cease to pay attention.
9. Movement of the stimulus: In comparison to static objects, moving stimuli catch our
attention quickly. We are more sensitive to stimuli that move in our field of vision. In a
market place, we more readily notice the shop whose name is advertized with moving
electric lights. In a class, the movement of a student quickly attracts the attention of the
teacher.
The advertisers, the shopkeepers and the businessmen make use of all the principles stated
above to capture the attention of the customers.
Internal (Subjective) determinants of attention
1. Habit: We attend to certain things because we have been accustomed to attending
to these stimuli as a matter of habit. A man in the habit of rising early will attend to
the clock as soon as he gets up. A farmer attends to crops, a housewife attends to
kitchen, a teacher attends to his lesson plans and a student attends to studies
because
of habits. As the person develops, he learns as to which objects he should attend and which he
should not. In course of time, it becomes a matter of habit for him. He learns to attend to the
necessary and the desirable and not attend to the unnecessary and the undesirable. Both
these habits help him in following his daily routine.
2. Interest: Interest is preference for one object or activity over another. We attend to objects
in which we are interested and do not attend to objects in which we are not interested. If we
are interested in buying shoes, our attention will be captured more by shoe shops than by
shops of other varieties. A boy interested in cricket will enjoy watching a cricket match than
a hockey match being played at the same time on adjacent grounds. A public speaker who
pitches his lecture at the interest level of the audience will secure people‟s attention.
Doctors, engineers, bankers and professors, all attend to their objects of interest. Even
among the professors, objects that attract the attention of a professor of botany will not
attract the attention of a professor of mathematics.
3. Needs and Motives: The motives and urges of an individual direct his attention towards
certain objects in the environment. Thirst, hunger, sex, curiosity and fear are some important
motives that influence our attention. A hungry man will notice the smell of cooking, while a
satiated man may not even notice a tasteful dish. A man afraid of snake will attend to
objects resembling a snake and quickly hear the hissing sound of a snake. A curious
individual will attend to even the smallest details of an object towards which he has curiosity.
A normal person motivated by sex will attend more to individuals of the opposite sex. Even
an inattentive student in the class will remain focused on a lecture on sexual practices of
adolescents. Since the sexual need in humans cannot be fully satisfied, the advertisers draw
the attention of the customers towards their products by stimulating their sexual needs.
4. Mindset: Mindset is the orientation of the whole mind. A person would attend to those
objects towards which his mind is set. A person having an intense disposition towards IPL
cricket matches will quickly notice any discussion pertaining to cricket match and will not
forget the time of its relay on television. At the time of examination, even the smallest thing
concerning the examination will catch the attention of students. A spiritual disposition will
attract the individual towards religious matters while a criminal disposition will attract him
towards crimes.
5. Emotions: Emotions dispose us in a certain way to interact with the environment. We
attend to the smallest mistake of a person whom we hate while we do not even notice
the blunders committed by a person whom we love. While being in a happy mood, we attend to
pleasant stimulations and in a bad mood, we attend to small and trivial annoyances. Owing
to emotional involvement, a mother seldom finds faults with her children.
6. Attitude and Experience: Our experience with objects helps us form either a favorable or
an unfavorable attitude towards those objects. If we know from our experience that a person
likes us, we will develop a positive attitude towards the person. We will attend to the advices
given by him. On the other hand, we will not attend to the serious advices given by a person
whom we hate. If we love a dog, we will attend to all its requirements. If a person is bitten by
a dog, he will not attend either to the animal or to its requirements. In our daily life, positive
and negative attitudes determine what we attend and what we do not.
The factors listed above do not operate in isolation. These factors operate in combination to
influence our attention. Though the factors have been explained separately, you may also
notice a certain degree of overlap of one factor with another. Often the effectiveness of an
objective factor may depend on the subjective condition of the person. In fact, an objective
condition may not at all capture the attention if the person‟s subjective state (motive,
interest, mood, attitude, mindset etc.) does not arouse the need for attention. Between the
objective and subjective factors, the subjective factors play a more potential role in
influencing attention. More than the stimulus characteristics, the person‟s psychological
makeup determines which objects are to be attended and which are to be ignored and the
intensity with which attention is to be focused.
Perceptual Process
Titchener defined perception as a group of sensations to which meaning is
added from past experiences. In contemporary psychology, perception is commonly
treated as an intervening variable dependent upon stimulus factor, learning set,
moods, and emotional and motivational conditions of the organ ism. Thus,
perception refers to assigning meaning to an object or objective event arising out
of the stimulus conditions and organismic factors. Perception of the same thing by
different persons is different because each individual perceives in terms of th ose
aspects of the situation that have significance for him. The following statement is
an operational definition of
perception. Perception is a cognitive mechanism of sorting out, interpretation,
analysis, and integration of stimuli involving our sense organs and brain.
Though perception represents a step beyond sensation, it is difficult to
locate a precise boundary between the two. When the brain receives the sensory
information, it automatically interprets those. Some psychologists prefer to call the
dual process of sensation and perception as a unified information processing
system or the perceptual system. Perception is a receptive, selective, symbolic,
and affective process.
1. Perception is a receptive process. Sensation provides the raw materials
for perception. Through sensation, we come in contact with various objects and
events around us. Our sense organs are called the receptor organs, which help us
to receive stimulations from our environment. Those stimulations are carried on to
the central nervous system, wh ere they are interpreted using our past knowledge,
and we perceive the object or event. We cannot perceive without having a
sensation. Recently, instead of treating sensation and perception as completely
separate processes, psychologists prefer to talk abo ut a perceptual system.
Perceptual system includes both sensation and perception . Sensation, which is
basically a receptor process, forms a part of the perceptual system. Hence,
perception is regarded as a receptor process.
We have several sense organs or receptor organs. Some of them, such as
the eyes, ears, nose, skin, and the tongue help us to receive stimulations from the
outside world. On the other hand, the kinesthetic, organic, and vestibular organs
help us to receive stimulations from the internal body conditions. We have different
types of sensations and perceptions, each of which arises from the stimulation of
different sense organs. We have visual sensation and perception, if our eyes are
stimulated; we have auditory sensation and perception, if our ears are stimulated;
and have kinesthetic sensation and perception, if our kinesthetic muscles are
stimulated. However, in all these cases, the receptor organs must receive sensory
information, which must be passed on to the appropriate center of the b rain for
processing. A visual stimulation, for example, is received by the visual receptor
cells of the eyes and then transmitted to the primary visual context of the occipital
lobe for processing. Thus, the visual perceptual system includes the visual
receptor cells of the eyes
and the primary visual cortex of the occipital lobe . Similarly, the auditory
perceptual system includes the auditory receptor ceils of the ears and the
primary auditory cortex of the temporal lobe . The same principle holds true f or
all other perceptual systems.
2. Perception is a selective process. Perception begins with the
stimulation of the sense organs and is carried out through its interaction with
psychological factors like learning, motivation, interest, beliefs, set, and attitude of
the individual. At any given point in time, our sense organs are influenced by
hundreds of stimuli from the outside world. But in fact, we don‟t perceive all those
stimuli. W e select a particular stimulus or only a few of them for further proc essing.
This process of selecting a stimulus or a group of stimuli from among a large
pool of stimulus is called attention . Our sense organs may be activated by a
stimulus, but if we do not attend to it, we cannot perceive the stimulus. Therefore,
attention is a basic and primary process essential to our perception. It works as a
sensory filter by selecting some part of the sensory input for further processing.
Broadbent conceived of attention as a selective filter that deals with the
overwhelming flow of incoming sensory information by blocking out the unwanted
sensory input and passing out the desired input. Therefore, attention is called the
selective part of the perceptual process, or pre-perceptive attitude.
The involvement of attention in perception c an be learnt from the following
example. While you are inside a class, you may seem to be carefully listening to
the lecture that you may not be really doing. Your sense organs are in tact; your
teacher is very much present in front of you; he is deliverin g the lessons in a very
loud voice. But you do not understand what he is saying (perceive) probably
because you are not attending to him. Instead, you are attending to something
else, such as what your friends are doing outside the class, or what else you must
do after the class is over, and so on. Thus, in the above example, it is noted that
attention is a basic requirement for perception .
The following experiment also provides evidence of how attention is a
necessary component of the perceptual process. Hernandez Pion (1956) conducted
an experiment with a cat. He directly stimulated the auditory receptor cells of the
cat by sending sound waves into the ear through an electrode. When the
stimulation reached
the temporal lobe, he measured the electrical vibration of the temporal lobe by
electroencephalogram (EEG). In the EEG record, he observed that the cat
perceived the sound waves. As stimulation of the auditory receptor cells was
continuing, Pion placed a rat in front of the cat. Interestingly, electr ical vibrations
from the temporal lobe were immediately cut off. Instead, electrical vibrations were
observed in the occipital lobe. He explained that the rat was a more desired object
for the cat than the sound. Therefore, when the two stimulations were
simultaneously presented to the cat, it attended to the preferred stimulus. As a
result, perception of sound discontinued and vibration in the temporal lobe
stopped. EEG vibrations were recorded in the occipital lobe because the cat
visually attended to the rat.
In the above experiment, it is observed that even if an intense stimulation is
received by any of our sense organs, it cannot be perceived unless it is
attended to. Hence, attention is a basic part of our perceptual process, which
helps us to select stimuli from among a large number of stimuli that influence our
sense organs. An important nature of the attention process is that it always
changes or shifts its focus from one sensory impulse to another, unless it is
deliberately held steady. Two types of factors cause shifting of attention: (i) the
stimulus factors, and (ii) the subjective factors.
The stimulus factors are called the objective factors , which are
associated with the object or the event to which the individual is attending. Some of
the important stimulus factors are stimulus intensity, contrast, size, novelty, color,
stimulus change, and so on. In fact, advertisers capitalize on these stimulus facto rs
to catch the attention of the consumers.
The subjective factors of attention are the characteristics of the person
who attends to the object or the event . Important subjective factors of attention
are motives, interests, beliefs and attitude, set and e xpectancy and so on. For
example, if you are hungry, you will be attracted to food. You do not expect
anything good in your enemy; therefore you will attend to his bad qualities more
often than to his good qualities.
3. Perception is a symbolic process. Symbol is a substitute for some
object or event. That perception is a symbolic process means that while carrying
out the perceptual activity, we do not use the object or event in its actual form but
use some
symbols representing the object or the event . The symbols used in perception
are called images. In other words, an image is a cognitive product, which takes
the place of an object or event in our mental processes. Hence, the mental picture
is the image, which is a symbol for the actual object. For e xample, if you are asked
to draw the picture of a mango, you can draw it. How is this possible for you when
you do not see the mango right in front of you? You can draw it because you have
seen the mango earlier and have formed an image of it. The image of the mango is
a symbol for the real mango. Now, as you see a real mango, sensation or
stimulation generated by the presence of the mango reaches the brain. Brain
interprets the sensory stimulation in terms of your previous experiences with
mango, which have been stored there as images or symbols. All these activities
take place simultaneously to help you know about the mango, and thereby your
perception of a mango is complete. These activities during your perception show
that perception is a symbolic process.
4. Perception is an affective process. It means that each act of our
perception is associated with a pleasant or unpleasant feeling, and a liking or
disliking toward the object or the event of perception. While you perceive the
mango, you may remember its color, shape, taste, and the place of availability of
similar types of mangoes that you might have seen in the past. Thus, you may like
or dislike the mango as you come to know about it in terms of your past
experiences with mangoes. Sometimes, percep tion is also associated with strong
emotional consequences to the perceiver. For example, as you see a snake in the
field, you tremble with fear. When you see your enemy, you shiver with anger. All
these examples point to the fact that the person experiences some sort of
affection associated with each act of his perception . This affective state may be
pleasant or unpleasant. There is a great deal of individual differences with regard
to how affection affects perception. In fact, the affective processes acco unt for
individual differences in the perception of the same object. We shall discuss the
role of personal factors associated with perception later.

Perceptual Organization
Perception is defined as a primary mental ability in which we organize our
sensations, meaningfully interpret them, and thereby form a mental representation
of our world. The organization of sensory data is the beginning of the perceptual
process. The world would appear confusing if we do not put together and organize
the information
available to us through our millions of receptors. The process by which we
structure the input and create perceptual coherence is called perceptual
organization.
In the early 1900s, the Gestalt psychologists first studied systematically
several aspects of perceptual organization. Wertheimer, Koffka, and Kohler, the
gestalt psychologists in Germany, have extensively studied and experimented on
the phenomenon of perceptual organization. They have discovered a number of
laws or principles relating to the or ganization of perception. Gestalt means the
total, the whole or a configuration. According to the Gestalt psychologists, an
individual organizes a multitude of environmental stimuli into meaningful structures
and forms. He perceives patterns of stimuli rat her than random collections of
individual stimuli. In other words, the person integrates disconnected parts of
sensory information into a meaningful structure, which results in the perception of a
whole. Therefore, perception of an object or event is somet hing more than the sum
total of its sensory input. For example, when we look at a chair, we perceive the
chair as a whole even though we do not see all parts of the chair at one time. In
fact, the bits of sensory information that we receive from the chair are
disconnected. We organize those bits of information into a meaningful whole by
using some principles of organization.

In order to explain perception as an organizational process, the Gestalt

psychologists have discovered a set of principles, which are popularly known as
Gestalt laws of perceptual organization. Although the laws of perceptual
organization are most obvious for visual perception, the Gestalt psychologists have
observed that the laws of organization also apply equally well to other sense
modalities. Let us take an example of auditory perception. Suppose, you
consecutively tap on the desk for three times, take a pause and tap again for three
times. You will observe that taps organize into two units of sound on the basis of
nearness in their occurrence. You will later know that nearness is a principle of
organization. Similarly, a number of persons standing close to each other are
visually perceived as a group. You perceive the test of a curry, rather than the
taste of different vegetables of which the curry is prepared. The above examples
point to the fact that our perception is an organized activity.
The Gestalt laws of perceptual organization are based on three groups of laws.
They are: (i) Laws of grouping, (ii) Figure-ground relationship, and (iii)
Goodness of figures.
Laws of Grouping
The laws of grouping, in general, propose how certain elements in the perceptual
field of an individual go together. The following are some important laws of
grouping.
The Law of Proximity (Nearness). According to the law of proximity or
nearness, elements may be grouped according to their perceived closeness in time
or space. In other words, elements that appear nearer together tend to be
grouped together. Thus, due to the law of proximity, the eight lines given below
(Figure 4.1) are seen as four pairs of lines.

Figure 4.1 The law of proximity

Similarly, as you notice the print in this book, you see rows of letters rather than
columns. It happens due to the law of proximity because a letter is closer to the
letters to the right and left than it is to the letters above and below.
The Law of Similarity. The law of similarity proposes that with the proximity among
elements being equal, perceptual elements that are similar in some respect tend to be
grouped together. Thus, in the following pattern (Figure 4.2) you see rows of triangles,
squares, and circles rather than a column consisting of a triangle, a square and

Figure 4.2 The law of similarity

a circle. Thus, we observe in the figure that triangles go with triangles, squares with squares,
and circles with circles. You may also notice that there is uniform distance between triangles,
squares, and circles for which law of proximity does not hold good.
The Law of Good Continuation. This law proposes that elements that
appear to follow a particular direction, such as a straight line or a simple
curve, are readily perceived as forming a group. It is the tendency to perceive
stimuli as a part of a continuous pattern. In the following figure, you see a zigzag
line with a curved line running through it, so that each line continues in the same
direction it was going prior to intersection.

Figure 4.3 The law of good continuation

The Law of Closure. The law of closure is one of the important laws
of perceptual organization. This law proposes that within limits,
physically incomplete figures tend to be perceived as complete
figures or as meaningful wholes. In other words, in closure,
grouping occurs in a way that favors perception of the more
enclosed or complete figure. Thus, the following curved line is not
perceived as a curved line; instead, it is perceived as a circle. The
curved line is not perfectly closed. You see a circle because it is
more tempting to perceive a complete figure than simply a curved Figure 4.4 The law of closure
line.
The Law of Common Fate. According to the law of common fate, elements that move in
the same direction are perceived to be together . This is a kind of grouping on the basis
of similarity, but applied to moving objects. Thus a group of runners or a flock of birds
when seen moving in the same direction appear as groups or units. You may have seen
the Mexican wave created by the arm movements of fans at a sporting event. This can be
taken as an example of law of common fate in perceptual organization. In the following
figure (Figure 4.5), you can see how law of common fate operates in perceptual
organization.

Figure 4.5 The law of common fate

Figure-Ground Relationship
Figure-ground relationship is also an important way in which perception is
organized. Such relationship is fundamental to the form perception. Figure is the
pattern that is most clearly perceived at a given time, while the rest of the
perceptual field becomes the background. You see birds flying in the sky. Birds are
the figures against the background of sky. You see the writings on the blackboard.
Writings are the figures against the blackboard as the background. Thus, a figure
stands against a background. We perceive the figure and not the ground because
of some characteristics of the figure, which clearly differentiate the figure from the
background. Gestalt psychologists who discovered some principles that gover n
figure-ground relationship in perception extensively studied the phenomenon.
A D a n i s h p s y c h o l o g i s t , R u b i n
( 1 9 1 5 / 1 9 5 8 ) o b s e r v e d t h e
f o l l o w i n g d i f f e r e n c e s i n t h e
c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s o f f i g u r e a n d
g r o u n d r e l a t i n g t o a n y
p e r c e p t u a l a c t i v i t y .
1. The figure has a definite shape, whereas the ground appears to have no
shape. The figure has the quality of a „thing‟ and contour appears at the
edge of the figure‟s shape. In contrast, the ground has the quality of a
„substance‟ and appears relatively formless.
2. The figure seems to be present in front of the ground . In other words, the
ground seems to continue behind the figure.
3. The figure seems to be closer to the perceiver with a clear location in space .
In contrast, the ground is farther away, and it has no clea r location in space;
it is simply somewhere in the background.
4. In relation to the ground, the figure appears more impressive, dominant, and
better structured. The figure depicts more associations of meaningful shapes
than the ground.
Besides the above four differences, Coren (1969) reported an experimental
evidence for a fifth characteristic difference in the perception of figure and ground.
5. He observed that the figure always looks brighter than the ground . There
should be clear differentiation betwe en the figure and the ground, so that
there will be a stable perception of the figure. In other words, the figure will
be perceived as the figure always in different occasions. But, when figure -
ground relationship is ambiguous, or is possible of being inte rpreted in
different ways, our perception tends to be unstable. These are situations in
which the figure and the ground reverse their positions frequently, i.e., the
figure becomes the ground and the ground becomes the figure
simultaneously. These reversal s often appear almost spontaneously. Now,
look at the picture below (Figure 4.6). What do you perceive? A vase or two
faces?
 Figure 4.6 Rubin’s face-vase reversible figure

Two other reversible figures can be seen in Figure 4.7.

The Law of Pragnanz (Goodness of figures)
According to the Gestaltists, the whole stimulus pattern determines the
organization of its own parts. The Gestalt psychologists believed that all the
grouping laws are particular examples of one general principle - the Law of
Pragnanz. The law of pragnanz is a term to refer to the tendency to perceive
figures as good, regular, and simple with minimum cognitive effort . Therefore,
this law is also known as the law of good figure. The laws of grouping and figure
ground relationship operate to make us see good simple figures. On the other
 Figure 4.7 Two reversible figures

hand, the law of pragnanz operates on the fact that we like to see regular and
simple forms, rather than irregular forms. According to the Gesta lt psychologists, if
there are irregularities in a figure, those are overlooked and the figure is perceived
as a symmetrical, complete, simple, and good figure. The following picture (Figure
4.8) is perceived as a human face even though there
are many irregularities.
In the laws of perceptual organization discussed
above, the Gestalt psychologists emphasized the role
of form qualities of objects in our perception. All these
factors are called the structural factors in perception.
Besides the above organizing factors, they have also
recognized the importance of familiarity and set or
Figure 4.8 The law of good figure
attitude in influencing
our perception. For example, if some of the dots in a collection makeup the outline
of a face or of any familiar object, we can easily perceive it out of the background.
Similarly, if the observer is actively looking for a certain figure in an ambiguous
presentation, he is more likely to see that particular figure.
However, the Gestalt psychologists have warned not to overemphasize the
roles of such factors like familiarity and set. According to them, the laws of
organization based on the form qualities of ob jects are more primitive factors
influencing perception.

Perception of Movement
We see birds fly in the sky. W e see the movement of different types of
vehicles. We see the movement of people around us. How do we perceive
movement? Do we perceive the movin g objects the same way that we perceive
objects, which are static? There are situations, where the objects are not actually
moving, but we see a movement. What psychological processes are involved in the
perception of movement?
How do we perceive the real movement of objects? One may say that we
perceive motion of objects because the real motion correspondingly stimulates
different parts of the retina serially. The serial nature of sensation in retina gives
the impression of actual movement of the object. This phenomenon also holds true
because of some laws of perceptual organization. However, movement perception
can be attributed to these serially changing stimulations in the retina only partly,
because sometimes we also perceive movement without the actua l movement of
the object in the environment. This phenomenon is called apparent motion in
which, without any energy movement across the receptor surface of the retina, we
still perceive movement. Therefore, let us see actually what happens in case of
real motion and in case of apparent motion.
Real motion
To understand how we perceive real movement, recall what it is like to be on
a train that has begun moving out of the station while the train on the adjacent
track remains stationary. If your train does n ot lurch as it moves, you might think at
first that the other train is moving. Sometimes, you may be in confusion with regard
to which
train is moving. In order to be sure about the movement of your train, you look for
objects you know are stable, such as the tea stall on the platform, sign boards,
houses, trees, etc. If you are stationary in relation to them, you can know that your
train is not moving. Observing people walking on the platform may not provide the
answer as they are also moving and chan ging their positions in relation to
stationary objects. You can also feel the movement in your body, though it is very
difficult to say how. Therefore, perception of real movement is based on change
of position relative to other objects within the visual f ield. Whenever there is
movement, the perceptual system must decide what is moving and what is
stationary with respect to some frames of reference.
Apparent motion
Apparent motions are illusions of movement in which there is the
perception of motion without any actual movement of the object . In other
words, with our eyes, head, and body steady, and with no physical movement of an
object, we see motions. Psychologists have studied several kinds of apparent
movement. These include auto-kinetic effect, strobo scopic motion, and the phi
phenomenon.
Auto-kinetic Effect
It is the tendency to perceive a stationary point of light in a dark room
as moving. For example, if a person stares at or fixates on a small stationary spot
of light in a completely darkroom, the spot will eventually appear to move. The
auto-kinetic effect has been the subject of many experiments, but there is still no
adequate explanation as to how it exactly happens. However, it has been observed
that auto-kinetic effect is somewhat influenced b y suggestion and subject‟s
prejudice (Block and Block, 1951).
Stroboscopic Motion
It is a visual illusion in which the perception of motion is generated by
a series of stationary images that are presented in rapid succession . It is a
kind of motion that we see in movies and television. The so -called motion pictures
do not consist of images that really move. Rather, with the help of a projector, 16
to 22 pictures, or frames per second are successively shown. Each frame differs
slightly from the one precedin g it. Hence, showing the frames in rapid succession
provides the illusion of movement, and continuity is observed because of minor
systematic variations in the pictures. It has been observed that if fewer than 16
frames per second are presented to the o bserver, the motion picture looks jumpy
and unnatural.
Phi-Phenomenon
It is the perception of movement as a result of sequential presentation
of visual stimuli. W e all have seen the light decoration in the streets during the
festival of Durga Puja. It appears as if a light is moving in a row from one end to
the other. Actually, the light does not move in a row. A large number of bulbs are
alternatively connected in a row. The switch is so arranged that the two sets of
light alternatively get on and off in quick succession. This quickness in the
presentation of light gives the impression of movement of the light. Instead of
perceiving a series of stationary lights, we perceive a linear movement of light
across the row. This illusory movement of light is call ed the Phi-phenomenon. The
stroboscopic motion, and the Phi -phenomenon could be explained in terms of the
laws of perceptual organization.

Depth and Distance Perception

The visual world is not composed of figures and objects organized two -
dimensionally on a plane surface. Visual space is three -dimensional. Objects have
depth; they are solid, and are located phenomenally as well as physically at
various distances from the individual. A solid object forms a two -dimensional image
on the retina of our eye, as our receptor cells are not capable of locating a third
dimension. The question is: How do we perceive a three -dimensional world when
the picture on the retina is a two -dimensional one ?
Some psychologists are of the opinion that as human beings we have an
innate tendency to see depth and distance. The visual cliff experiments (see
Figure 4.9), and experiments with the visually handicapped children suggest that
depth and distance perception is to some extent innate in character. But it does not
adequately explain the phenomenon of depth and distance perception. We make
use of many different cues in forming our judgments about depth and distance
perception. These cues may be monocular or binocular depending upon whether
they can be seen with one eye or requir e the use of both the eyes.
 Figure 4.9 Study of depth perception with visual cliff

The monocular cues have been so widely used by artists that they have become
known as pictorial cues. The monocular cues to depth and distance include the
following.
1. Proximal size. Proximal size refers to the size of the image on the retina in
relation to the distance of the object. It proposes that all other factors remaining
constant, if the size of the image on the retina is larger, the object looks
nearer, and vice versa. In other words, as the object moves farther and farther,
the retinal images become smaller and smaller. The object is perceived as farther
away with the decrement in the size of the retinal image.
Proximal size is one of the factor s of monocular depth perception. It does not hold
true in all cases. For example, what happens to our retinal images of a person
whom we know well, when he is 100 meters away from us and when he is very
nearer to us. The retinal images of the person must b e different when he is at
different distances. But, we do not perceive any change in the size of the person.
Size constancy is maintained here. Because of size constancy, which we develop
by our interactions and communications with various objects, the obj ects maintain
their size even if their retinal images vary. We shall discuss more about
constancies in perception in a later section.
2. Brightness. It proposes that the brighter the object, the nearer it appears .
Thus, a distant mountain looks farther away in a hazy day than on a bright day. It is
because haziness in the atmosphere blurs the fine details from the view of the
observer. Ordinarily, if we see the fine details of an object, we perceive the object
as nearer than in which we fail to see the f ine details. In other words, nearer
objects look clearer than distant objects, and this awareness provides clues for
distance perception.
3. Shading. Shadowing also provides information about depth . It is based on
the fact that opaque objects block light a nd produce shadows. Shadows and
highlights give us information about the object‟s three -dimensional shapes and
about their relationship to the source of light.
4. Texture gradient. It is a monocular cue for depth perception based on the fact
that the closer objects appear to have rougher or more detailed surfaces .
Gradient is a continuous change in something, a change without abrupt transitions.
In some situations, this gradation in texture in the visual field may be used as a
cue for depth perception (Gibs on, 1950). For example, when we look at a paddy
field, we can see the details of the trees nearer to us. But as we look towards the
distant field, it becomes fainter and no details of the field are visible. The
continuous gradation of texture gives clues t o the eye and the brain that can be
used to experience depth perception.
5. Linear perspective. It is a monocular cue for depth perception based on the
fact that the distance separating the images of far away objects appear to be
smaller than the distance separating closer objects. For example, if we stand
near rail tracks and look at a distance, the gap between tracks would appear
smaller, and
tracks would seem to run closer. This perspective provides clue for depth and
distance perception.
6. Interposition. It occurs when one object obstructs our view of another. Out
of two objects, if one object is completely visible and the other is partly
covered by it, the first object is perceived as nearer (see Figure 4.10).

b a

Figure 4.10 Object ‘a’ appears to be nearer in space than ‘b’ in the above

7. Movement parallax. It is a monocular cue for depth perception based on the

fact that nearby objects appear to move faster in relation to our own motion .
Every one of us must have noticed that when we move in a bus or train, the distant
objects such as mountains, stars or sun appear to move along with us. Objects at a
medium distance seem to be stationary, while nearby objects, such as trees,
roadside houses, people moving on the road, etc. seem to move faster in the
opposite direction. Thereby, we learn to perceive objects that appear to move with
us as being at greater distances, and the objects that appear to move backward as
being nearer to us.
Besides the monocular cues, we also rely heavily on the binocular cues for
depth information based on the coordinated efforts of both eyes. The following are
the two binocular cues.
1. Retinal disparity. Some psychologists are of the opinion that retinal
disparity is the main cause of depth and distance perception. By retinal
disparity, it is meant that the two eyes produce two different and
separate pictures of an object as viewed from different positions
relating to each eye. That is, the retinal images of the two
eyes for the same object are different from each other. With the right eye, we see
more of the right side of the object; with the left eye, we see more of the left side of
the object. We interpret distance by availing clues from the two different images of
the same object. Retinal disparity as a cause of depth and distance perception has
been proved by Thorner (1938), Martins (1939) and many others in a series of
experiments. In these experiments, two pictures of the same three -dimensional
object were taken simultaneously by a camera with two lenses positioned at a
slight distance from each other. These two pictures, called the stereo pairs, were
then presented to the subjects with the help of a stereogram. Subjects witnessed
the third dimension of the objec t because of stereo fusion.
The above opinion maintains that two eyes are essential for visual depth
perception as stereoscopic fusion would be possible only with two eyes. One -eyed
persons cannot have depth perception. If they have, they simply have it i n course
of their learning and knowledge of depth of different objects. But experiments by
Hofman (1939), and Engel (1966) proved that one -eyed persons could have depth
perception also.
2. Convergence. This is a binocular cue for depth perception based on the
difference in the image cast by an object on the retinas of the eyes as the object
moves closer or farther away (Rathus, 1994).
In addition to retinal disparity, angular convergence of the eyeball has an
important function in providing binocular cues for depth perception. It is the cue for
depth perception based on the inward movement of the eyes as they attempt to
focus on an object that is drawing nearer. For example, if we try to look to the
top of our nose, our eyes turn inward, or converge on it, giving us a cross -eyed
look, but they are less converged when we look towards objects, which are at
distant places. The binocular cue s of retinal disparity and convergence are most
efficient for depth and distance perception of objects, which are not too far away
from the observer (Rathus, 1994).

Perceptual Constancies
The stability in our perception of the environment in spite of wide
variations in the conditions of observation is called perceptual constancy . But
1990). For example, a blue car may be perceived as the same blue car even if we
look at it in bright sunlight, in dim illumination, or under a yellow street light in th e
evening. But if we do not know the actual color of the car, we may perceive the
color of the car differently in different illuminations. In such situations, when clues
to know the actual color of the car are unavailable, our perception of color will
depend upon wavelength of light reflected in our eyes.
3. Brightness constancy. It is the tendency to perceive an object as being
just as bright even though lighting conditions change its intensity (Rathus,
1990). It is similar to the phenomenon of color const ancy.
4. Shape constancy. It is the tendency to perceive an object as being of
the same shape although the retinal image varies in shape with change in the
angle of vision. For example, we perceive a table as a rectangle from whatever
angle we look at it. But actually the retinal image is a rectangle only when the table
is seen from a straight position. From all other positions, the retinal image is a
parallelogram. But we see the table as a rectangle from all locations of our vision.
Similarly, in another example, a door is a rectangle only when viewed straight on.
When we open the door, the retinal image becomes a trapezoid. But we perceive
the door as the same rectangular door, and it does not matter from which angle we
view it.
On the whole, it can be stated that we may have shape, size, color, and
brightness constancies in our perceptions of the world as a result of our past
experiences. The world therefore looks stable because of perceptual constancies.
Had there been no perceptual constancies, our vis ion of the world would have been
chaotic and unstable because of the frequent changes in our retinal image about
the same object.

Individual Differences in Perception

We have discussed about the basic processes of perception, which are more
or less the same for everyone. But all individuals do not interpret their sensory
inputs the same way. What a person perceives and how he perceives it may also
be determined by his past experiences, his interests, needs and personal values,
his beliefs and attitudes, an d above all his cultural practices. Therefore, some
psychologists say that we perceive things as we are, not as the things are . In
other words, individuals differ with regard to their perceptions. Hence, different
individuals depending upon their frames of reference perceive the same stimulus
differently. The factors within the individual, which influence the nature of his
perception, are known as functional factors or subjective determinants of
perception.
Past Experiences
It has been stated earlier that perception involves the meaningful
interpretation of the sensory input. Both Helmholtz and Gibson pointed out the
importance of experien ce in explaining perception. The past experience prepares
the individual to emphasize some sensory inputs and ignore others. Gibson defined
perceptual learning as increased ability to extract information from the
environment as a result of experience with stimulation coming from it. An
ornithologist can distinguish the calls of birds which normal people would find very
difficult to do. The remarkable auditory sensitivity of the blind people is a matter of
perceptual learning. It is not true that the blind p eople are inherently more
sensitive to auditory stimulation. In stead, the blind people, because of their
necessity, learn to extract information from the environment not ordinarily used by
the sighted people. These sorts of information help them to move a round the world
by avoiding obstacles with ease. The impact of past experience is so great that
persons wearing special goggles that invert their view of the world quickly adapt to
their new world and do everything from reading a book to flying a plane (Ko hler,
1962). Gibson provides many examples that demonstrate how perception is
shaped by learning.

Gibson and Walk (1956) raised rats from birth under two conditions. In the
experimental condition, the walls of the cage in which the rats were reared up
contained 4 metal plaques, two triangles and two circles. The walls of the control
rats‟ cages were plain and white. Three -months after this treatment, the animals
were given a learning task in which they had to discriminate between a triangle and
a circle. It was observed that the experimental group of rats performed consistently
better than the control group of rats, having about 90% correct choices, while the
controls were still operating at a fifty -fifty chance level. The performance in the
learning task was definitely influenced by the greater perceptual ability of the
experimental rats, which had prior experience of triangles and circles.
Glenn (1965) made an interesting observation to explain the role of past
experience in perception. He reported the experiences of a French expert in
industrial management, who visited the United States to study the industrial policy
and finance management in American industries. His objective was to gather
knowledge for the rebuilding of French industrial set up. B ut he was disappointed
as he visited more and more firms and industries in the United States. Finally, he
wanted to know from the government officials why Americans were advocating for a
free enterprise when in fact nearly all American industries were nati onalized. When
inquired as to how he arrived at such a conclusion, he pointed out that he had seen
the United State‟s national flag flying over each industry. In fact he had wrongly
perceived because of his past experience in France, where only nationalize d
industries fly national flags over their factory. On the other hand, there were no
such restrictions in the USA. Glenn pointed out that the perception of the French
industrialist was influenced by his previous experience of ownership of a factory in
France.
An experiment of Bruner and Postman (1949) can be cited to account for the
role of past experience in perception. Twenty-eight adult subjects were asked to
name some playing cards exposed to them tachistoscopically. The cards contained
some unusual ones like hearts in black shade and spades in red shade. You know
that all hearts are red and all spades are black, Influenced by such type of past
experiences, 27 out of 28 subjects perceived a red form of spade either as a red
form of heart or a black form of spade. Thus, learning to extract information from
the environment is of enormous practical and adaptive value. The past experience
serves as a reference point for extracting information from the immediate
environment.
Needs and Motives
A number of studies was conducted in the late 1940s and 1950s to show the
impact of motives and needs on perception. Despite methodological limitations and
inconsistencies, most of those studies point to the fact that our perception is
largely guided by our immediate nee ds and motives. We attend to and organize
our sensory inputs in a manner that match our needs . These studies in general
maintain that people who are hungry, thirsty or sexually aroused are likely to pay
attention to events in the environment, which will sa tisfy their needs. This
viewpoint was known as the “newlook” in perception.
In a classic experiment, Bruner and Goodman (1947) demonstrated the effect of
economic deprivation on perception. They investigated the hypothesis that the
perceived size of a valued object would be greater than that of a neutral object of
equal physical size. To test their hypothesis, they took 10 -year old children to
judge the size of various coins. One group of children was taken from the low
socio-economic status, while the o ther group of children was taken from the high
socio-economic status. The apparatus consisted of a wooden box with a screen at
one end and a knob at the lower right hand corner. By turning the knob, the
children could vary the diameter of the circle of lig ht shining on the screen. The
children were asked to match the size of the circle of light to the size of various
denominations. The children of the poor socio-economic status group were
found to overestimate the size of coins to a much greater extent than the
children of the high socio -economic group. The investigators explained that
poor children were in need of money, and were therefore, more motivated as a
result of which they overestimated the size of the coins as compared to the rich
children. In other words, their needs and motives influenced their perception .
Ashley, Harper, and Runyon (1951) manipulated the „value‟ variable
experimentally. Instead of taking poor and rich children, they hypnotized the
subjects. One group of subjects was suggested as rich, and the second group as
poor. A third group of subjects remained as the neutral subjects. Subjects were
asked to judge the size of the coins. In general, the subjects while in the poor
state over-estimated the size of the coins and the subjects sugg ested as rich
underestimated the size of coins.
In an experiment, Sanford (1936) showed that hungry subjects completed
word stems in such a way as to make more food related words than did the non -
hungry subjects. For example, the word stem ME was more likely to be completed
as MEAT or MEAL by hungry subjects than non -hungry subjects.
Levine et al. (1942) presented ambiguous drawings behind a glass -screen to
hungry and non-hungry college students. When asked to report what they
perceived in the drawings, the hungry college students frequently perceived
food objects in the drawings, while the non -hungry students reported
perceiving several other things. There are also other studies, which show that
our perception is strongly influenced by our immediate bi ological needs and
motives.
The projective tests like the Word Association Test and the Rorschach Inkblot
Test are constructed with a mind to uncover the needs and motives of the
individual that underlie his manifested behaviour. The pictures are ambiguous, and
the individual‟s needs and motives mostly influence his perception and
interpretation of the pictures. By analyzing his interpretations, a psychologist would
be able to make inferences about the needs and motives of the individual.
All the evidences cited above lend credence to the theory that needs and
motives play an important role in organizing our perception. For a psychologist, the
message is clear. While evaluating the statements of individuals about certain
events and phenomena, a psy chologist should take into account the needs and
motives of the perceiver, which would help him in making a proper assessment of
the situation.
Culture
Perception is guided not simply by factors intrinsic to the person; the socio -
cultural environment also has a role to play. The culture consists of the whole
range of experiences during the process of socialization. The physical as well as
the cultural climate shape person‟s belief system, attitudes, and orienting
dispositions to the environment. The same stimulus event is likely to be
interpreted differently by different cultural groups. Cultures prepare the individuals
to see, feel, act, and behave in a particular way. A person with a set of personality
traits may be respected in the Indian culture, while the same individual may be
judged as abnormal in the western culture. Old people may be considered as wise
individuals in one culture, and as less useful members in another culture.
Cross-cultural psychologists have argued that people in different culture s
around the world have different everyday experiences, and as such they differ in
their perception of some objects and events. In 1966, Segall and his associates
reported a series of studies showing that culture plays a significant role in shaping
responses to visual illusions. The cultural groups displayed illusory effects in
accordance with their cultural background. The Africans living in dense jungles
showed greater illusions in vertical -horizontal figure, while the western
people displayed greater Mul ler-Lyre illusion. These differences are explained
with reference to their past cultural learning.
Hudson (1958) did the first systematic work on pictorial perception to show how it
is influenced by cultural factors. He discovered that his subjects i nterpreted the
pictures in the Thematic Apperception Test as if they lacked the ability to
perceive the pictorial depth, i.e., the ability to see that a picture represents an
array of three-dimensional objects distributed in space. Later, reviewing a serie s of
cross-cultural studies, Deregowski (1972) maintained that perceiving perspective
drawings is a specific cultural skill that is learned rather than automatic . For
example, Holmes (1963) and Shaw (1969) observed in Kenya that subjects
sometimes perceived the picture of a tortoise as a snake because of the shape of
its head and neck; sometimes as an elephant because of the shape of its feet; and
occasionally as a crocodile because of the pattern of its shells on the body. To an
Indian or a European, such type of perception of a tortoise by a Kenyan will
certainly appear strange. To a European or American, kissing in public is perceived
as a normal form of behaviour but to an Indian it is perceived as uncommon and
unusual.
Broota and Ganguli (1974) observed that Indian children tend to perceive
those aspects of the stimulus situation, which are associated with
punishment. On the contrary, the American children respond to stimulus
events, which are associated with reward . The cultural difference comes about
because of differential child -rearing practices.
In view of the above facts and experimental findings, it is reasonable to say
that individuals with different cultural experiences differ with regard to their
perception. The same situation may be perceived differently in different cultures
and in the same culture as differently in different times. In other words, it is
justified to propose that sometimes we perceive things as we are but not as the
things are.
Set
Set refers to a state of mental disposition to be alert to certain kinds of
sensory inputs. A person having a definite set would attend to certain selected
aspects of the stimulus situation. If the husband is expecting an important
telephone call, he is more likely to hear the ring at night than hi s wife. The wife, on
the other hand, is more likely to hear the baby crying during night. A psychologist
is more likely to observe the intricacies of human behaviour compared to a
botanist, who would probably notice the kind of plants in a garden that woul d
escape the attention of a layman. The same
kind of behavior from a friend and an enemy is likely to be interpreted differently.
The set may be positive or negative. A positive set facilitates the problem
solution, while a negative set works as an obstacle to perception and
learning.
Siipola (1935) conducted a very interesting experiment to demonstrate the
effect of set on perception. In the experiment, subjects were required to respond to
words presented to them tachistoscopically. Each word was p resented for a brief
period of 0.1 second only. The stimulus words were as follows:
1. Horse 6. Monkey
2. Baggage 7. Pasrort
3. Chalk 8. Berth
4. Sael 9. Dack
5. Wharl 10. Pengion
One group of subjects was told that they would be shown the w ords having
to do with animals or birds, while the other group of subjects was informed that
they would be responding to words in the category of travel or transportation. Since
all words except horse, chalk, monkey, and berth were ambiguous words, the
hypothesis was that the responses of the subjects would be in keeping with the set.
For example, the first group might perceive „sael‟ as „seal‟, „wharl‟ as „whale‟ and
the second group might perceive the same words as „sail‟ and „ wheel‟,
respectively. The responses were found to be on the expected line. The experiment
suggested that by inducing different sets or predispositions in people, their
perceptions could be influenced .
Murray (1933) described the picture of a man to some subjects before and
after they played a game of murder. Before the game, they perceived less
unfavorable qualities in the description of the man, but after the game, they
perceived more unfavorable qualities in the character of the man. This is a
demonstration of the effect of set on perception. You can think of many more
examples from your real life experiences regarding how set influences perception.
Attitude and Prejudice
Attitudes are learned predispositions to respond to our physical and
social world in either a favourable or an unfavorable way . Attitudes have
cognitive,
emotional and behavioral components. They are guided by a set of beliefs and
thoughts (cognitive component); they encompass positive and negative emotional
reactions (emotional component); they translate t o some form of behavior
(behavioral component). Prejudice is generally thought of as a negative
judgment (it can as well be positive) of members of a group. It hardly takes into
account the characteristics of an individual member. A person is evaluated
primarily on the basis of his membership in a group. Both attitude and prejudice
reflect our belief system and influence our perception of people, objects and
events. They are the subjective determinants of perception.
Carpenter and her associates (1956) as ked people to complete sentences on
sensitive topics, such as feelings of inadequacy, hostility, or sex. On the basis of
their responses, the subjects were categorized as being either „sensitive‟ or
„repressed‟. The investigators found that participants sh owed differences in their
reactions to stimuli. „Sensitive‟ people perceived taboo or disturbing words more
easily than normal people and „repressed‟ people perceived such words less
readily, which suggested that individual differences in values and attitu des are
major factors in perception.
Allport (1954) described a study, which showed how prejudice could affect
perception. The experimenter used a stereoscope, which is a device for presenting
a separate picture to each eye at the same time. The participa nts were shown
mixed-race pairs of individuals, with one member of each pair shown to each eye.
In general, people were most accurate at picking out members of their own race.
Allport interpreted the results as to how racist views influenced their percepti ons.
Mood and Emotion
Emotions and mood changes form a part of our daily life experiences.
Emotions change under different circumstances and color our perception of the
world. When the person is in a happy mood, the world around appears beautiful
and satisfying. But the same wo rld is perceived as very disturbing when the person
is in a bad mood. Leuba and Lucas (1945) conducted an experiment to see the
impact of mood on perception. Subjects were hypnotized and suggested to be
either in a happy mood, critical mood, or in an anxio us mood. Then pictures were
shown to them. It was found that the perceptions of these men varied according to
their moods.
McGinnis (1949) presented his subjects with a set of words, some of which were
neutral in affect and some were taboo or anxiety provoking words. Identification
thresholds were measured by increasing the exposure duration of a word until the
subject correctly read it out. At the same time their galvanic skin responses were
also measured. It was observed that the taboo words had high er thresholds than
the neutral words; during the pre -identification trials, the subjects gave higher
galvanic skin responses to the taboo words than to the neutral words.

Errors in Perception
Our perception of the stimulus world is not always accurate. In certain
occasions, the sensory information may be incorrectly interpreted. Such cases are
known as illusions. A visual illusion occurs when two objects produce exactly the
same retinal image, but are perceived as different images. Illusions are errors in
perception, but they are not abnormal. They are experienced by normal human
beings as well as by birds and animals. They can also be experienced by the
stimulation of any of our senses. More than 200 different types of illusions have
been discovered (Gilla m, 1980), a few of which are discussed below. In this
chapter, we will discuss only some forms of visual illusions. But it may be noted
that there are numerous examples of illusions for other sense modalities including
audition and touch.
All of us experience moon illusion. In the evening, the moon near the
horizon looks bigger in size than in the midnight, when it is over our head. Similarly
the rising sun looks bigger than the afternoon sun. Sun or moon does not change
the size as it moves from the horiz on. In other words, in such situations, our sense
organs deceive us. The stimulus is wrongly interpreted. This wrong interpretation of
sensory information is called illusion. We have heard people bet that they have
seen ghosts. This is a false interpretati on of sensory information often called as
hallucination. Illusions and hallucinations are two kinds of errors in perception.
Both are distortions.
Illusions
Illusions are wrong or incorrect perceptions . There is an external
stimulation always present in s uch perceptions. These are not perceptions in the
true sense, because in perception, the stimulation is correctly interpreted,
whereas in illusions the stimulation is wrongly interpreted. Therefore illusions
demonstrate
 that what we experience depends upon processes, which go far beyond the
sensory input (Morgan et a/, 1986). Illusions do not correspond to the objective
situation as shown by physical measurement. There are illusions, which may
concern most of the features of the physical world, such as distance, motion,
shape, size, and direction, etc.
Illusions may be caused by a number of
factors. There are stimulus factors, psychological
factors, and cultural factors. The following figures
demonstrate illusions, which are caused by stimulus
factors. Figure 4.11 is an example of the
horizontal-vertical illusion. The vertical line looks
longer than the horizontal line, when in fact the two
lines are same.
Figure 4.11 The horizontal vertical-illusion Figure 4.12 is an example of the Muller-Lyer
illusion. There are two lines of the same length;
one line is having arrow-
heads at both the ends,
and the other line is having
feather-heads at both the
ends. The feather-headed
line looks longer than the
arrow-headed line. Is not
it?
Figure 4.12 The Muller-Lyer illusion
Figure 4.13 depicts
examples of the Herring illusions. In these illusions, two parallel
Figure 4.13 The Herring illusions
 can see distortions in the parallel lines.
Figure 4.14 depicts examples of the
Ponzo illusions. The two horizontal lines in each
picture are actually of the same length. But they
are not perceived as of the same length.
Figure 4.15 is the Poggendorf
illusion in which the two diagonal lines
appear as if they would not meet if
extended towards each other. It is one of
those illusions that consistently fool the
human eye. You can examine with the
help of a ruler that the two diagonal lines
when extended would meet.
Illusions may be caused due to
psychological or personal factors. For example,

Figure 4.14 The Ponzo illusions

if a person is having some problems in his eyes, or

in his sense organs, he is likely to have illusions.
Similarly, if a woman has lost her son in snakebite,
she is likely to see a rope as a snake. In fact, in low
light, all of us may perceive a rope as a snake
because of our excessive fear of snakes. However,
the role of personal factors in perception is
marginal. Most illusions are universal phenomena.

Figure 4.15 The Poggendorf illusion

Illusions are also caused by cultural factors. The Zulu people of South Africa do not
suffer from Muller -Lyer illusions or the Sander Parallelogram illusions as much as
the people of the carpentered -world. The Zulu people spend most of their time
outdoors and are less familiar with carpentered objects having rectangular
patterns. Their huts, their cattle, pen, et c. are circular in nature. The circle also is
an important aspect of their religious activities. Therefore, they are less likely to
perceive Muller-Lyer and Sander illusions because of their lack of experience with
rectangular objects.
A number of explanations have been used to account for different types of
illusions. Important among them are the eye-movement theory, the perspective
theory, and the inappropriate constancy scaling theory. The eye-movement theory
suggests that the feather-headed line in the Muller-Lyer illusion looks longer
because our eyes move a longer distance to see the line than the arrow -headed
line. Therefore, the feather-headed line occupies wider territory in the retina for
which it is perceived longer than the arrow -headed line. But according to the
perspective theory, the pictures represent some depth cues for which they are
interpreted differently. For example, the feather -headed line represents the inside
corner of a house which moves away from us and the arrow -headed line represents
the outside corner of a house which is extending towards us. We know that an
object, which is at a distant place, should look smaller. The two lines are actually
of equal length, but one is perceived as moving away from us i.e., it is at a
distance but having same retinal image like the other line, which is moving towards
us. Therefore, the feather-headed line is perceived as longer.
The moon illusion has been described in terms of the perspective theory.
Near the horizon, the moon looks bigger than t he moon in the zenith i.e., when it is
over our head in the open sky. The horizontal moon is seen with other objects such
as trees, mountains, etc. The zenith moon, on the other hand, is seen in the empty
sky. That it is just over our head means we perceiv e it nearer in space. The
horizontal moon is perceived to be at a far away place. But the retinal images of
the moon remain the same. We, therefore, interpret the retinal image of the
horizontal moon to be larger in size because it is farther away.
The most appropriate theory to explain illusions is the inappropriate
constancy scaling theory developed by Gregory (1963). In simple language, it
could be stated that when perceptual constancy (described in a separate section
earlier) fails, illusions
take place. To maintain perceptual constancy, the brain analyses several
information just like a computer. These are: the distance of the object, retinal size,
and the nature and characteristics of the object, several other depth cues, etc.
Taking all these into consideration, the brain takes a decision with regard to the
probable size and distance of the object. But at times, the brain does not get
sufficient information to arrive at a definite conclusion. In such cases, constancy is
not maintained and illusions take place. However there is not a single explanation
for all types of illusions.
Hallucinations
Hallucinations are false perceptions. This means that without any actual
stimulation, the person sees or perceives something. Perception of a ghost in a
lonely night is the best example of hallucination. The person does not see a ghost
when he is in a group. This is clearly an indication that the person being alone in a
dark night experiences a strong emotional state. Therefore, an European may see
an European ghost, while an Indian may see an Indian ghost, and more particularly
near the spot or location where they know their ghosts reside. The se are all very
interesting and fun. Is not it?

Distinctions between illusion and Hallucination

1. Hallucination is a false perception.

1. Illusion is a kind of wrong
perception. 2. In hallucination, no external stimulus
is present. Hallucinations are caused by
2. In illusion, an external stimulus
is always present. In other internal stimulations.
words, illusions are caused by 3. Hallucination is a personal experience.
external stimulations. 4. Hallucinations are mostly confined to
3. Illusion is almost universal. mentally ill persons and to those people under

4. Normal persons suffer from the influence of drugs. The character of

illusions. hallucination is determined by the individual’s
present and previous experiences.
 5. The same situation arouses the same 5. The same situation may not arouse
type of illusion in most people. hallucination in all. There are individual differences
with regard to hallucination. The same individual may
experience different hallucinations in different
occasions also.

Sense Organs
Sense organs are information-gathering systems in our body . Ten in all,
eight of them collect information from the external world through vision, hearing,
smell, taste, touch, warmth, cold, and pain. The other two senses maintain body
equilibrium and provide information about the body position and the movement of
body parts relative to each other. These two are called deep senses, and are
respectively known as vestibular and kinesthetic senses. The sense organs serve
dual functions for us: survival function and sensuality function. Our senses help
us survive by sounding alarms of danger and priming us to take swift action to ward
off hazards. Sensuality refers to the gratification of senses. It involves enjoying the
experiences that are appealing to the eye, the ear, touch, taste, and smell. Our
sense organs not only help us to have contact with our world, but also involve us in
the richness of life‟s experience.
Our eyes and ears are two vital sense organs of our body. We receive more
than 3/4 t h of our sensory information through these two sense organs. In
comparison to ears, our eyes receive more information. In fact our two eyes are our
windows into the world. As eyes are very valuable to a person, blindness is
considered as a significant sensory loss. It is, therefore, important that we should
know about the structure and functions of our visual and auditory sense organs.
Though every sense organ is important for our survival, we will discuss here only
the two important sense organs: the eyes and the ears.
Structure of the Eye
The physical energy received by our eyes is called light. Objects present
around us reflect light energy. Light energy varies in intensity. Physicists have
studied light energy in great detail. According to them, vision starts with the
electromagnetic radiation that objects emit. This elect romagnetic energy is the light
described in terms of wavelengths. A light could be visible, if the electromagnetic
spectrum stimulates the eye and produces visual sensation.
The wavelength of visible light determines its color . It has been observed by
physicists that the wavelength of red is longer than the wavelength for orange; the
wavelength for orange is longer than that of yellow, and so on. In the seven colors
of a rainbow, violet is having the shortest wavelength in comparison to other
colors.
The eye is often compared with a camera. Both the eye and the camera
receive visual stimulations. The process of receiving visual stimulations is the
same in both the cases except the fact that an operator operates the camera
because it is a machine, wherea s the eye has its automatic mechanism of
operation. Moreover, the structure and functions of camera are simpler in
comparison to the eye. In the eye, the light energy is converted to a neural code
understandable to our nervous system.
The human eye is rou ghly spherical in shape. It consists of three layers: the
outer layer (sclerotic coat), the middle layer (choroid coat), and the innermost
layer (retina). The important structures of the human eye are discussed below (see
figure 4.16).

SUSPENSORY
LIGAMENT
SCLEROTIC COAT
LENS
RETINA
AQUEOUS
HUMOR
FOVEA

CORNEA
B LIND SP O T
PUPILLARY
OPENING
IRIS

CILIARY MUSCLE
OPTIC
CHOROID NERVE
COAT

VITREOUS HUMOR

Figure 4.16 The structure of the human eye

Sclerotic coat (Outer layer). The outermost covering of the eye is called the
sclerotic coat or the sclera. It gives protection to the inner structure of the eye. It is
white in color and hard in texture. The white portion of the eye that we can see
from outside is the sclera. Six external muscles are attached to it. These muscles
help the eye for upward, downward, and side movements.
Cornea. The cornea is a part of the sclerotic coat. It is white, hard, and
transparent because it does not contain any bloo d vessels. As it is situated in front
of the eye, it can be seen and touched from outside. It is curved and convex in
shape. It is the part through which light rays enter the eye .
Aqueous humor. The space between the cornea and the pupil is called the
anterior chamber, and is filled with a transparent substance called aqueous humor.
Choroid coat (Middle layer). It is the second layer of the eye lying just
interior to the sclerotic coat. This coat is filled with black -pigmented tissues to
absorb stray light. It consists of blood vessels to supply nutrition to the retina. This
layer ends at the back of the cilliary body to form the iris.
Iris: Located behind the cornea, and in front of the eye lens, iris is a circular
muscle tissue of dark brown color. The iris is opaque. It controls the amount of
light that enters the eye, by either constricting the pupil, or expanding the
pupil. For example, in low illumination, the eye requires more light for which the
iris expands the pupil. Pupil becomes larger in size and allows more light. On the
other hand, in dim illumination, the iris contracts the pupil so that less light can
enter the eye. The iris surrounds the pupil.
Pupil: Just behind the cornea, pupil is the aperture or the opening between
the two irises. It is through the pupil, light rays enter the eye. The size of the pupil
is controlled by the constriction and relaxation of the iris.
Lens: In the back of the pupil and iris, there is a rubbery, bean -shaped,
transparent and crystalline lens, which bends the light rays onto the retina. It is
surrounded by a circular mass of smooth muscles called the cilliary muscles. The
cilliary muscles control the focusing of the lens fo r near and far vision. The lens
becomes convex and thickening when we are looking at near objects and becomes
concave and thinning when we are looking at the distant objects. This adjustment
process of the lens is called accommodation.
Vitreous humor. The space between the lens and the retina is called the posterior
chamber and is filled with a transparent substance called vitreous humor.
Retina (Innermost layer). This is the innermost layer of the eye. It is
compared with the photo film of the camera . The basic function of the eye is to
convert the light waves into neural signals that the brain can process. This function
is carried out in the retina. The retina has several layers consisting of five types of
neurons: (a) the receptor cells called the rods and cones, (b) the bipolar neurons,
(c) the ganglion cells, (d) the horizontal cells, and (e) the amacrine cells.
Retina contains the real visual receptor cells of the eye i.e., the rods and
the cones. The rods and cones appear at the rearmost layer o f the retina. There
are about 125 million rods, and 7 million cones. The rods are long and cylindrical,
and the cones are short, thick, and tapered. The rods and cones are distributed
unevenly throughout the retina. The cones are concentrated more at the c enter of
the retina, while the rods are spread more in the peripheral regions of the retina. In
the center of the retina is a very small region called fovea that contains nothing but
densely packed cones. The fovea is rod-free, and is the area of our sharp est
vision. Both color and spatial details are most accurately detected in the fovea. If
you would focus on something of particular interest, you will probably center the
image from the lens onto the fovea.
The rods and cones are not only structurally dis similar, but they also play
clearly different roles in vision. The rods are responsible for black and white
vision, while the cones are helpful for color vision . The cones are active in
bright illumination, whereas the rods are active in dim illumination. The rods play a
key role in peripheral vision, i.e., seeing objects that are outside the main center of
focus, while the cones record sharp visual details. Both are necessary to interact
with the nature, both in bright light as well as in dim illumination.
Besides rods and cones, the retina contains other types of
cells, as mentioned earlier. The bipolar cells are neurons, which combine
impulses from the rod and cones and send the results to the ganglion cells. The
ganglion cells combine the impulses from many bipolar cells and carry the visual
information from the eye to the brain. The axons of the ganglion cells form the
optic nerve. It is the optic nerve, which carries message to the brain. As the optic
nerve exits the eye, it leaves a small
area of the retina without the receptor cells. This area is called the blind spot. The
blind spot contains no rods and cones, and therefore, vision is not possible in this
area. As it is not sensitive to any light, it is called the blind spot. We do not
normally experience blindness because what one eye misses, the other eye
registers, and the brain fills in the information that is most likely missing.
Functions of the Eye
Sending messages to the brain. The light ray first passes through the
transparent cornea and aqueous humor, and enters the eye through the pupil. The
size of the pupil varies according to lighting conditions: the less light present, the
wider the pupil opening. These adjustments of the pupil are effected by the iris that
contracts or expands to a llow varying amounts of light to pass in. After entering
through the pupil, the light rays pass through the lens, and vitreous humor. The
lens helps us to focus on objects at varying distances. When we look at distant
objects, the lens becomes thinner and flatter. Once, the light rays pass through the
lens, it is projected onto the retina at the back of the eyeball. The lens bends the
lights rays in such a way that the image projected onto the retina is upside down
and reversed. But the brain reverses this image again allowing us to see objects in
proper positions.
The chemical composition of the rods and cones in the retina changes when
energized by light waves and thereby neural impulses are created. These neural
impulses are then transmitted to the bipol ar cells, which in turn are communicated
to the ganglion cells. Ganglion cells collect and summarize the visual information.
Then, the optic nerves carry them to the primary visual cortex in the occipital
lobe of the brain. At this point, the brain sees and interprets what eyes have
collected. The brain integrates information received through both the eyes. The
light waves from the right half of the visual field fall on the left half of the retina in
both eyes, and the neural impulses produced therein are c arried to the left occipital
lobe of the brain. Likewise, light waves from the left half of the visual field fall on
the right half of the retina in both eyes, and the neural impulses created therein are
transmitted to the right occipital lobe of the brain . This is the way that information
from both eyes is combined and we see a single and unified object.
Dark adaptation. Dark adaptation is a function of the eye. It
is a visual sensitivity, which increases as we move from bright light to an
environment of dim
illumination, such as a cinema hall. When we enter into a movie hall, we may at
first find the hall very dark and may not locate our seats readily. But after some
time we come to see everything. The process of adjusting to conditions of lower
lighting is called dark adaptation. The dark -adapted eye is about 100,000 times
more sensitive to light than a light -adapted eye. Rods and cones adapt at different
rates. Cones acquire sensitivity quicker than the rods. Adaptation to brighter
lighting conditions takes place much more rapidly. For example, after coming out of
the movie hall, we may find extremely brighter and stray light around us, but very
soon such brightness dissipates as we adjust to it. The process is called light
adaptation.
Visual acuity. Our visual system has the ability to resolve finer details. We
can focus our eyes to get a sharp picture of the finer details of the object. There
are two types of visual acuity. The first is static visual acuity, which refers to the
ability to discriminate different objects when they are stationery. The static visual
acuity is measured when the eye doctor asks us to read the familiar chart of letters.
The second kind that is dynamic visual acuity refers to observing details in objects
in motion. The ability to resolve finer details of the objects decreases as the speed
of the object‟s image across the retina increases. The dynamic visual acuity is
important for a cricket player taking a catch. Wearing eyeglasses by the cricket
players improves visual acuity.
Eye movements. The eyes are so made that they move inward and
sideways to focus our gaze on objects. There are two types of eye movements. The
version movements move both the eyes together in the same direction so that we
can track moving objects. The vergence movements move the eyes so as to
converge or diverge. The convergent movements are very crucial for perception of
distance and depth.
Seeing Colors. A person with normal color vision can discriminate up to 150
color differences across the vi sible spectrum (Bornstein & Marks, 1982). Different
colors have different wavelengths. Our ability to perceive color depends on the
eye‟s transmission of different messages to the brain, when lights of different
wavelengths stimulate the cones in the retin a. The following theories explain how
lights of different wavelengths are perceived as different colors.
The trichromatic theory was originally developed by a
British Scientist Thomas Young and was later supported by German physiologist
Hermann Von
Helmholtz. This theory suggests that there are three different types of
photoreceptor cells or cones in the retina each of which is maximally sensitive to a
particular range of wavelength in light. As a result, some of these cones are
sensitive to red light, some to green, and some to blue. Red, blue, and green are
the three basic color systems. We see other colours when two different types of
receptors are stimulated simultaneously. The perception of yellow, for example,
would result from the simultaneous sti mulation of receptors for red and green. The
perception of white would result from the simultaneous stimulation of receptors for
red, green and blue. Likewise, we see different colours from different combinations
of the three basic colours.
The opponent-process theory suggests that there are three different color
receptors, one of which is stimulated by green and inhibited by red, a second is
stimulated by yellow and inhibited by blue, and the third is activated by achromatic
stimuli, which can perceive differences in brightness from light to dark or white -
black type. This theory is called opponent -process theory because these
combinations are opponent systems. For example, when receptors for red are
active, receptors for green remain inactive. Similarly, w hen blue member is active,
yellow member remains inactive. These processes, either singly or in combination,
mediate our experiences of different colour perception.
The retinex theory was developed by Land, which suggests a very
convincing explanation of colour vision. This theory proposes that visual pigments
in the eye are light-sensitive molecules. Each of these responds to a relatively wide
band of light. There are four types of visual pigments. One type of pigments is
sensitive to light and dark and is found in rods. The other three are found in cones.
Each of them responds to different, but overlapping frequencies of light waves.
Since different sensitivities of the cones overlap, it is erroneous to speak red -
green, or blue-yellow system. Red, blue, o r green, etc. are subjective experiences.
It is the person who interprets a visual stimulus as red, blue, or green. They are
not the properties of light waves. It is, however, not the final word about our
experience of color vision. Further research is bei ng carried out to explain our
experiences of color perception in a more scientific way.
Sensing Sounds
Hearing is the second most important channel, next only to
vision, through which we learn about and appreciate the world around us. Through
hearing, we
understand speech, our chief medium for imparting and acquiring knowledge. It is,
therefore, important that we know the mechanism of sensing sounds, which is
called auditory sensation.
When an object vibrates by an external pressure, the air molecules around
the object vibrate. The vibration spreads to the neighboring molecules, which
create a wavelike movement of the molecules. If you have marked a stone thrown
into a pond, you must have seen how the waves created near the stone move along
to all sides of the pond. Sound waves produced by the vibration of an object move
in the same way as the ripples move on the surface of the water in a pond.
However, sound waves move much faster than the waves of water. The speed of
sound waves under normal temperatur e and atmospheric pressure is about 1130
feet per second. These sound waves are the physical stimuli for everything we
hear.
Sound waves have two components, pitch and loudness. The pitch of a
sound is determined by its frequency, which is the number of e xpansions and
contractions in the wave that occur in a second. Hertz is the unit of measurement
for pitch. The loudness of a sound is determined by amplitude or height of the
sound waves. This is the amount of contraction or expansion that occurs in each
wave. The unit of measurement of amplitude or loudness is called decibel (dB).
The threshold of hearing is zero dB. How loud is zero dB? It is about as loud as the
ticking of a watch 20 feet away in a quiet room. A sound wave of about 80 dB is
perceived to be uncomfortably loud.
The sound waves are the physical energy received by our ears. Auditory
sensation takes place when our ears receive the sound. Sound or auditory
stimulation travels through the air in waves. Sound is caused by changes in air
pressure that results from vibrations. Vibration is created by any object that
vibrates, such as the vibration of a guitar string, vibration of the college bell,
movement of a bus on the street, vibration of the vocal cord of a singer, and so on.
Sound waves move in different directions in air. Thus, our ears come in contact
with the sound waves and receive sound information. Sound waves can occur many
times in one second. Our ear is sensitive to sound waves that vary from
frequencies of 16 to 20,000 cycles per second.
When sounds of different frequencies are generated together,
as in case of musical sounds, we perceive a third tone. When there is harmony or
consonance in
the difference of frequencies, the sound is perceived as pleasant. But when there
is disharmony or dissonance between them, the sound is perceived as unpleasant.
Sometimes in addition to producing the specified tone, a musical instrument
may produce a number of tones that are greater in frequency. These are called
overtones. Overtones resulting from vibrations elsewhere in the instrument and
contributing to the richness of the sound are called timbers of a sound. Noise, on
the other hand is produced because o f a combination of dissonant sounds. It is
perceived as unpleasant.
Structure and Functions of the Ear
What happens to the sound waves once they reach the ear? How do various
structures of the ear transform sound waves so that the brain can understand
them? The answers to these questions can be obtained by studying the structures
and functions of the human ear (see Figure 4.17). The ear has three major
structures: the outer ear, the middle ear, and the inner ear.

POSTERIOR
SEMICIRCULAR CANAL SUPERIOR
SEMICIRCULAR CANAL

VESTIBULAR NERVE

ACOUSTIC NERVE

COCHLEAR NERVE

LATERAL SEMICIRCULAR
CANAL
AUDITORY CANAL
COCHLEA

EARDRUM OVAL WINDOW

PINNA ROUND WINDOW

MALLEUS INCUS STAPES

EUSTACHIAN TUBE

OSSICLES

Figure 4.17 The structure of the human ear

Outer ear. It is the external or outer part of the ear which can be seen from
outside. It is made up of the pinna and the auditory canal. The pinna is the
external part of the ear, which can be seen from outside. Sound waves arriving at
the pinna are funneled into th e auditory canal, which is a tube like passage leading
to the eardrum. The auditory canal connects the outer ear with the middle year,
which is a structure often filled with wax.
Middle ear. It contains the eardrum (the tympanic membrane), and three
small bones. The three small bones are the hammer, the anvil, and the stirrup.
The bones are so named because of their structures. The eardrum works like a
miniature drum, which vibrates when the sound waves hit it: The more intense the
sound waves, the more th e vibration in the eardrum. The sound waves then touch
the three bony structures, which also vibrate and conduct the sound waves. The
middle ear acts like an amplifier making us aware of sounds that would otherwise
go unnoticed. The three bones have one im portant function: to transmit vibrations
to the oval window, a thin membrane leading to the inner ear. The oval window,
which is attached to stirrup, balances air pressure in the middle ear. Hence the
main function of middle ear is to give a mechanical fra mework to sound
waves.
Inner ear. The important structures of inner ear are the cochlea, the basilar
membrane, and the organ of corti. The inner ear is a portion of the ear that
changes sound waves into a form that allows them to be transmitted to the bra in.
The cochlea has the shape of a snail shell. The cochlea has three fluid -filled
canals spiraling around together and separated from one another by membranes.
The three canals are vestibular canal, the cochlear canal, and the tympanic canal.
One of the membranes lies coiled within the cochlea and is called the basilar
membrane. Vibrations in the fluids within the canals of the inner ear strike against
the basilar membrane. The waves in the canals reach the organ of corti, which is
attached to basilar membrane. The organ of corti has thousands of hair -like
structures, which are the real auditory receptor cells. The pressure waves in the
cochlear canals produce bending movements of the fine hair like processes on the
ends of the hair cells of the organ of corti. The bending of these receptor cells
generates a neural impulse that is transmitted by the auditory nerves to the
auditory cortex of the temporal lobe in the brain. Then we hear the message.
Auditory Perception
The discussion made above on the sensory mechanism of hearing reveals
that we hear sounds because they cause vibrations in parts of the ear and
information about these vibrations is transmitted by the auditory nerves to the
temporal lobe of the brain. But how do we perceive the pitch or frequency of a
sound? Some psychologists believe that sounds are perceived as being louder
when more number of receptor neurons on the organ of corti get fired. But they are
not so sure about the perception of pitch. We hav e got three theories to explain
pitch discrimination: the place theory and the frequency theory, and the volley
theory.
Place theory. The place theory was proposed by Helmholtz and was
modified by the Noble Prize winner, Bekesy (1960). The theory holds th at the pitch
of a sound is determined depending upon which section of the basilar membrane
vibrates in response to the sound. Bekesy observed that receptor neurons at
different sites along the basilar membrane are excited in response to different
frequencies of tones. The higher the pitch of a sound, the closer the responsive
neurons lie to the oval window. However, tones that are of low frequency excite the
entire basilar membrane.
Frequency theory. The place theory explains high -frequency sounds, but
fares poorly with low-frequency sounds. A frequency below 400 Hz does not
stimulate a particular spot on the basilar membrane; it is virtually registered by all
parts of the basilar membrane on an equal basis. Thus, frequency theory suggests
that the frequency of auditory nerve‟s firing is involved in our perception of sound.
This theory argues that the basilar membrane vibrates as a whole at lower
frequencies.
Volley theory. This theory proposed by Weven (1949) is a modification and
expansion of the frequency theory to account for high -frequency sounds. A neuron
has a maximum firing capacity of about 1000 times per second. Hence frequency
theory cannot be applied accurately to sounds over 1000 Hz. This theory argues
that sounds above 1000Hz can be accounted f or by a team of neurons with each
neuron of the team firing at a different time. The volley theory derives its name
from the fact that neurons fire in a sequence of rhythmic volleys at higher
frequencies. For example, for a tone of 3000 Hz, there would occ ur in the auditory
nerve a spurt of neural activity, called volley every 0.003 second, with different
groups of fibers responding each time, and some fibers because of their greater
excitability contributing more of the spurt than others. Pitch, depends up on the
frequency of volleys rather than the frequency carried by the individual fibers.
 KEY TERMS

Attention Selective attention Voluntary attention

Divided attention Sustained attention Span of attention
Perception Sensation Attention
Psychophysics Absolute threshold Differential
Threshold
Signal-detection theory Perceptual learning Gestalt
Law of proximity Law of similarity Law of closure
Law of good continuation Law of common fate Figure-ground
Law of pragnanz Auto-kinetic effect Stroboscopic motion
Phi-phenomenon Monocular cues Binocular cues
Proximal size Texture gradient Shading
Linear perspective Interposition Movement parallax
Convergence Perceptual constancy Size constancy
Color constancy Brightness constancy Shape constancy
Perceptual learning New-look theory Mental set
Illusion Hallucination Moon illusion
Muller-Lyre illusion Ponzo illusion Herring illusion
Poggendorf illusion Eye-moment theory Perspective theory
Auditory perception Vitreous humor Cornea
Aqueous humor Lens Iris
Pupil Cones Retina
Rods Dark adaptation Bipolar cells
Ganglion cells Opponent-process theory Visual acuity
Trichromatic theory Pitch Retinex theory
Auditory sensation Auditory canal Amplitude
Pinna Basilar membrane Eardrum
Cochlea Organ of corti Inappropriate
 SUMMARY
1. Sensation is a simple and mechanical process; attention is filtering process; perception is an
integrated and interpretative process for forming mental representations.
2. Sensation is the first and foremost requirement of perception. We do not perceive with
sensations only. Perception of an object or event is not possible unless it is attended to.
3. Receiving information from the environment through any one of the sense organs and
transmitting them to the central nervous system is called sensation. Because sense organs are
involved in perception, it is called a receptive process.
4. Stimulus information must have minimum intensity to stimulate receptor cells. The minimum
amount of stimulation essential to generate experience is called absolute threshold or reiz limen
(RL). A difference in physical energy must cross another threshold or differential limen to
generate any kind of difference in sensation and perception. The signal-detection theory
explains the role of psychological factors in judging whether a stimulus is present or absent.
5. The process of selecting a stimulus or a group of stimuli from among a large pool of stimuli is
called attention. Attention is called the selective part of the perceptual process or pre-perceptive
attitude.
6. Span of attention refers to how many items (digits or letters) one can attend in single glance of
attention in about one-tenth of a second which makes eye movement or counting impossible and varies
within the limit 7+ 2.
Variables like nature of material, stimulus size and color, exposure duration, mental set and age
influence individual‟s span of attention.
7. Selective attention is bringing into focus a limited number of stimuli from a large pool of
stimuli. Sustained attention is maintaining attention on an object for a relatively longer
duration. Sometimes we can also attend to two or more different things at the same time.
This is called divided attention.
8. Attention is influenced by External or Objective factors (properties of the environment:
nature, intensity, size, duration, location and movement of the stimulus, variety, novelty and
contrast) and Internal or Subjective factors (person‟s characteristics: habits, interests, needs
and motives, mindset, emotional state, attitude and experience). The subjective factors play
a more potential role in influencing attention.
9. Perception is a process through which we organize sensations, meaningfully interpret them,
and form a mental representation of our world. It is not a mechanical process. The process
of perception is dynamic in nature.
10. Perception is a receptive, selective, symbolic, and affective process. A host of environmental
stimuli are received through the sense organs. But we do not attend to all; only a few of
them are selected for further processing. The processing does not use actual objects or
events; rather some symbols in the form of mental images are used in mental processing.
Finally, perception has also an affective component.
11. According to the Gestalt psychologists, perception is organized on the basis of the form
qualities of objects. In
other words, they have emphasized the stimulus factors affecting perception. According to them,
perception of the whole is more than the sum total of its parts. In order to explain their
viewpoint, they have talked about laws of perceptual organization.
12. The laws of perceptual organization are based on (a) laws of grouping such as law of
proximity, law of similarity, law of good continuation, law of closure, and law of common fate;
(b) figure-ground relationship; and (c) the law of pragnanz or goodness of figures.
13. We perceive real movement by sensing it across the retina and movement of objects in
relation to one another. Distant objects appear to move more slowly than nearby objects, and
middle-ground objects may give the illusion of moving backward.
14. Apparent motions are illusions of movement in which there is the perception of movement in
the absence of physical movement of an image across the retina. Psychologists have
studied several kinds of apparent movement such as auto-kinetic effect, stroboscopic
motion, and the Phi-phenomenon.
15. Depth and distance perceptions involve both monocular and binocular cues. Monocular cues
include proximal size, brightness, shading, texture gradients, linear perspective, interposition,
and movement parallax. Some of the binocular depth cues are retinal disparity and
convergence.
16. The stability in our perception of objects in spite of wide variations in the conditions of
observation is called perceptual constancy. Through experience, we develop a number of
perceptual constancies. For example we learn to assume that objects retain their size, shape,
brightness,
and color despite their distance, their position, or changes in the lighting conditions.
17. We perceive things as we are. Individuals differ with respect to their perceptions. An
individual‟s perception is determined by his past experiences, needs, interests, personal
values, beliefs and attitudes, mood states, and his cultural practices. These intra-individual
factors are known as functional factors or subjective determinants of perception.
18. Illusions and hallucinations are two kinds of errors in perception. Illusions are incorrect
perceptions of objects. The object is always present but wrongly perceived by the
perceiver. Illusions may be caused by stimulus factors, psychological factors, and cultural
factors. However, illusions are generally caused by stimulus factors. Illusions may be
explained in terms of eye-movement theory, perspective theory, and inappropriate
constancy scaling theory.
19. Hallucinations are false perceptions as they occur without any actual stimulation.
Hallucinations are sometimes caused because of fear or emotion.
20. The eye senses and transmits visual stimulation to the primary visual cortex in the occipital
lobe. After the light rays pass through the cornea, pupil size determines the amount of light
that can pass through the lens. The lens focuses light onto the retina, which transforms the
light energy into a neural code understandable to the brain. The retina is composed of
visual receptors called rods and cones, bipolar cells, and ganglion cells.
21. The rods are long and cylindrical, and are responsible for
black-white vision, and vision in dim illumination. The cones are short and thin, and are responsible
for color vision. The bipolar cells combine impulses form many rods and cones, and send
results to the ganglion cells, which transmit the information to the brain for interpretation.
22. The eye is involved in sending messages to the brain, dark and light adaptation, visual
acuity, and seeing colors. The three theories advanced to explain color vision are the
trichromatic theory, opponent-process theory, and the retinex theory.
23. The ear senses and transmits auditory stimulation to the temporal lobe of the cerebral
cortex. Auditory sensation takes place when our ear receives sound. Sound is caused by
changes in air pressure that results from vibrations. Sound waves have two components:
pitch and loudness. Pitch of a sound is determined by its frequency, and loudness is
determined by amplitude.
24. The eardrum, vibrating to sound, transmits auditory stimulation through the bones of the
middle ear to the cochlea of the inner ear. The basilar membrane of the cochlea transmits
stimulation to the organ of corti, and from there sound travels through the auditory nerve to
the auditory cortex in the temporal lobe of the brain. Sound seems louder when more
neurons of the organ of corti fire. Three theories account for the perception of pitch. They
are place theory, frequency theory, and volley theory.
QUESTIONS
A. True-False Items

(State whether each of the following statements is „TRUE‟ or „FALSE‟)

1. Perception is a mechanical process.
2. Perception comes before attention.
3. Span of attention varies within 5 to 9 items.
4. Attention is not influenced by the emotional state.
5. All normal individuals have the same span of attention.
6. Receiving information through the sense organs is called perception.
7. Attention is equivalent to sensation.
8. Perception involves mental images.
9. Tachistoscope is used for measuring span of attention.
10. Attention is the selective part of the perceptual process.
11. The capacity of our perceptual system is limited.
12. Age does not influence span of attention.
13. Keeping attention for a longer duration is selective attention.
14. A person‟s attention varies depending upon the intensity of the stimulus.
15. Visual stimuli are normally more attended than auditory stimuli.
16. Sustained attention is closely linked to vigilance.
17. Attending to certain stimuli in a large array is selective attention.
18. Novelty is an objective determinant of attention.
19. Attention is not influenced by the attitude of a person.
20. Motive is a subjective determinant of attention.
21. The occipital lobe is involved in visual perception.
22. The parietal lobe is involved in auditory perception.
23. Attention is a selective filter.
24. The value of the absolute threshold is the same for every person.
25. Attention precedes perception.
26. We see as we are.
27. Perception is functionally selective.
28. The behaviorists developed the laws of perceptual organization.
29. The Gestalt psychologists were from Germany.
30. The Gestalt laws of perceptual organization are also applicable for auditory
perception.
31. The law of common fate is applicable in case of moving objects.
32. The law of pragnanz is a general instance of the laws of grouping.
33. The movement of a light spot in a dark room is auto-kinetic effect.
34. The phi-phenomenon is a visual illusion.
35. Retinal disparity is a monocular cue of distance perception.
36. The Visual Cliff experiment suggests that depth perception is innate.
37. Texture gradient is a monocular cue for distance perception.
38. Retinal image for a distant object is smaller.
39. Emotional state influences the quality of perception.
40. Gestalt factors of perception are known as functional factors.
41. Perceptual learning suggests the role of past experience on perception.
42. Gibson conducted experiments on perceptual learning.
43. Poor children underestimate the size of the coins.
44. Culture has no role on visual illusions.
45. Set does not influence perception.
46. Illusions are false perceptions.
47. Illusions can be experienced by birds also.
48. Most illusions are universal phenomena.
49. The Zulu tribe does not suffer from the Muller-Lyre illusion.
50. Hallucination is experienced universally.
51. The cultural factors influence visual illusions.
52. Compared to the past experience, sex has a lesser role in perception.
53. The law of proximity states that similar objects tend to be perceived as a group.
54. Rods and cones are distributed equally all over the retina.
55. Cones are related to auditory functions.
56. Pupil is the aperture of the eye.
57. The rods are active in dim illumination.
58. Fovea contains densely packed cones.
59. The blind spot contains only rods.
60. Vision is not possible in fovea.
61. Cones are highly concentrated at the center of the retina.
62. Neither rods nor cones work at night.
63. Sensing sound is called auditory perception.
64. The pitch determines the loudness of a sound.
65. The inner ear consists of pinna.
66. The middle ear amplifies the strength of sound waves.
67. Sound stimuli are interpreted in the occipital lobe.
68. The magnitude of loudness is expressed in decibels.
69. Cricket players wear eyeglasses to improve visual acuity.
70. Partial vision is possible at the blind spot.
71. The retina contains more cones than rods.
72. Size constancy is purely innate.
73. The signal detection theory explains the role of psychological factors in perception.
B. Multiple-Choice Items

(Choose the correct alternative from the bracket to fill up the blank or
answer the question)

1. Our pre-perceptive attitude is called ……… (sensation, attention, perception,

apperception).
2. Our span of attention normally has a range of ……. items. (5 to 10, 6 to 10, 5 to 9, 3 to
5)
3. ……. is used for measuring attention. (memory drum, metronome, tachistoscope, none
of these)
4. Focusing attention on an object for longer duration is ……. attention. (selective, sustained,
divided, non-voluntary)
5. ……. is not an objective determinant of attention. (attitude, novelty, variety, movement)
6. That we attend to objects that are connected to our instincts is an example of ……. (explicit
attention, voluntary attention, non-voluntary attention, none of these)
7. Among the following, ……. would invite maximum attention. (colored pictures, pictures of
human beings, pictures of beautiful women, one‟s own picture)
8. Focusing on a limited range of stimuli in a vast stimulus array is ……. attention. (selective,
sustained, divided, none of these)
9. Among the following, ……. has least influence on attention. (variety, habit, mindset, gender)
10. A hungry man quickly notices the sight of food. This is more appropriately an example of
……. influencing perception. (mindset, motive, thinking, interest).
11. Sustained attention is equivalent to ……. (vigilance, consciousness, perception, attention
span).
12. We attend to persons whom we like. This explains the influence of ……. on attention. (habit,
need, novelty, attitude)
13. Divided attention is possible for actions that are ……. (automatic, well-rehearsed, highly
practiced, all of these)
14. The conversion of the physical energy to neural impulses is known as ........
(organization, transduction, neural transmission, vision).
15. The minimum stimulus intensity required for activ ating sense organs is called
........ (DL, RL, signal detection, psychophysics).

16. Perception is not a/an ........ process (receptive, selective, affective,

unconscious).

17. Seeing “ssslll” as two sets of figures rather than six separate figures is an
example of the principle of.............. (similarity, closure, continuity, proximity)

18. The term Gestalt means ........ (perception, principle, whole, group).

19. The law of ......... is not a law of grouping (proximity, similarity, common fate,
figure-ground).

20. The law of......... states that the elements that appear nearer together tend to
be grouped together (proximity, similarity, closure, common fate).

21. In a printed book, we see tows of letters rather than columns. This is an
example of the law of ..... (proximity, similarity, closure, common fate).

22. The eyes of a color-blind person are devoid of........... (rods, cones, retina,
lens).

23. ....... is a binocular cue for distance perception (proximal size, texture
gradient, convergence, interposition).

24. Seeing a table as rectangular in form is an example of........ constancy (shape,

size, color, brightness).

25. The „new look‟ theorists investigated the role of........... on perception (past
experience, set, needs and motives, cultural factors).
26. .......... subjects are more likely to complete word-stems so as to form food -
related items (thirsty, disadvantaged, motivated, hungry).
27. That people are most likely to attend to the members of their own race is an example of the role
of........ on perception (mood, motive, set, prejudice).
28. The feather-headed line looks longer than the arrow -headed line. This is the
case of the ............illusion (Herring, Muller -Lyre, Ponzo, Peggendorf).

29. ........ theory suggests that the feather-headed line occupies a wider territory
on the retina compared to the arrow -headed line (eye-movement, perspective,
inappropriate constancy, cognitive dissonance).

30. Seeing a ghost in a dark room is an example of.............. (illusion,

hallucination, perceptual defense, delusion)

31. To perceive an incomplete circle as a complete one is an example of the law

of........... (similarity, proximity, closure, common fate).

32. False visual perception is called ............. (hallucination, illusion, delusion,

false reaction).

33. In perception ............ is necessary, (stimulus, reward, feeling, external

response).
34. .......... has least role in perception, (need, mood, sex, past experience).
35. Muller-Lyer illusion is ........... (fully universal, culture -specific, person specific,
temporary).
36. Perception is a/an ............... process, (integrative,
symbolic, affective, all of these).

37. When I confuse a rope to be a snake, it is................ (illusion, perception,

hallucination, image).

38. We are able to read most of the words in an old letter defaced by dirt because
of the principle of .............(continuity, closure, similarity, figure -ground).

39. The blind spot is so called because of complete absence of ............. (rods,
cones, rods and cones, nerves).

40. ...... regulates the opening of the pupil (cornea, iris, retina, lens).

41. ...... contains densely packed cones (fovea, cornea, retina, blind spot).

42. ....... help us see colors (rods, cones, pupils, lenses).

43. The axons of the ganglion cells form ..... (retina, visual cortex, blind spot, optic
nerve).

44. ..... converts the light waves into neural signals for processing in the brain
(retina, pupil, iris, lens).

45. the three small bones responding to the sound vibrations are in the ...... (inner
ear, outer ear, middle ear, cochlea).

46. ...... changes sound waves to a neural code understandable to the brain (outer
ear, inner ear, middle ear, auditory canal).

47. The organ of corti is located in the ...... (inner ear, middle ear, outer ear,
auditory cortex).
48. Vision is not all possible in the ……. (fovea, blind spot,
occipital lobe, retina).

C. Short -Answer Questions

(Write the answer to each question in 5 sentences).

1. What is span of attention?

2. Distinguish attention from sensation and perception.
3. Distinguish selective from sustained attention.
4. What are the objective determinants of attention?
5. What are the subjective determinants of attention?
6. Do needs and motives influence attention?
7. What is perception?
8. State the nature of perceptual process.
9. What is psychophysics?
10. What is perceptual organization?
11. State the five laws of grouping.
12. What is the law of pragnanz?
13. Give an example of law of similarity.
14. How is a figure different from its ground?
15. What is phi-phenomenon?
16. How do we perceive movement?
17. How does retinal disparity influence perception of distance?
18. Is depth perception innate?
19. Mention the monocular cues for distance perception.
20. What is perceptual constancy?
21. Explain the law of proximity in perception.
22. Give some examples of organizing factors of perception.
23. What is the „new look‟ theory in perception?
24. Mention a few subjective determinants of perception.
25. How does culture affect visual illusions?
26. Does mental set influence perception?
Chapter 5
LEARNING

This chapter covers : CONTENTS

Introduction
What is Learning?
) Meaning and Operational Definition Meaning and operational Definition
of Learning; Learning as Theoretical definition
Distinguished from Maturational Learning versus Maturational changes
Changes and Perform ance. Learning versus Performance
b) Processes of learning: Processes of Learning
Trial-and-Error Learning
i) Trial-and-Error Thorndike’s experiments on cats
Stages in Trial and Error Learning
ii) Classical Conditioning Thorndike’s Laws of Learning
iii) Operant Conditioning Classical Conditioning
How Classical Conditioning Works:
iv) Cognitive L earning- Imitation, Pavlovian Experiment
Insight Classical Conditioning Procedure
Time-Interval between CS and UCS
c) Factors Influencing Learning Basic Processes in Classical Conditioning
i) Feedback What is learned during Classical Conditioning?
Applying Conditioning Principles to Human
ii) Distribution of practice Behaviour
Operant Conditioning
iii) W hole and part learning
Skinner’s Experiment
iv) Meaningfulness Strengthening or Weakening the Response
Probability
v) Interest and Attitude Operant Conditioning: Some Basic Aspects
How Does Reinforcement Work in Operant
vi) Motivation
Conditioning?
Applications of Operant Conditioning
Classical and Operant Conditioning Compared
After you go through this cha pter, Similarities
you would be a ble to: Differences
 Understand the nature of learn ing. Cognitive Learning
Insightful Learning
 Expla in d ifferent types of learn ing Kohler’s Experiments on Insightful Learning
and the princ ip les under ly ing each Stages in Insightful Learning
type. Descriptive Characteristics of Insightful
Learning
 Understand the psycholog ica l Comparing Insightful Learning with Trial-and-
processes invo lved in each type of Error Learning
learn ing. Observational Learning: Learning by Imitation
Factors Influencing Learning
 Discuss the importance to learn ing Feedback
princ ip les in the acqu is it ion and Distribution of Practice
treatment of deviant behaviours. Contents of Learning (Whole versus Part)
 Familiar ize yourself with factors Meaningfulness of Materials
Interest and Attitude
inf luenc ing the progress of learning Motivation
Key Terms
Summary
Questions
Answers
 Learning

Introduction
Learning is one of the processes of acquiring knowledge about the world. It
is a process of cognition. Any response that the organism has not inherited is said
to be learned. Human beings have lesser inborn instincts compared to their learned
responses. Animals lower in the developmental continuum deal with environmental
challenges by relying on an innate set of responses, called fixed-action patterns.
The behaviours of human beings are controlled more by a set of learned
responses. The things that we were not able to do before, but are capable of doing
now are the results of learning. Knowing to ride a bicycle, to swim, to solve
arithmetic problems, to use language, and to operate on a computer are some of
the common examples of learning. Without learning, the world would have been
still a booming, buzzing confusion.
Learning is a very fundamental topic for psychologists. It plays a central role
in every branch of psychology. A psychologist studying perception might ask, “How
do we learn that people who loo k small from a distance are far away, not simply
tiny?” A developmental psychologist might inquire, “How do babies learn to
distinguish their mothers form other women?” A clinical psychologist might wonder,
“Why are some people afraid of frogs?” A social p sychologist might ask, “How does
a human child learn the etiquettes of his culture?” A psychologist studying animal
behaviours might wonder, “How does a dog learn to obey its master, and not
strangers?” These questions drawn from different fields of psycho logy can be
answered only with reference to learning process.

What is Learning?
There are two types of definitions: operational and theoretical Operational
definitions describe learning as a product that can be observed and measured.
Theoretical definitions describe learning as a process.
Meaning and Operational Definition
Learning is a relatively permanent change in behaviour or behaviour
potential produced by experience (Feldman, 1999). Kimble (1961) defined
learning as a relatively permanent change in behavioral tendency as a result
of reinforced practice trials. These two definitions share three important features.
First, learning brings about a relatively permanent change . Second, this change
is noticed in behaviour or behaviour potential . Third, learning is produced by
experience. Kimble (1961), in addition, emphasizes „reinforced practice‟ as an
essential component of learning. Let us examine each of these features.
1. A Relatively Permanent Change. To qualify as a learned behaviour, the
change must be relatively permanent. Temporary changes in behaviour cannot be
called learning. Reflexive behaviours (for example, an eye blink, a knee jerk)
produced by stimulating the nervous system are temporary and therefore, cannot
be called as learned behaviors. Temporary changes in behaviour as a result of
drinking alcohol, or taking drugs, or being fatigued are not called learning. Upon
entering a cinema hall, you will find it difficult to immediately locate seats and the
known faces. After about five minutes, you would easily locate seats and people as
you adapt to the light condition. Such a change in behaviour is only temporary and
is attributed to adaptation, not learning. Learned changes, however, may not last
forever; we forget many of the learne d behaviours. The critical aspect is that
learning always involves memory for what has been learned, so that on subsequent
occasions, we can recall or do what we learned before.
2. A Change in Behavior or Behavior Potential: learning is not observed
directly, but is inferred from changes in observable behaviour. The observed
behaviour is performance. Performance provides an index for learning. But all
learning may not always be translated into performance. In other words,
performance may not always show eve rything that has been learned. The term
„behaviour potential‟ is very critical to distinguish learning from performance.
Learning may affect your potential for behaving in a particular way in future,
if needed. For example, an inspiring lecture may increa se your understanding of
the Indian history. This understanding is hidden in you in the form of a potentiality.
The
potentiality will manifest as performance while writing answers in the examination.
Until the examination is held, learning is stored as a potentiality for future
performance.
3. A Process Produced by Experience: Learning can take place only through
experience. Experience includes taking in information and making responses that
affect the environment. Kimble‟s (1961) concept of practice is related to
experience. Without practice and experience, the behaviour would not qualify as
being learned. A change in behaviour as a result of illness, or old age or
maturation does not include practice or experience. Hence, such changes cannot
be attributed to learning.
Some lasting changes in behaviour require a combination of experience and
maturational readiness. For a child, the ability to crawl, stand, walk and run follows
a specific timetable. No amount of training or experience would produce these
behaviours before the child has matured. Thus by including the component of
„practice and experience‟, learning is distinguished fr om behavioral changes
effected by maturation.
Thus, learning can be said to have taken place, when the three conditions
listed above are met. It is not, however, always obvious to the person or the
observer that these conditions are present. Learning of a very complex and broad
nature, such as loving one‟s country, or respecting a value system, is very difficult
to measure. But all such learning have the three components discussed above.
4. The Concept of Reinforcement. Kimble‟s definition has an added fea ture:
the concept of reinforcement. For behaviorists, reinforcement is essential for
learning. You will learn later that certain forms of learning can take place without
reinforcement. Whether or not reinforcement is important for learning has taken the
shape of a major debate among psychologists.
It must be emphasized that changes produced by learning are not always
positive. People are as likely to acquire bad habits as good ones. All the three
conditions of learning apply as well to the acquisition of b ad habits. Thus, learning
does not necessarily result in the modification of behaviour. An earlier definition of
learning, “learning is the modification of behaviour in the light of past experience”
is no longer acceptable.
Theoretical Definition

Theoretical definitions describe the underlying mechanisms of learning. They

identify „the nature‟ of learning. Some of the theoretical definitions are
physiological in nature. Hull defined learning in terms of „ receptor-effector‟
connections. Bugelski def ined learning as the process of formation of relatively
permanent neural circuits.

Cognitive psychologists define learning as a reorganization of the

perceptual, psychological, and behavioral world of the learner . Kretch and
Crutchfield (1948) defined lea rning as a reorganization of the cognitive field.
According to cognitive psychologists, we do not learn a particular response; we
learn the relationships between objects, events, concepts, and principles. Through
learning, we discover new relations among o bjects, events, and responses.
Learning versus Maturational Changes
Learning is a process related to (a) change in behaviour or behaviour
potential, (b) that is relatively permanent, and (c) is brought about by
experience/practice . Learning of a specific nature can take place only when the
child is maturationally ready.

Maturation is a process of biological growth and development. Maturation is

the unfolding of the genetic code , i.e., biologically predetermined patterns of
behaviour. As the human child gr ows, he undergoes many physical changes. These
changes bring associated changes in behaviour. Such changes are the results of
maturation, not learning. To be able to crawl, sit, stand, and walk are mostly the
results of maturation. But learning to crawl on a path, to sit on a fence, to walk on
a rope, and to talk eloquently are acquired through practice and experience.
Hence, such behavioral changes are attributed to learning.

It is difficult to separate the influence of maturation and learning, as most of

our behaviours are combined products of both learning and maturation. Both
interact in producing behavioral changes. Maturation provides a necessary, but
not a sufficient condition for learning to occur . Similarly, learning also helps in
accelerating the maturational process. Without training and experience, the
maturational process will be stunted.
Let us take an example to explain the interacting nature of learning and maturation.
A 7-8 year old child is not maturationally ready to carry on formal abstract thinking.
Even if, expert instructors give him extensive training on Grade 10 geometry, he
would hardly benefit. If he is given the same instruction at 13 -15 years of age, he
will be benefited, as he would be maturationally ready by then. But matu ration
alone, without necessary instructions, will not help him. A 5 -6 year old is matured
enough to read and write, which of course, he will not be able to do without
training. Training imparted when the child is maturationally ready results in
learning.
Learning also helps the maturational process. As a 4 -year old learns to write
alphabets, his muscular coordination matures. As a result, his handwriting looks
better. Both maturation and learning are so intimately connected that it is difficult
to examine the influence of one independent of the other.
Research has shown that the age range of 4 -5 years is developmentally
appropriate for teaching handwriting. Teaching handwriting to children before they
are maturationally ready may result in faulty muscular coordination, and later on, in
poor handwriting. Similarly toilet training given before 2 years of age is of little
consequence, as the child is not maturationally ready to take in the experience.
These examples show that maturation is important for learn ing.
When the child is maturationally ready, his learning depends upon the
opportunity for practice and experience, his interest and motivation. Training before
an appropriate maturational stage may result in frustration and withdrawal of
interest from learning of a skill. Parents and teachers should ensure maturational
readiness on the part of the learner before they attempt to teach him any new form
of mental or physical skill.
Learning versus Performance
The definition given earlier states that learning brings a relatively permanent
change in behavior or behavior potentiality. Changes in observable behaviors
suggest that some amount of learning has taken place, but all forms of learning at
all times may not be manifested in the form of a behavior that can be observed,
performance is the observable manifestation of learning . For example, the
riding of a bicycle or driving a car is a performance indicator of the fact that
learning has taken place.
The learning may not always be witnessed as performance . Suppose you listen
to a lecture or read a book or read a map to plan your route for driving from one
city to another. After listening to a lecture, we do not observe measurable changes
in your behavior. You are observably the same now as you were before listening to
the lecture. In other words, there is no change in your performance, because you
have not been given a chance to perform. But, does it mean that learning has not
taken place? Obviously, the le arning of some internal nature has taken place. As a
result of the lecture, some changes have occurred within you both physiologically
and psychologically. The lecture has left its impression in you in the form of neural
traces, and has changed some aspect s of your knowledge. These changes, either
neural or psychological, are lying hidden within you in the form of potentialities to
behave differently, when needed. While performance always refers to overt
behaviors, learning may be overt or covert.
Consulting a road map in one‟s home to plan a trip results in learning, which
is not converted to performance immediately. It waits until the right situation
comes, that is, when you actually execute your plan of driving from one city to
another. Your actual driving is performance. Even before this performance,
learning has taken place, and has been available to the person as a behavior
potentiality. While performance is a change in behavior, learning is a change in
both behavior and behavior potentiality. Performance is not possible without
learning, and all learning would go waste, if they were not translated into
performance, as and when needed.

Processes of Learning
Learning is a key process in human behaviour. It plays a very significant role
in every activity from a simple response of buttoning your shirt to a very complex
response of policy making for the nation. Psychologists have tried to explain our
varied experiences of learning with a few basic processes. We respond to things
that happen to us (e.g.. being afraid of dogs after a dog bite); we act and
experience the consequences of our behaviour (e.g., rewarded for securing the top
position in the state), and form mental representations by observing what others
say and do (e.g., imitating the actions of th e person whom we like and respect).
These three basic aspects of our experience form three main fundamental types of
learning: classical conditioning (responding), operant or instrumental conditioning
(acting), and cognitive
learning, which includes observational learning and insightful learning. The trial-
and-error learning is a precursor to and a form of instrumental conditioning. The
insightful learning is a form of cognitive learning, which emphasizes the internal
processes operating within the organism. Early approaches to learning investigated
the connection between stimulus and response without referring to cognitive or
mental processes. In recent years, psychologists have emphasized how cognitive
processes mediate the connectio n between stimulus and response. Both insightful
and observational learning come under cognitive -social approaches to learning

Trial and Error Learning

The experimental study of animal learning by E. L.
Thorndike (1874-1949) in the United States and his theory on
trial-and-error learning provided the impetus for Skinner‟s
experiments on instrumental or operant conditioning, which will
be discussed later. Thorndike‟s doctoral research on „ Animal
Intelligence‟ in 1898 provided the psyc hological world the first
miniature system of learning known as trial -and-error learning.
His theory left a profound effect on American psychology then.
E. L. Thorndike It also continues to exercise its influence on contemporary
psychological theorizing.
Thorndike‟s research was indirectly influenced by Darwin‟s theory of
evolution. Darwin demonstrated that there is continuity in the bodily structures of
many different species. This evidence favored Darwin‟s doctrine of evolution. What
about continuity in the ability to think and reason? Can animals think, understand,
and reason like human beings, although at a simpler level? The critics of Darwin
argued that the essential difference between humans and beasts is that humans
can think and reason, which animals are not capab le of doing. Thorndike‟s
research on animals (cats, dogs, fishes, chicks, and moneys) showed that learning
is a matter of connecting responses to stimuli in a very mechanical way. There is
no involvement of consciousness, thinking, reasoning or understandi ng. The animal
performs responses mechanically. The responses that bring reward are learned;
the responses that do not bring reward are
not learned. The animal does not show ability to understand, think, and reason.
The animal learns mechanically through trial-and-error.
Indeed many forms of human learning, particularly the learning of sensory -
motor skills, are achieved through trial -and-error. Learning to walk, to swim, or to
ride a bicycle is based on trial -and-error. At the beginning, we mak e wrong
movements and commit errors. As we go through a series of practice trials, errors
are reduced and responses are mastered. The gradual reduction of errors over
trials gives the name, trial -and-error form of learning.
Thorndike‟s Experiments on Cats
Thorndike experimented on a variety of animals like cats, fishes, chicks and
monkeys. His classic experiment used a hungry cat as the subject, a piece of fish
as the reward, and a puzzle box as the instrument for studying trial -and-error
learning. One of the typical puzzle boxes used by Thorndike is illustrated in Figure
5.1

Figure 5.1 A typical Puzzle box used by Thorndike's Experiments on cats

In this typical experiment, a hungry cat was placed inside the puzzle box, and a piece of
fish was kept outside the box. The cat could not reach the fish unless it opened the door.
In order to escape from the box, the cat had to perform a simple action as required by
the experimenter. The cat had to pull a loop or press a lever in order to open the door.
Once the door was opened, the cat could escape and eat the fish.
What did the hungry cat do inside Thorndike’s puzzle box? Initially it made random movements and
ineffective responses. On the first trial, the cat struggled valiantly; it clawed at the bars, it bit; it thrust its
paws out through any opening; it squeezed itself through the bars; it struck out in all directions. All the
irrelevant responses continued for several minutes until the cat hit upon the correct response, by
chance.
Accidentally, it pulled the loop and the door opened. The cat came out of the box and was
allowed to take a small part of the fish. It was then put inside the puzzle box for the second trial.
In the second trial, the time taken to pull the loop reduced a bit. Every time the cat came out of
the box and took a piece of fish, Thorndike put the cat inside the box again. Thorndike and the cat kept
up this exercise for a while. With increasing trials, the time taken to pull the loop (response latency)
decreased. The wrong responses (errors) that the cat was showing also decreased, as trials increased.
Finally the cat learned the trick. As soon as it was put in the box, it pulled the loop to escape for a well-
deserved reward. The name, trial-and-error learning comes from the fact that errors decreased over
trials. The cat learned from its errors.
How did the animal learn? To answer this, Thorndike plotted the time taken on each trial by the
cat to show the correct response (i.e., pulling the loop) (Figure 5.2). The plot indicated that there was a
gradual decline in the response latency. If the animal would have shown some understanding of the
requirements to reach the fish, the curve should have registered a sudden drop at some point. This did
not happen. The declining nature of the curve suggested that the animal had no understanding of the
situation; it was only performing some responses, one of which was getting mechanically connected
with the stimulus situation. Thorndike concluded that animals do not learn through thinking,
understanding and reasoning. This view also received a second line of support, when Thorndike failed to
teach cats to pull the loop for opening the door. He held cats’ paw over the loop, pulling it for them. If
cats had understanding, they should find their way out in the box, particularly after Thorndike had
taught them the method. It means that the animal cannot learn without acting. It has to make its
responses to the situation. The findings suggest that the cat did hot have understanding of the solution.
Thorndike explained cat’s learning by the ‘Law of Effect’.
 Listeny (seconds)

Figure 5.2 Learning curve of Thorndike’s cat

Thorndike conducted similar experiments with other animals and obtained similar
results. He said that the animal does not learn a new response; it only selects a
response from its stock. All the responses that the cat showed in Thorndike‟s
puzzle box were in animal‟s stock of responses. Only one response led to animal‟s
satisfaction of obtaining a piece of fish. As a result, this response was selected
from the stock automatically. The connection between this response and the
stimulus situation got strengthe ned over trials. Very simply, the „Law of Effect‟
derives its name from the fact that whether a response would be strengthened
or weakened depends upon the effect of the response .

Stages in Trial-and-Error Learning

The trial-and-error learning proceeds in the following sequence.
1. A hungry animal is placed in a new situation. The hunger drive creates the
need to obtain food, and pushes the organism into action.
2. The organism exhibits a set of natural responses (clawing, biting,
pushing and pulling) to seek adjustment with the new situation.
3. Accidentally, one of the responses from the organism‟s stock of
responses turns out to be the correct response in helping it to reach the
goal.
4. The successful response is reinforced and hence selected for further
practice. The unsuccessful responses are gradually weakened and stamped
out. The successful response is strengthened and therefore, stamped
in.
5. Gradually, the amount of time taken to e xhibit the correct response
(response latency) and the number of errors are reduced . The successful
response is practiced time and again.
6. Finally the successful response is strongly connected with the stimulus
situation so that its probability of occurr ence increases. A definite S-R
connection takes place and becomes relatively permanent . This is how
learning takes place through trial -and-error.
Thorndike‟s Laws of Learning
Thorndike‟s consistent findings with various animal species led him to
formulate some fundamental laws of learning which are explained below.
Law of Effect. This law concerns the role of reward in learning. It is known
as the Law of Effect, because whether a response would be stamped in or
stamped out depends upon the effect such a r esponse produces. If a response
produces „satisfaction‟, it will be strengthened, and is more likely to be repeated in
the same situation. On the other hand, if a response produces „discomfort‟, or
„annoyance‟ it will be weakened and is less likely to reap pear. The greater the
satisfaction, the greater the strengthening of the response. Similarly, the greater
the discomfort, the greater the weakening of the response.
Thorndike explains the term „satisfaction‟ and „discomfort‟ in the following
way. A state of affairs is said to bring satisfaction, if the organism does nothing to
avoid it, but tends to attain and preserve it. A state of affairs is said to bring
„discomfort‟ or „annoyance‟, if the organism tends to avoid it, and does nothing to
preserve it. A satisfier is one, which the animal likes to obtain; a discomforter
is one, which the animal likes to avoid.
Many forms of human learning also obey the Law of Effect. When a child shows
behaviour to the satisfaction of his parents, they approve of it. Parental approval
serves as a reward for the child and gives him satisfaction. As a result, the child
tends to repeat the same behaviour on a later occasion. On the other hand, if a
particular behaviour of the child is disapproved, it gradually weakens. T he child
tends not to repeat the same behaviour again.
In Thorndike‟s experiment, the response of pulling the loop brought
satisfaction to the animal. This response was strengthened and was repeated time
and again. On the other hand, the random responses like clawing and biting
brought discomfort and were weakened. The correct response appeared again and
again while wrong responses gradually reduced, and finally disappeared.
The original form of the Law of Effect was known as the Symmetrical Law of
Effect, because it proposed that the positive and the negative consequences are
equal but opposite in their effects. But Thorndike‟s further research convinced him
that discomforting affairs do not directly weaken the S -R connection. As a
result, in 1932 he had to abandon the second half of the Law of Effect. This
modified version was known as the truncated Law of Effect. Thorndike still
maintained that punishment carries some indirect value in the sense that it causes
„shift to right behaviour‟ for which there is a reward. For example, when parents
punish the TV-watching behaviour of children, the response of TV -watching is not
weakened; it is only suppressed for a while, and is likely to reappear when parents
are absent.
The Law of effect was also criticized on other grounds. All along,
Thorndike‟s emphasis was on response connections, but he used terms like
„satisfaction‟ and „annoyance‟, which only denote mental states, and are subjective.
Secondly, how can the Law of Effect work in a backward manner? The resp onse is
rewarded only after it is executed. How can the reward go backward in its effect
and strengthen responses that precede it. Finally, how do we know which are
„satisfiers‟ or „annoyers‟? It will be identified as a satisfier, if it strengthens the
response. Then the question is: How is a response strengthened? A response is
strengthened if it is followed by a satisfier. As you -may notice, Thorndike‟s
explanation is circular in nature.
Law of Exercise. This law concerns the role of practice in learning. It
states that the strength with which a response will be connected with a situation
depends
upon the number of times the response has occurred in that situation. In other
words, if a response is practiced for a certain number of times, it will te nd to be
permanently established. Any repeated response gathers some strength. As a
result, it becomes easier to repeat it again. Practice will result in strengthening of
connections; its discontinuance will result in weakening of connections leading to
forgetting.
The Law of Exercise operates only in conjunction with the Law of Effect .
Practice alone will not strengthen connections; it only provides opportunity for
reward to occur more frequently to strengthen connections. In a real experiment,
incorrect responses occur more frequently and correct responses occur only once
per trial. But only correct response, whenever it occurs, brings reward. So its
connection with the situation is strengthened in proportion to the number of times it
occurs. Thorndike ve rified this by means of a simple experiment. Students were
asked to draw a 3-inch line while blindfolded. Some subjects were given one
thousand trials. But their performance did not improve, as they did not get any
feedback. So the Law of Exercise does not operate in isolation from the Law of
Effect.
Law of Readiness. Law of readiness refers to a preparatory set on the
part of the organism to learn . It points out that one learns only when he is
physically and mentally ready for it . In other words, preparat ory set on the part
of the organism is an important condition for learning. When the organism is
prepared to do some work, then the act of doing is satisfying, and not doing it is
annoying. Conversely, when he does not want to work, forcing him to work is
dissatisfying. If students are not willing to learn, forcing them to learn will cause
dissatisfaction and annoyance. Many children soon get disinterested in learning,
because they are forced to learn, when they are not physically and mentally ready
for it.
In addition to these three primary laws, Thorndike developed some
subsidiary laws. They are explained below.
Law of Multiple Responses. It states that when one response does not
bring satisfaction, it will initiate a new response . For this reason, the a nimal goes
on producing responses until some response brings satisfaction. The cat in
Thorndike‟s puzzle box claws, bites and pushes until it pulls the loop to open the
door. The cat, thus, unfolds its stock of responses and tries out one response after
another. If one
response fails, and the animal sits passively, it would die of starvation. The release
of multiple responses has an adaptive significance as it ensures organism‟s
survival.
Law of Selective Responses. It states that as learning proceeds, the animal
selectively responds to certain elements of the stimulus situation, and ignores
others. The phenomenon is closely akin to discrimination. As trials proceed, the cat
inside the puzzle box attends to the general area of the door, the loop, and t he
string. Unless the animal responds to some selected aspects of the puzzle box, it
would never learn the escape route.
Law of Set or Disposition. It is related to the concept of drive or motivation.
The cat‟s disposition to learn is created by keeping t he cat hungry. The hunger
drive initiates responses to be learned. A hungry cat would only make attempts to
get out of the box. If it were well fed, it would rather prefer to rest than respond.
Law of Response by Analogy. It is a principle of transfer. How does
learning in one situation is transferred to another situation? Thorndike explains
„transfer‟ by means of „theory of identical elements‟. The theory states that
transfer will occur if and only if there are elements in common between the two
learning situations. The cat, which has learned to pull the loop in one puzzle box,
can show the same or a similar response in another puzzle box, provided that the
two boxes share some common identical elements. If the new box would be entirely
a different one, transfer will not take place.
Law of Associative Shifting. Associative shifting is similar to conditioning.
Responses learned to one stimulus condition may be learned to another stimulus
condition, if the overall situation is not altered . Pavlovian conditioning principle is
similar to associative shifting. In Pavlovian conditioning, the dog that salivates in
the presence of food learns gradually to salivate in the presence of bell. This is
associative shifting.
Law of Belongingness. It states that the reward or punishment to be
maximally effective must be relevant to the situation . Mere contiguity between the
stimulus and the response would not ensure the effectiveness of the reward. While
reading a paragraph, the last word of a sentence, and the first -word of the next
sentence share physical proximity, but their association would be poor. For
example, consider the following two sentences: „Ramesh spoke loudly‟, „Suneet
went home‟. The association
strength of the pair, „Suneet -went‟ is more than that of the pair „loudly-Suneet‟,
though both pairs have same degree of physical proximity. Hence the first pair
would be better remembered than the second pair, according to the Law of
Belongingness.
Law of Spread-of-Effect. The principle states that reward strengthens not
only the response to which it belongs, but also the responses adjacent (after or
before) to the rewarded response . It gives rise to a gradient effect. The effect of
reward is maximal for the rewarded response. Then its effect decreases for each
step that a response is removed from the rewarded one. Because of temporal
proximity, reward may even strengthen adjacent punished connections. If a
response sequence, R 1 -R 2 -R 3 -R 4 -R 5 brings reward S, S-R 5 connection will obviously
be strengthened. At the same time, the S would also strengthen the responses R 1
R 2 , R 3 , R 4 such that S-R 4 > S-R 3 > S-R 2 >S-R 1 .

Thorndike‟s laws and principles laid the groundwork for modern learning
theories. Whatever may be the ultimate status of his theory, Thorndike sure ly
carried a systematic study of animal learning for the first time. His work influenced
the experiments on instrumental conditioning by B.F. Skinner. His investigation was
systematic, experimentation sound, and explanations clear. The Law of Effect even
rules the contemporary psychological theorizing.

Classical Conditioning
How Classical Conditioning Works: Pavlovian Experiment
The principle of classical conditioning was discovered by the Russian
physiologist, I. P. Pavlov (1849-1936), while he was investigating the way the body
digests food. Pavlov won Nobel Prize for his work on digestive system. Yet he is
remembered not for his physiological research, but for his experiments on the basic
learning processes.
Pavlov was studying secretion of stomac h acids and salivation in dogs in
response to varying amounts of food. He implanted a tube in dog‟s salivary gland in
order to measure the amount of saliva secreted by the dog. While doing so, he
observed a very curious phenomenon. One day, as Pavlov appro ached the dog with
a tray of powdered meat, the dog began to salivate. Pavlov (1927) wondered, “Why
did the dog salivate before eating the meat powder?” Pavlov thought that salivation
at the
sight of the meat powder was the result of learning or as it came to be called, classical conditioning. In
classical conditioning, an organism learns to respond to a neutral stimulus that normally does not
bring about that response.
Pavlov’s curiosity prompted him to begin formal experimentation
(Pavlov, 1927). A hungry dog was made to stand on a pedestal in a sound proof
room. A tube was attached to the salivary gland of the dog to precisely measure
the amount of salivation. He sounded a bell, and just a few seconds later,
presented the dog with meat powder. In response to the sound of the bell, the

dog pricked its ears and made some exploratory movements. When the food was I. P. Pavlov
presented, the dog salivated and ate the food. The pairing of the bell and food
was repeated for several trials with exactly the same amount of time elapsing between the presentation
of the bell and food (see Figure 5.3 to observe Pavlov’s experimental apparatus).

Figure 5.3 Pavlov’s apparatus for studying classical conditioning

At first, the dog was salivating only to the food. But as the trials proceeded, the
dog began to salivate at the sound of the bell. Even when Pavlov stopped presenting
food, the dog still salivated after hearing the sound. Salivation is a natural
biological response to food. There is no natural connection between the sound of
the bell and salivation. Because bell and food repeatedly came together in the
experiment, bell acqu ired the potentiality of evoking salivation. A new learning took
place. In course of the experiment, the dog learnt to associate the response of
salivation to the sound of the bell. The dog had been classically conditioned to
salivate to the bell. Classical conditioning involves establishing a connection
between a stimulus (bell) and a response (salivation), which are not naturally
linked.
Classical Conditioning Procedure
The main features of the classical conditioning procedure are illustrated in
Figure 5.4. A new set of terminology grew with Pavlovian experiment. Consider the
diagram in Figure 5.4. Before conditioning, the bell and the food are unrelated
stimuli. Before conditioning, the bell is considered as a neutral stimulus, because it
has no effect on the response of interest (salivation). It only generates certain
orienting responses on the part of the dog, like pricking of ears and making minor
body movements, Food is considered an Unconditioned Stimulus (UCS), because
it naturally evokes salivation , which is an unlearned behaviour. The salivation
caused by food is not associated with any previous learning. Hence salivation in
response to food is called an Unconditioned Response (UCR).
Figure 5.4b illustrates what happens during conditioning. During
conditioning, the bell is sounded just before the presentation of food. The goal of
conditioning is that the bell should get associated with food and therefore, should
bring about the same kind of response (salivation) as food does. During this phase,
the amount of salivation gradually increases each time the bell is sounded. Finally,
when conditioning is complete, the bell alone is capable of evoking salivation. The
bell, which was initially a neutral stimulus, has now acquired the status of a
Conditioned Stimulus (CS). At this time, salivation in response to bell, the
conditioned stimulus, is considered the Conditioned Response (CR). Salivation to
the bell is a learned response. This situation is depicted in Figure 5.4c. After
conditioning, the CS evokes the CR.
a) Before Conditioning:
Neutral Stimulus Orienting Response
(Sound of Bell) (Pricking of ears and body movement)
(responses not related to food)

Unconditioned Unconditioned
Stimulus (UCS) Response (UCR)
(Food) (Salivation)

b)During Conditioning:
Neutral Stimulus
(Sound of Bell)
Unconditioned
Unconditioned Response (UCR)
Stimulus (UCS) (Salivation)
(Food)

c) After Conditioning :
Conditioned Conditioned
Stimulus (CS) Response (CR)
(Bell) (Salivation)

Figure 5. 4 : Diagram of classical conditioning procedure: (a) Before conditioning,

the sound of the bell does not bring salivation, making the bell a neutral stimulus,
which only brings some orienting responses. The food, the unconditioned stimulus,
naturally brings about salivation, the unconditioned response; (b) During
conditioning, the bell is sounded just before f ood is presented, and the food brings
about salivation; (c) After conditioning, the so und of the bell brings about salivation.
The bell, which was previously a neutral stimulus, now is considered the conditioned
stimulus, to which salivation is conditioned. Salivation is treated as the conditioned
response.

Neutral Stimulus : A stimulus that, before the conditioning, has

no effect on the desired response.
Unconditioned Stimulus (UCS) : A stimulus that naturally evokes a response,
without having been learned (e.g., food in classical conditioning).
Unconditioned Response (UCR) : A response that is natural and is produced by
the UCS without any training (e.g., salivation
at the smell of food).

Conditioned Stimulus (CS) : A once-neutral stimulus, which by being

paired with the UCS brings about a response
that was formerly caused only by the UCS
(e.g., bell evoking salivation).

Conditioned Response (CR) : A response which, after conditioning, is

elicited by the previously neutral stimulus
(e.g., salivation to the bell).
The following are the essential features of any experiment on classical
conditioning.
1. Choose an unconditioned stimulus (UCS) that naturally elicits a
measurable unconditioned response. If the response elicited by the UCS
would not be of measurable quantity, conditioning cannot take place.
Because the UCR cannot be associated with the neutral stimulus, the S -R
relationship would not be established.
2. Choose a neutral stimulus that originally does not evoke the UCR or a
response similar to the UCR. In case the neutral stimulus does so, we would
not know the difference between the CR and the UCR, and therefore, not
know when the conditioning was established.
3. The CS and the UCS must be paired during the course of conditioning. A
time interval of about 0.5 seconds between the CS and the UCS results in
better conditioning. If the CS-UCS interval would be long or both the stimuli
would be separated sufficiently in space, conditioning is less likely to take
place.
4. Finally, the CS must be presented alone to see if it elicits a response similar
to the UCR. If it does not elicit the response, obviously conditioning has not
taken place.
Time-Interval Between CS and UCS
The time gap between the CS and the UCS is an important aspect of
conditioning process. We can vary the time interval between these two stim uli and
generate four types of conditioning procedures as shown in Figure 5.5.
If the CS and the UCS come on at the same time and end at the same time,
the procedure is known as simultaneous conditioning. In delayed conditioning,
the CS is presented a little before the UCS and cont inues along with the UCS for
sometime. The CS ends before the UCS stops. Bell is sounded a few seconds
before food is presented, the bell continues along with food for some time and then
stops before the food is taken away. If the CS starts and stops befor e the UCS is
presented, the procedure is known as trace conditioning. Bell comes first and is
then taken away; then food is presented. In backward conditioning, the UCS is
presented before the CS comes on, but continues for sometime with the CS. The
presentation of CS and UCS is done in a backward manner. Food comes first; after
a while bell comes on.

a. Simultaneous Conditioning : CS (Bell)

UCS (Food)

b. Delayed Conditioning : CS (Bell)

UCS (Food)

c. Trace conditioning : CS (Bell)

UCS (Food)

d. Backward Conditioning : CS (Bell)

UCS (Food)

0 10 20 30 40 50

Figure 5.5 : Classical conditioning procedures based on time- Time (seconds)

interval between the CS and the UCS. (A rise in the line indicates
presentation time of the CS or the UCS)
The procedural variations significantly affect the strength of conditioning.
Conditioning is best when the CS precedes the UCS by about half a second.
Hence delayed conditioning is better than the trace conditioning and both yield
better results compared to the simultaneous conditioning. The backward
conditioning is the worst of all. As the time interval between the CS and the UCS
increases, the strength of conditioning declines .
How do we make sense of these facts? Pavlov suggested that CS serves a
signaling function. The CS signals that UCS is to come, and hence the organism is
prepared to receive the UCS. The signaling func tion of the CS is best served in the
delayed and trace procedures, but not in simultaneous and backward procedures. It
is clear that in classical conditioning the organism learns something about the
relationship between the two stimuli. Hence some theorist s regard classical
conditioning as a stimulus-stimulus (S-S) type of learning.
Basic Processes in Classical Conditioning
Classical conditioning represents an extremely simple form of learning.
Since it is very elementary, classical conditioning is regarded as the building block
of all forms of learning form simple to the most complex. Some of the basic
processes involved in classical conditioning are discussed below.
Acquisition
Each paired presentation of the CS and the UCS is called a trial. The period
in which the organism learns the association between the CS and the UCS is
the acquisition phase. W ith each passing trial, the CS becomes potentially
stronger to elicit the CR. Panel in Figure 5.6 shows the acquisition phase of a
hypothetical experiment. Presenting UCS with the CS during the acquisition phase
is a critical operation in classical conditioning. The UCS serves as a reinforcer, as
it reinforces the connection. Trials on which UCS occurs are called reinforced
trials; trials on which UCS is omitted are called un-reinforced trials. It may be
seen in the panel of Figure 5.6 that at the beginning trials of the acquisition phase,
the strength of CR increases rapidly. As the reinforced trials continue, the strength
of CR increases but not as rap idly as it used to be in the beginning trials. The
curve of acquisition is negatively accelerated .
HighLow
(a) Acquisition c)
(b) Extinction Rest Spontaneous
(CS + UCS) (CS alone) Period Recovery
(CS alone)

Low
Figure 5. 6: The strength of CR during acquisition, extinction, and spontaneous recovery: (a) During
acquisition, when the CS and the UCS are paired, the strength of the CR increases rapidly; (b) During
extinction, when the CS is presented alone without UCS following the CS, the strength of CR drops to
zero; (c) After a rest period, the CR partially reappears, even when CS is presented alone, without UCS
following it. The reappearance of the CR is called spontaneous recovery, which also drops to zero if CS is
repeatedly presented without the UCS.

The rate of acquisition during the reinforced trials depends on several factors. The
important factors are (a) the time-interval between the CS and the UCS , (b) the
intensity of the CS, (c) the intensity of the UCS, and (d) the reliability of the CS in
predicting the onset of the UCS .
The strength of acquisition is known from several measures: (a) rate of
responding- the organism responds at a rapid rate, (b) response magnitude- the
amount of CR increases, (c) latency - the time gap between the presentation of the
CS and the occurrence of the CR decreases, and (d) resistance to extinction- the
CR persists for a long period of time in response to the CS, in the absence of the
UCS.
Extinction
If CS is repeated without the UCS, the CR weakens gradually, and then
disappears. The disappearance of the CR because of non -reinforcement is
called extinction, or experimental extinction. Figure 5.6b shows the extinction
phase of a hypothetical experiment . In Pavlovian experiment, if the bell is
presented time and
again without food (reinforcement), the amount of salivation becomes less and
less, and finally disappears. Salivation that was conditioned to bell is extinguished.
It suggests that once a CR is acquired, it does not stay with the organism forever.
When the reinforcement is withdrawn, the CR fails to appear.
Extinction is not forgetting. When the CR drops to zero at the end of the
extinction session (Figure 5.6b), it does not mean that the organism has forgotten
the response. The CR is only temporarily suppressed because after a rest period, a
part of the CR reappears.
Spontaneous Recovery
Reappearance of an extinguished CR after a rest period is known as
spontaneous recovery. The CR is partially recovered after a rest period. Figure

Phase Trial CS and UCS presentation Effect

Acquisition 1 CS + UCS UCR
(Bell + (Foods)
2 CS + UCS UCR

16 CS + UCS UCR
17 CS CR
(Bell) (Salivation)
Extinction 1 CS CR
(Bell) (Salivation)
2 CS CR (reduced)

9 CS No CR
(Bell) (No Salivation)
Spontaneous 1 CS CR
Recovery (Bell) (Some Salivation)
2 CS CR

5 CS No CR
(Bell) (No Salivation)
Figure 5.7 : A schematic presentation of the sequence of acquisition, extinction, and spontaneous
recovery.
5.6c shows the phase of spontaneous recovery of a hypothetical experiment. In
Pavlovian experiment after the salivation response was extinguished, the dog was
given a rest period for half -an-hour. After the rest period, bell (CS) was presented
without food (UCS), following it. Some amount of salivation to bell suddenly
reappeared. If the response is successively extinguished when it reappears,
spontaneous recovery diminishes. Finally, the CR fails to be shown even following
the rest period. This is known as permanent extinction.
A schematic presentation of the sequence of acquisition, extinction and
spontaneous recovery is given in Figure 5.7
Stimulus Generalization
Once a CR has been conditioned to a particular CS, stimuli similar to the CS
may also elicit the response, even if these stimuli have never been paired with the
UCS. If conditioning has been established to a high frequency tone, a lower
frequency tone may elicit the CR. This automatic extension of CR to similar
stimuli that have never been associated with the UCS is called stimulus
generalization. A child bitten by a big dog is likely to be afraid of smaller dogs, or
all furry animals. The greater is the similarity between the new stimulus and the
CS, the greater the degree of generalization. As the stimuli become more and more
dissimilar, the intensity of the CR successively diminishes, thus giving rise to a
generalization gradient. Figure 5. 8 shows the stimulus generalization gradient of
a hypothetical experiment.
The phenomenon of stimulus generalization has a highly functionally
adaptive value as it extends the range of learning beyond the original specific
experience. Because of stimulus generalization, a person learns to respond to
similar events in similar ways. If we do not generalize our learning to new, yet
similar situations, the world would still remain as a booming buzzing confusion.
Stimulus Discrimination
Discrimination is a process complementary to generalization. Whereas
generalization is reaction to similarities, discrimination is reaction to
differences. Discrimination is a process by which an organism learns to
respond in one way to a particular stimul us, and in another way to a different
stimulus. Discrimination is established by reinforcing a response to one stimulus
and not to another.
 High

Strenth of CR

Low
-- 3 -- 2 -- 1 0 +1 +2 +3

Stimuli

Figure 5. 8: Stimulus generalization gradient for a hypothetical experiment. Stimulus ‘0’

denotes the CS to which the organism was conditioned. Stimuli +1, +2, and +3 represent
stimuli of higher intensity. Stimuli -1, -2, and -3 represent stimuli of lesser intensity T he
amount of generalization decreases as the difference between the test -stimulus and the
CS increases thus giving rise to a stimulus generalization gradient .

In an experiment conducted by Pavlov, the dog was conditioned to salivate to a

specific tone. The CR generalized to a second tone similar in characteristics to the
first one. Then a new experimental procedure began. The first tone (CS) and the
second tone (new stimulus) were presented on alternate trials. The first tone was
followed by food (reinf orcement), and the second was never followed by food (no
reinforcement). As a result, the CR to the first tone was maintained, and the
generalized response to the second tone underwent extinction. The dog learned to
salivate to the first tone and to withho ld salivation to the second tone. The dog
discriminated between the two stimuli because of differential reinforcement.
Discrimination training is a combination of conditioning and extinction
techniques.
Discrimination, like generalization has an adaptive significance. Too much
generalization is being over -responsive, while too much discrimination is
being
over-selective. The balancing act between these two counter -acting
tendencies results in optimum adaptation . Ideally, conditioning is a process in
which discrimination ultimately wins over generalization.

External Inhibition

In course of his experiment, Pavlov observed that if a new stimulus is

presented along with the CS during the acquisition phase, the strength of CR is
reduced. As the conditioning was in progress, Pavlov presented a sudden flash of
light along with bell (CS) and found that the amount of salivation decreased. The
decrement in CR because of the sudden appearance of a novel stimulus along
with the CS in the acquisition phase is known as external inhibition . The novel
stimulus is the external inhibitor.

Higher-order Conditioning

A conditioned stimulus, after having acquired the ability to elicit CR

may be used as a UCS for further conditioning. This phenomenon is called
higher order conditioning.

In one experiment, Pavlov fist conditioned a dog to salivate to the beat of a metronome with
meat powder as the UCS. This was first-order conditioning. The metronome beat acquired reinforcing
properties and became capable of evoking CR. In the next phase, Pavlov presented the animal with a
black square followed by the metronome beat but without food. Eventually, the sight of the black
square produced salivation. Thus a second order conditioning was established. In this manner, Pavlov
succeeded in establishing third order conditioning but only when unpleasant stimuli like electric shock
was used as the UCS. Food is a primary reinforcer. The metronome beat, by being associated with food
acquired some reinforcing properties. The metronome beat is regarded as the secondary reinforcer.
In most cases, higher order conditionin g is fairly weak. The CR in second -
order conditioning was about half the strength of the first -order one. Third order
conditioning was difficult to establish, while fourth -order conditioning was
impossible altogether.
What is Learned During Classical Co nditioning?
Stimulus-stimulus connection
Pavlov explained classical conditioning in terms of stimulus substitution.
During conditioning, the CS and the UCS are connected together (stimulus -stimulus
connection), so that the animal responds to the CS just a s it does to the UCS. CS
really comes to substitute for the UCS . Pavlov believed that when CS and UCS
are paired consistently, the center in the brain corresponding to the CS is excited
and finally stimulates the center normally aroused by the UCS. The con nection
between CS and the UCS is established in a mechanical, unthinking, and
involuntary way. The animal plays a passive role.
Pavlov‟s explanation does not include any aspect of thinking,
expectation or cognition on the part of the animal . His explanation has
weaknesses. If the animal responds to the CS just as it does to the UCS, then the
CR and the UCR should be identical. This is not the case because salivation to
food (UCR) is richer and thicker than salivation to bell (CR). Other aspects of
behaviour to the CS and the UCS are different. Given food, the animal leans
forward for the food; given the CS the animal looks as it is expecting the UCS.
Thus CR prepares the organism, while UCR actually performs the task for which
the organism is prepared. It is thus doubtful that CS becomes a substitute for the
UCS. Pavlov‟s explanations were not acceptable to contemporary psychologists.
Stimulus-Stimulus Expectancy
The contemporary psychologists (Kamin, 1969; Rescorla & Wagner, 1972)
offered cognitive explan ations for classical conditioning. What is acquired in
classical conditioning is expectancy. Given the CS, the organism expects that the
UCS would come. Instead of working as a substitute for the UCS, the CS
signals that UCS would come . Hence the CR and the UCR would not be exactly
the same.
The CS serves as a sign for the UCS. The signal value of the CS depends on
its information value or predictability for the UCS . If the CS contains information
regarding the oncoming of the UCS, it has a predictive power. The animal would
treat CS as a sign for the UCS and would respond accordingly. When CS and UCS
are randomly paired, CS does not contain information about the UCS and hence
conditioning would hardly take place. The phenomenon of blocking lends support
to the notion of S-S expectancy. Suppose a dog is conditioned to tone (CS) with
food as the UCS. Further conditioning is done by adding light as a second CS to
the tone. If classical conditioning happens because of repeated pairings of the CS
and the UCS, then light, as the CS should evoke salivation, when presented alone.
In fact, this does not happen. Why? Because the food was already predicted by the
tone as the first CS. Light as the new CS did not provide any additional
information. Thus in the presence of light, the organism did not expect that the
UCS would come.
The cognitive perspective has also weaknesses. Contemporary theorists
believe that classical conditioning involves more than forming simple associations.
They believe that cond itioning involves rich mental imagery and processing of
information with regard to physical setting, context, and complexity of the situation
(Rescorla, 1988).
Applying Conditioning Principles to Human Behaviour
Pavlov‟s conditioning with food is an example of appetitive conditioning,
where UCS has a positive value for the organism. However, classical conditioning
can also take place using painful UCS, such as electric shock. The organism
reflexively avoids the painful UCS, and the avoid ance response can be conditioned
to a neutral stimulus (CS). Because of classical conditioning, we jerk our hands
away before they are burned by fire, and we move out of the way of a rapidly
approaching truck. We learn the language and emotional reactions through
classical conditioning. This simplest form of learning describes many forms of
human learning, and carries a great deal of survival value for the individual.
Classical conditioning plays a key role in most of our
emotional behaviours, particularly in the acquisition of
fear. Phobias are irrational fears, which many
psychologists believe, are caused by classical conditioning.
Watson and Rayner, in 1920, conducted an experiment to
induce fear of white rats in a little boy named Albert.
Initially Albert was not afraid of white rats. He was given a
white rat to play with. As he played with it, a loud noise was
sounded behind his head. After only seven
John B. Watson
pairings of loud noise (DCS) with white rat (CS), Albert began fearing (CR) the
white rat. Albert‟s fear soon generalized to a rabbit, to dogs and to white furry
objects. (It is now considered unethical to conduct such experiments). Probably
this phobia (irrationa l fear) remained with Albert. Watson did not take any steps to
remove this fear. Watson is criticized for this unethical experimentation.
Watson explained the acquisition of phobia as a case of classical
conditioning. In recent years, however, an alternat ive explanation has emerged.
The alternative explanation is based on observational learning. It suggests that
phobia results from observing another individual‟s behaviour to a fearful object. For
example, a young boy develops fear for dogs because he obser ves another child
being scared of or bitten by a dog. A person reads about someone being afraid of
high places and then develops the fear himself. Still then psychologists believe that
there is a classical conditioning component (e.g., memory and imagery) in
observational learning.
Classical conditioning is practically useful in reducing and eliminating fears.
Counterconditioning is helpful for reducing fears. In counter conditioning, the
conditioned response of fear is weakened as the fear -provoking stimuli are
conditioned to a new response incompatible with the CR (fear). Different forms of
counterconditioning are: implosive therapy, flooding, systematic desensitization,
and aversion therapy.
In implosive therapy, a person suffering from phobia, such as fear of public
speaking, is asked to imagine the fearsome situation (CS), while the psychologist
assures him that nothing terrible will happen (no UCS). After experiencing the
situation in this way without any negative consequences, the person tends to
become less fearful (extinction of the CR). The images and thoughts of fearsome
situation gradually lose their capacity to elicit emotional reactions.
In flooding, a person suffering from phobia, such as fear for high places, is
forced to confront the fear-eliciting stimulus without any avenue for escape. For
example, the therapist would help the person to walk onto a high place and would
keep him there for a while under his careful supervision. Because the person does
not experience any harm, he may eventual ly become less fearful of heights. His
conditioned response of fear is gradually extinguished.
In cases, where the fear-provoking thoughts or stimuli are too painful to deal with
directly (the person may faint), the procedure of systematic desensitization is
followed. It is a progressive technique designed to replace fear with a relaxation
response. The person is asked to set up a hierarchy of fearful stimuli. Then he is
asked to imagine the least fearful stimulus situation while simultaneou sly relaxing.
It continues until the person imagines the most fearful stimulus while at the same
time learning to relax. The basic assumption is that fear and relaxation are
incompatible. Hence, as relaxation is strengthened, fear is weakened (Wolpe,
1961).
In systematic desensitization, an attempt is made to establish a positive
CR (e.g., relaxation) in place of a negative one (e.g., fear). In aversion therapy, a
negative emotional reaction is established in place of a positive one. For example a
person who abuses alcohol or any other drug (CS) may be given an emetic (an
UCS that induces vomiting, the UCR) so that each time he takes alcohol, he
vomits. Gradually he learns to hate alcohol. Aversion therapy consists of
establishing a negative CR (e.g., vomit ing) in place of a positive one (e.g.,
satisfaction resulting from taking alcohol). This technique is useful in treating drug -
addicts.
Thus, classical conditioning not only explains many forms of human learning,
it also has many practical uses in reducing and eliminating unpleasant emotional
reactions and treating the drug addicts.

Operant Conditioning
Classical conditioning is one of the two main forms of simple learning. The
other is instrumental conditioning, which is also known as operant conditioning.
When a dog responds (e.g., sitting) to the commands of its master to get some
biscuits (reinforcement), the dog has learnt an instrumental response. As a
consequence of its response, the dog is rewarded. In other words, dog‟s response
was instrumental in fetching a sought after reward.
On the face of it, there are many similarities between this form of learning
and classical conditioning. Compare the example above with Pavlov‟s dog that has
learnt to salivate to bell. In both cases we have a stimulus, wh ich determines
whether a response is to be made (the bell and the command of the master). In
both cases, response occurs more frequently with training (salivation and sitting in
response to
the command of the master). Finally, in both cases, we have reinforcement, which
maintains a response (meat powder and dog biscuits).
Despite these similarities, there are also important differences. In
instrumental conditioning, reinforcement is given only when the response is made.
But in classical conditioning, the UCS is presented irrespective of what the animal
does. In classical conditioning the UCS evokes or elicits a natural biological
response, on which the organism has little control. But in instrumental learning, the
animal emits a voluntary response, which is either strengthened or weakened
depending on its positive or negative consequences. Furthermore, in Pavlovian
conditioning, the organism learns the relation between two stimuli, the CS and the
UCS. Pavlov has called it S-S learning. In instrumental learning, the animal has to
learn the connection between a stimulus and a response, which is an S-R type of
learning. The organism performs deliberately to produce a desirable outcome. The
term „operant‟ emphasizes this point. The organism operates on it s environment to
produce some desirable result. Hence, instrumental conditioning is also known as
operant conditioning. The similarities and differences between classical and
operant conditioning would be discussed in greater detail later. We now turn to
early research on the behaviour of cats and rats.
The experimental study of instrumental conditioning began a decade before Pavlov. While
Pavlov was studying dogs in Russia, Edward L. Thorndike (1874-1949), an American psychologist was
studying cats in puzzle boxes. His brilliant doctoral dissertation on ‘Animal Intelligence’ gave American
psychology the theory of trial-and error learning and the ‘Law of Effect’. His theory has been discussed in
detail earlier.
Thorndike put a hungry cat inside a puzzle box, and a piece of fish outside.
To escape from the box, the cat had to learn how to open the latch inside the box.
At first the cat made a number of ineffective responses. Accidentally, while moving
inside the box, the cat happened to pull the loop that opened the door, allowing the
cat to come outside and eat the food. The cat was returned to the box. It then
made random movements until it pulled the loop for the door to open. On
subsequent trials, the cat made fewer and fewer random movements, and more and
more correct responses leading to the goal. W ith increasing trials, errors reduced
and the correct response was learned.
Thorndike developed the Law of Effect, which states that behaviours followed
by positive outcomes are strengthened and behav iours followed by negative
outcomes are weakened. It is called Law of Effect, because whether a response
would be strengthened or weakened depends upon the effect such a response
produces. Thorndike believed that the law of effect operates naturally and
automatically as leaves fall off a tree during autumn or as animals breathe to live.
Through trial and experience, the animal makes a direct connection between the
stimulus (total stimulus situation inside the puzzle box) and the response (motor
reaction of pulling the loop). The organism learns an S -R connection.
Thorndike‟s early research provided the foundation for the advanced work on
instrumental conditioning by one of the century‟s most influential psychologist, B.F.
Skinner.
Skinner‟s Experiment
B.F. Skinner (1904-1990) is regarded as one of the most influential
psychologists of the twentieth century. He began his experiments on operant
conditioning in the 1930s. Thorndike‟s „puzzle box‟ allowed
the cat to learn the S -R connection in successive discrete
trials. Skinner wanted a better control over the learning
situation, which allowed the organism to freely operate in its
environment. To do all this, he invented Skinner Box, which
is also called the operant chamber (Figure 5.9) There is a
device in the box which can deliver food pellets into a tray at
random. Inside the box, there is a lever which when pressed
activates the device for delivering food pellets. A hungry rat
is left inside the box. The rat exhibits random activities whil e B.F. Skinner
exploring the box. Accidentally the rat presses the lever and
a pellet of food is delivered. The first time it happens, the rat does not learn the
connection between the response of lever pressing and food pellets. Sooner or
later, the rat learns that the consequence of lever pressing is positive; lever
pressing brings food.
 Food pellet reservoir

Stimulus light

Lever

Food
container

Figure 5.9 : A Skinner Box used to study operant conditioning (often called an operant chamber)

The experimenter counts the number of lever presses. The number of responses
within a particular unit of time is called the rate of response. Skinner used the rate
of response as a measure of learning. The rate of response is recorded and
graphically shown by a cumulative recorder.
As rats are trained to press a lever, pigeons are trained to peck at a „key‟ to
produce positive consequence (Figure 5.10). Pecking the „ke y‟ activates the
mechanism of food delivery, which serves as a positive reinforcement. Since lever
pressing and „key‟ pecking responses are positively reinforced, they increase in
frequency. The basic principle in operant conditioning is that the probabili ty of
occurrence of a particular response depends on the consequence of the response.
The basic processes of classical conditioning that were discussed earlier
holds good for the instrumental conditioning. After the rat has learnt to press the
lever, we may dissociate food delivery (positive reinforcement) from the lever
pressing response. If the rat now presses the lever, but does not get food, the
response rate would gradually decrease, and finally disappear. The disappearance
of response because of non -reinforcement is extinction. If a rest period is given,
the response will reappear
 Figure 5.10 : A key-pecking apparatus for pigeons. The pigeon is reinforced for pecking the key

with a lowered strength, which is known as spontaneous reco very. Similarly the
phenomena of generalization and discrimination are also observed in operant
conditioning.
Strengthening or Weakening the Response Probability
The probability of a response depends on the consequence that follows it.
Psychologists generally agree that these probabilities are determined by four basic
procedures, two of which strengthen the rate of response, and two of which
weaken the response. Procedures that strengthen behaviours or responses are
termed reinforcement, while those that suppress behaviours are termed
punishment.
The stimulus event, which increases the probability that behaviour will
reoccur, is called a reinforcer (or reward). The impact or consequence generated
by a reinforcer is called reinforcement. By contrast, the punisher is a stimulus
event that decreases the probability that behaviour will reoccur. The impact of
punisher is punishment. If someone smiles at you, when you are talking with him,
you continue the talk, because smile has reinforced your talking response.
However, if someone frowns at you while talking, you discontinue the talk, because
frowning has punished your talking with the individual.
Organism obtains reinforcement in two ways: (a) by obtaining a pleasant
stimulus, and (b) by avoiding a painful stimulus. There are two types of
reinforcement, positive reinforcement and negative reinforcement. In positive
reinforcement, the probability of a response increases, because it is followed by a
pleasant stimulus. In negative reinforcement, the response probability increases,
because the response removes an unpleasant stimulus. When you continue talking
with a person because h e smiles at you, it is an example of positive reinforcement.
We close doors and windows to prevent loud noise outside, which is an unpleasant
aversive stimulus. This is an example of negative reinforcement. If a father
constantly nags at the son to clean h is own room, the son gets tired of father‟s
nagging and cleans the room. The response (cleaning the room) removed the
unpleasant stimulus (father‟s nagging). Torturing the criminals also works the same
way. The policemen inflict torture (an aversive stimul us) on the criminal to extract
truth. The criminal is more likely to tell the truth so as to avoid the unpleasant
stimulus. These are examples of negative reinforcement.
To repeat, the positive and negative reinforcements are procedures that
increase or strengthen behaviours. In contrast, the two procedures that decrease
or weaken the behaviours are punishment and omission training. Punishers are
aversive stimulus events, which follow a response and therefore weaken that
response. Punishment refers to the impact of punishers. Punishment is more likely
to be confused with negative reinforcement since both involve an aversive stimulus
that the individual likes to avoid or escape from. Remember that negative
reinforcement increases the response probability whe reas punishment
decreases the response probability . When an alcoholic takes liquor to reduce an
uncomfortable experience, the rate of drinking behaviour is increased. Reduction of
uncomfortable experience is a negative reinforcer. But if drinking behaviour results
in a harmful accident, the rate of drinking behaviour decreases. Meeting an
accident is a punisher. Table 5.1 provides an overview of the distinctions between
positive reinforcement, negative reinforcement, punishment and omission training.
Omission training is the term used to describe the weakening of a response
because something pleasurable is removed/terminated. Parents sometimes
withdraw the privileges from the teenagers to decrease the rate of their undesirable
behaviours.
For example, parents do not provide access to the family vehicle, when children
spend longer time with their friends outside at the cost of their study. The basic
aspects of omission training are summarized in Table 5.1.
Table 5.1: Positive Reinforcement, Negative Reinforcement, Punishment and Omission
Training.
Process Type of Effects on Behavioral Example

Stimulus Response outcome

1) (2) (3) (4) (5)

Positive Pleasant Strengthens Organism learns An individual
invests more
Reinforcement (e.g., food, to show responses money in
business after
pleasure, praise) that produce
making a good
positive deal of profit.
reinforcement.

Negative Unpleasant / Strengthens Organism learns Father rebukes

to show responses you for not
Reinforcement Aversive (e.g., that help him to keeping the
escape from room clean.
electric shock,
negative You clean it
rebuke, too reinforcers. to avoid father’s
anger and
much cold) rebuke.
Punishment Unpleasant / Weakens Organism learns An individual
to suppress the d does not invest
Aversive response to avoid money in
unpleasant business after
consequences meeting frequent
losses.
Omission Pleasant Weakens Organism learns The teenager
to reduces the time
Training suppress the spent with his
response that friends to avail /
leads to the access the family
removal of vehicle during
pleasant holidays.
consequences.
Operant Conditioning: Some Basic Aspects
The important features that determine the effectiveness of operant
conditioning in controlling behaviour are: (a) time interval, (b) shaping and
chaining, (c) primary and secondary reinforcement , (d) schedules of reinforcement ,
and (e) phenomena of extinction, generalization and discrimination. We shall
consider each of these features.
Time Interval
As with classical cond itioning, the time interval between the response and
the stimulus should be short rather than long. Shorter the interval between the
response and its consequence (the stimulus event), the more efficient is operant
learning. If the reinforcement/punishment immediately follows the response,
learning is more quick and efficient. Delayed reinforcement/ punishment retards
learning. But, why? Because delay in consequence allows other responses to occur
during the same period and are likely to be reinforced at the cost of our target
response.
Shaping and Chaining
The lever-pressing response by the rat and the pecking response by the
pigeons are very simple responses that these animals naturally emit. But how can
behaviours (e.g., the monkey riding a bicycle in the circus) that are not
spontaneously emitted be learned? They are learned by a process termed as
„shaping‟. Shaping is based on the principle that a little learning can lead to
final mastery. In shaping, each small step that the organism makes to reach the
goal is reinforced, rather than only the final response. This is done by the method
of successive approximations. At first, actions that are faintly similar to the
target behaviour are reinforced. The organism learns to show responses that
closely approximate the target behaviour. When a baby child emits the sound
„mmmuuhh‟, the parents immediately pour out affection on the child. Initially, the
family attends enthusiastically to any sound that the child makes. Gradually, they
only respond to and reinforce the child‟s utterances that closely resemble the
actual words. Shaping involves constructing a complex behaviour by the method of
successive approximations.
To reach a complex sequence of behaviours, shaping is combined with
„chaining‟. In chaining, the trainer establishes a chain of responses, the last
of which leads to reward. After the last response is learned, the next -to-last one
is
reinforced and so on. Shaping and chaining have important implications for human
behaviour.
Animal trainers use both shaping and chaining to teach complex chains of
behaviour to animals. Two psychologists, Keller and Breland used shaping and
chaining to teach pigs deposit silver coins into a „piggy‟ bank, and chickens to
distribute prizes to waiting customers. But ho w long these tricks work? There are
biological constraints on instrumental conditioning. For Keller and Breland, as time
went on, the pigs began to throw coins into the ground instead of making deposits
in the „piggy‟ bank. The animals returned to their na tural form of behaviour, which
Breland termed as instinctive drift. W hile the power of reinforcers and punishers
are great, natural tendencies are also important in influencing the course of
operant conditioning.
Primary and Secondary Reinforcement
Positive reinforcement can be primary or secondary (conditioned)
reinforcement. The primary reinforcers satisfy our innate biological need . The
organism does not require training to respond to them. Examples are food for the
hungry, water for the thirsty, sexual satisfaction for the adolescent.
Secondary reinforcers acquire their capacity to work as positive
reinforcers by being associated with the primary reinforcer . They are also
called conditioned reinforcers as their reinforcing status is established through
conditioning. Examples are social reinforcers such as praise, smiles, welcome
message, money etc. When a dancer is praised or given Rs.1000 for her excellent
performance, the probability that she will dance well in future is increased. Money
often is referred to as a token reinforcer, because money can be exchanged for
food, which has biologically reinforcing value.
Both primary and secondary reinforcers for one person in one situation may
not act as a reinforcer for another person in another context. For example, food will
serve as positive reinforcer when you are hungry, but not when you are sick or
have taken a large meal. Rupees 1000 for an amateur dancer may serve as a
secondary reinforcer, but not for an accomplished artist. Thus, the reinforcing val ue
of a stimulus has to be judged with reference to the individual and the context of its
application. Stimuli, in and of them do not carry reinforcing value.
Schedules of Reinforcement
In most of life‟s experiences, we are not reinforced every time we make the
response. For example, a smile may not evoke a smile in others always; a
footballer does not win every tournament he enters into; a student is not patted at
the back every time he receives Grade A. In many real life instances, reinforcement
comes on and goes off unpredictably. In many other instances, reinforcements are
delivered according to rules. We receive salary every month and the new vehicles
receive free service according to rules. How do these rules - known as schedules
of reinforcement - affect behaviour?
The reinforcement may be continuous in which every occurrence of
behaviour is reinforced. This simplest form of reinforcement delivery is termed a
continuous reinforcement schedule or CRF. If a rat receives a food pellet every
time it presses the lever, it is on a continuous reinforcement schedule.
Other type of schedule is called partial reinforcement (intermittent
reinforcement) schedule. In partial reinforcement, response is not rewarded every
time it occurs. This schedule is more important in maintaining learnt behaviours.
Once a response is learned under partial reinforcement schedules, it takes longer
to be extinguished. The four types of parti al reinforcement schedules are: fixed-
interval, variable-interval, fixed-ratio and variable-ratio.
In the fixed-interval schedule, the organism is rewarded for the first
response occurring after a fixed interval of time. The rat can be rewarded for the
first lever pressing response occurring after one -minute interval. In such cases, the
organism responds at a low rate immediately after the delivery of the reinforcement
but then gradually responds more and more as the time for next reward
approaches. Students increase their study hours as the examination approaches,
and very little study takes place after the examination is over. This is an example
of behaviour on a fixed -interval schedule.
In the variable-interval schedule, the organism is rewarded after a variable
amount of time has elapsed. The rat gets the first food pellet after 2 minutes, the
next one after 5 minutes, the third one after 3 minutes and so on. The organism
responds at a steady rate in the variable interval schedule as reinforcement may
come any
time. Gambling behaviour is maintained by a variable interval schedule. Employees
engage in steady work when they know that their supervisor checks their work at
irregular intervals. Players and athletes refrain from taking drugs, because they do
not know when the next drug test will occur.
The fixed-ratio schedule delivers reinforcement only after a fixed number of responses.
The organism is rewarded for the every n th response it makes. This schedule yields a high
response rate, though there is a brief pause after each reinforcement. Pauses occur as the
organism takes a little rest period after hard work. People, who collect bottles, newspapers,
cans, polythene etc., work on a fixed-ratio basis.
The variable-ratio schedule is in operation , when organism is rewarded
after variable number of responses. The rat may be rewarded the first time after 5
responses, the second time after 9 responses, the third time after 3 responses and
so on. Variable-ratio schedule produces high and steady respon se rate. Gambling
is learned and maintained through variable ratio schedule. These behaviours are
highly resistant to extinction
The interval schedules are related to time interval, while ratio schedules are
based on the number of responses. Both interval and ratio schedules may be fixed
or variable. Table 5.2 summarizes the four partial reinforcement schedules.
Table 5.2. Four Partial Reinforcement Schedules
Time Interval Number of responses
(Interval) (Ratio)
Predictable Fixed-Interval Fixed-Ratio
(fixed) Low response rate High response rate with brief
after each reinforcement pauses after each
reinforcement
Unpredictable Variable-Interval Variable-Ratio
(Variable) Steady response rate High and steady
response rate
Different schedules of reinforcement produce distinct patterns of responding (see Figure
5.11). The steeper the slope of the curve, the higher is the response rate. The small lines signify
the occurrence of reinforcement.
 1000
Cumulative number of responses

750

500

250

0 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80

Time (in minutes)

Figure 5.11 Performance curves produced by four schedules of
reinforcement

Extinction, Generalization and Discrimination

As with classical conditioning, the operant response also undergoes
extinction, when reinforcement no longer follows the response. If reinforcement is
no longer given after the rat has learnt the lever pressing response, the tendency
to press the lever gradually weakens. Over a period of time, the response
extinguishes and is not shown. Following a rest period after extinction,
spontaneous recovery takes place.
Once the response is acquired to a particular stimulus, the organism shows
a similar response to a similar stimulus. Pigeons were reinforced for pecking at the
disc of a particular color. These pigeons also pecked at the discs that are close in
color to the original disc. This phenomenon is known as generalization. In operant
conditioning, discrimination is the process of responding in the presence of one
stimulus and not responding in its absence or in the presence of another stimulus.
After the rat has learnt to press the lev er, suppose a light is turned on. The rat is
rewarded when it presses the lever in the presence of light and the lever pressing
response is not
rewarded in the absence of light. Here light is the signal that tells whether lever
pressing will bring reward or not. Light is the discriminative stimulus. The rat
learns to discriminate between the presence of light and other stimulus conditions.
As a consequence, it responds when the light is on, and does not respond when
light is absent and other stimuli are p resent. This is discrimination learning. The
light signal serves as a stimulus to control the behaviour of the rat. In other words,
rat‟s behaviour comes under the stimulus control of light. Teenagers show
disciplined behaviours in the presence of their pa rents. Students study hard, when
the teacher is present. Parents and teachers are discriminative stimuli. The
behaviours of the teenagers and students have come under the stimulus control of
their parents and teachers respectively. Discrimination learning accounts for great
many life experiences representing complex human behaviour.
How does Reinforcement Work in Operant Conditioning?
Skinner‟s View: Reinforcement Theory
Skinner advocates a behaviorist point of view, which he terms as
experimental analysis of behaviour. For Skinner what are important are the
responses and the role of reinforcement in shaping the responses. He does not
admit any role of cognition in operant conditioning. If we understand the nature of
reinforcers, and the schedule on which t hey are given, we can accurately predict
behaviour. The internal state of the organism, its belief, expectancies or
anticipations is in no way involved in operant conditioning.
Cognitive Perspective
The cognitive theorists believe that operant conditionin g involves purposeful
understanding of the situation rather than the automatic reinforcement of specific
responses.
A common observation suggests that students who read to receive good
grades in the examination learn by rote, show poor conceptual clarity, show less
interest in reading, and forget quickly after the examination is over. For these
students the motivation to read is external. Their action is a consequence of
external motivation. Those who read for the fun of it, because they like doing so
are internally motivated. They learn better, show better conceptual clarity and
retain the material for a longer
period of time. Thus reinforcement in the form of getting a good grade works less
effectively compared to intrinsic motivation of the learner. The presence of an
external reward always in a learning situation may damage the intrinsic motivation
of the learner. The internal belief and expectations are crucial factors in
determining the effects of reward.
The cognitive theorists view learning as an active organizing of
information in accordance with learner‟s goals . The role of reward is to confirm
the learner‟s expectations for reaching a goal. If the reinforcer does not satisfy the
organism‟s expectation, it loses its reinforcing val ue. Cognitive theorists cite a
number of evidences in support of their view.
Tolman considered himself a behaviorist. Yet he believed that the learner
has a purpose in performing responses. The organism learns by being exposed to
the environment, even if its responses do not bring reinforcement. In a classic
experiment Tolman allowed rats to run through a maze several times a day without
receiving any reward. When reward was later given to the rats on the eleventh day,
they learnt very quickly. It suggests that rats learnt something during the first ten
days even in the absence of reward. This is called latent learning. The learning
was latent and manifested when reinforcement was given. Tolman theorized that
the rats formed a cognitive map, or in other wards a mental
representation of the maze.
Tolmans‟ experiment on place learning adds further
support to the cognitive view. He showed that rats learn to
approach the place where food is kept even if they are left at
different directions from the „food‟ box. They just do not learn
a series of left-turn and right-turn responses to reach the box
where food is kept. In other words, rats form a cognitive map Edward C. Tolman
of the maze, and use their understanding to execute
responses.
The third evidence co mes from studies on contrast effect. W hen rats are
shifted from a smaller reward to a larger reward, performance level increases
rapidly. This is positive contrast effect. Conversely, when they are shifted from a
larger reward to a smaller reward, their pe rformance sharply declines, reaching a
level lower than
that of animals receiving only smaller reward - a negative contrast effect. It appears
that, it is not just the level of rewards, but also the evaluation of the reward value
that determines animal‟s responses. Salary for the employees is a reward. When
there is an unexpected fall in the salary, performance sharply declines.
The cognitive theorists, thus, view instrumental learning as a matter of
forming mental representations and expecting positive consequences for the
behaviour.

Applications of Operant Conditioning

It is not only that we learn many behaviours through operant conditioning, we
can also eliminate or modify unacceptable behaviours using operant procedure.
Most of the maladaptive behaviours are learned with the assistance of
reinforcement, either visible or invisible. A child throws temper tantrums when his
needs are not immediately satisfied. An adolescent girl and her parents have
intense arguments. A preschool child repeatedly throws glas s and breaks them. A
child wets his bed during night. All these maladaptive behaviours are learnt, and
can therefore be modified using techniques of classical and operant conditioning.
The process of modifying these behaviours is called behaviour modificat ion,
which emphasizes changing behaviour by reinforcing desired target behaviours. In
clinical psychology, behaviour modification is usually referred to as behaviour
therapy.
Behaviour modification intends to replace unacceptable and maladaptive
responses with adaptive ones. A child throws temper tantrums or a preschool child
throws glasses as a means of inviting adult attention. Their behaviours may be
receiving too much attention from parents and teachers. In such cases, parents
and teachers should remove attention (withdrawal of reinforcement ) form the
undesirable behaviours and transfer it to more adaptive behaviours such as
roaming quietly or playing cooperatively with the peers. The intense arguments
between the adolescent and the parents can be reduc ed by asking both to sign a
behavioral contract, which stresses on reinforcing only adaptive interactions
between both. The bed-wetting behaviour can be treated through shaping using the
method of successive approximations .
Earlier it was believed that vo luntary responses could only be conditioned
through operant procedure. Involuntary behaviours such as blood pressure, pulse
rate, muscle tension can also be controlled by operant conditioning through
biofeedback. In biofeedback, the individual is gi ven information about his bodily
processes so that they can change. For example, individual‟s muscle tension is fed
back to him in the form of an audible tone. As muscle tension rises, the tone
becomes louder; as it drops, the tone becomes softer. When the information is fed
back to him, the individual learns to control his muscle tension.
The principles of operant conditioning have been applied in the field of
education. The two important applications are computer-assisted instruction
(CAI) and programmed instruction. In CAI, the student learns from an active
interaction with a computer programme. The program engages the student in a
learning activity, paces the program at the student‟s rate of progress, provides
immediate feedback on correct and incorrec t answers and permit students to enter
branch programmes for special help in areas of weakness. In CAI, the student
takes greater responsibility for his performance as compared to teacher -led
instruction, because he treats the computer as impersonal and th erefore „fairer‟.
Programmed instruction follows the same principles as CAI, and can be put forth in
the form of a programmed learning booklet.
The operant conditioning principles have been applied in any practical
settings. It is almost impossible to des cribe all of them here. To name only a few,
the principles have been applied to personalized system of education, crime
control, energy conservation, health care issues, employee productivity and
company profits etc.

Classical and Operant Conditioning Compared

The distinctions between classical and operant conditioning are made on
operational and procedural grounds. Theoretically, both the conditioning
techniques are possibly governed by the same basic processes. In other words,
both are two different forms of the same learning process.
It is almost impossible to carry out classical and operant conditioning
experiments separately. In each operant conditioning experiment, there is a
component of classical conditioning. Similarly, we cannot perform a pure c lassical
conditioning experiment without having a component of operant conditioning. Let
us see how. In operant conditioning, the organism emits a response following
which it receives a reward. This response occurs in a stimulus situation (the sight
and the smell of all the
situational cues in the Skinner Box). The situational cues are the conditioned
stimuli (CS), which occur in the presence of food (UCS). The organism is
conditioned to exhibit the lever pressing response (CR) in the presence of these
stimuli (CS). This procedure paral lels that of a classical conditioning. Hence, in
each operant conditioning experiment, there is also an arrangement for classical
conditioning to take place.
Let us consider how operant conditioning is also involved in classical
conditioning experiment. In a typical classical conditioning experiment, the food
(UCS) elicits salivation (UCR), which gets conditioned to the bell (CS). Just after
the bell and before the food is presented, the organism shows anticipatory
salivation preparing itself to receive fo od. After a few trials, a part of the salivation
occurs after the bell (CS) and before the food (UCS). Because of this anticipatory
salivation, the organism enjoys food intake, which serves as a reinforcement.
Without this prior salivation, the taste of fo od would be different, and less
enjoyable. Here the reinforcement came after the response, which is an operant or
instrumental conditioning procedure. Since both classical and operant
conditionings are intertwined processes, it is difficult to make theoret ical
distinctions between the two. However, we can make procedural distinctions
between the two conditioning techniques.
Similarities
Just before we mention the distinctions, it is important to point out that both
the conditioning techniques possess many features in common. Both display the
same basic principles like acquisition, extinction, spontaneous recovery,
generalization, and external inhibition. Both respond almost similarly to the
manipulation of experimental variables.
Differences
Psychologists like Hull and Guthrie maintain that distinctions between the
two techniques can be made only at operational or procedural level. Table 5.3
summarizes the distinctions between the two conditioning techniques along several
important dimensions. The distincti ons between the two conditioning procedures
are explained below.
In classical conditioning, the organism learns the relationship between one
stimulus (bell) and the other (food). The CS and the UCS are connected together
so
 Table 5.3: Distinctions Between Classical and Operant Conditioning Procedures

Dimensions Classical Conditioning Instrumental Conditioning

1. Nature of 1. It is S-S type learning. The It is S-R type learning. The organism learns
the association between a stimulus (food)
association organism learns associations
and a response (lever pressing)
between two stimuli (bell and
food). The response is emitted by the organism.
The organism shows the lever pressing
2. Nature of responses response on his own, and only then, it is
2. The response is elicited. The food
reinforced.
(UCS) elicits the response of The UCR (random movements inside the
salivation (UCR) box) and the CR (lever pressing) are
different.
3. Response- 3. The UCR (salivation to food) and
Most responses that can be instrumentally
Reinforcement the CR (salivation to bell) show a conditioned are voluntary (shown by the
Sequence great deal of similarity. organism on its own). However involuntary
responses can also be brought under
4. Most responses that are voluntary control.
4. Nature of the CS
amenable to classical
conditioning are involuntary. Reinforcement is given after the response.
5. Role of the Reinforcement depends upon the
Organism response of the organism.
5. Response is given after the The CS is a stimulus field or stimulus
6. Basic Principle situation. All the situational cues serve as
reinforcement. Reinforcement the CS, where the organism is free to
does not depend on the respond or not to respond.
7. Effect of Partial
Reinforcement response.
The organism plays an active role. The
organism is free to act and has to act to
6. The CS is a specific identifiable get reinforcement. The more it acts, the
stimulus (e.g., bell). more reinforcement it gets.

It is governed by the Law of Effect.

7. The organism plays a passive
Whether or not a response would be
role. It has less freedom for learned depends upon the effect (either
action. The organism would reinforced or not reinforced) the response
produces.
salivate in the presence of food.
The learning of the response is quicker
8. It is learning by contiguity. Law under partial reinforcement conditions.
of contiguity important. When the response is learned under partial
reinforcement schedules, it takes longer to
be extinguished. The organism responds
9. Partial reinforcement reduces for a longer period of time even when
the rate of learning. Partial reinforcement is not given.
reinforcement does not affect
extinction in a very important
way.
that the animal learns to respond to the CS just as it does to the UCS. The bell by being paired
consistently with food acquires the potentiality of evoking the same response (i.e., salivation) as was
evoked by the food. Pavlov termed classical conditioning as Stimulus-Substitution. But in operant
conditioning, the organism learns the relationship between a response (i.e., lever pressing) and a
stimulus (i.e., food). While classical conditioning is S-S type of learning, the operant conditioning is S-R
type learning.
The UCS (i.e., food) elicits the natural and biological response of salivation (UCR). In operant
conditioning, the response has to be spontaneously emitted by the organism. Among several responses
emitted, one response is followed by reinforcement. The probability for the occurrence of that response
increases, and the probabilities for other responses decrease. Since the response to be given in operant
conditioning is to be shown by the organism, the response is under the voluntary control of the
organism. In classical conditioning, the UCS evokes a natural response; so the nature of the response is
involuntary. Since involuntary responses (i.e., blood pressure, pulse rate) can be brought under
voluntary control, they can also be instrumentally conditioned. It has been mentioned earlier, that
biofeedback is a method of bringing involuntary responses under voluntary control.
In classical conditioning, the UCR (salivation to food) and the CR (salivation to bell) show a great
deal of similarity. But in operant conditioning, the CR and the UCR are usually different, and sometimes,
radically dissimilar. All the movements of the rat inside the Skinner Box (e.g., jumping, scratching,
crawling etc.) in the first trial before it has received food constitute the UCR. The CR is the response of
lever pressing, which is very different from the UCR.
In classical conditioning, the response comes after the reinforcement. The reinforcement is
powerful to elicit a natural biological response. The arrangement in operant conditioning is such that the
reinforcement is given only after the correct response is made. While in classical conditioning response
follows the reinforcement, in the operant procedure, reinforcement follows the response.
The CS, in classical conditioning is a specific identifiable stimulus like the bell or the light. In the
operant conditioning, the array of stimulus cues present in the box
serves as the CS. The sight of all the parts of the Skinner Box, and the smell form
a stimulus field where the organism‟s response takes place. All these serve as the
CS in the instrumental procedure.
In the classical procedure, the type of reinforcers given de termines the
organism‟s response. It has less freedom for action. Thus the organism plays a
passive role, while in operant conditioning, the organism plays an active role. It
has more choices for operating on its environment, and its actions determine
whether or not it will receive reinforcement.
The classical conditioning is governed by the principle of contiguity, which means that
the response and the stimulus must be very close in time. When the bell (CS) is sounded, the
response of salivation (UCR) elicited by food (DCS) must occur within a very short time. If the
time gap is more, the conditioning will not take place. The important law for the
operant/instrumental conditioning is the Law of Effect. Whether or not a response would be
learned depends upon the effect of the response. If the response brings reinforcement, it will be
learned; if it does not, it will not be learned.
Reinforcement can be continuous or partial. How do the two procedures
respond to partial reinforcement, that is when reinforcem ent is not given on all
occasions? In classical conditioning, partial reinforcement (i.e., food is given on
some trials and not given on others) reduces the rate of learning. The organism
takes more trials to learn the response. The extinction of a respons e learned under
partial reinforcement is slightly delayed. The Partial Reinforcement Effect (PRE)
is different for operant conditioning. The rate of response is higher in operant
conditioning under conditions of partial reinforcement. If the response is le arned
under partial reinforcement schedules, it takes longer to be extinguished, because
organism fails to discriminate between the acquisition phase and the extinction
phase. In the operant/instrumental procedure, the partial reinforcement results in
greater resistance to extinction.
In summary, the operational distinctions between the classical and the
operant conditioning techniques make a reader sensitive to the subtle differences
existing between the two techniques, even if it is difficult to conclude that they
generate different kinds or forms of learning. Both may as well be the different
forms of the same basic learning process.
Cognitive Learning
You have learnt in this chapter about the cognitive explanations of classical
and operant conditioning. Unlike behaviorists, the cognitive theorists believe that
conditioning is a matter of developing an understanding regarding how the learning
situation is organized. Conditioning is just not learning of simple S -R associations.
The earlier discussion s on the phenomena of latent learning, place learning, and
contrast effect support the view that learning is cognitive by nature. In each
instance of learning, the organism is processing information about the environment
to reach a desired goal.
Cognition refers to processes of acquiring knowledge about the environment,
which has an internal mental representation. Learning refers to a relatively
permanent change in behavioral tendency. The two terms are put together to
generate the term „cognitive learning‟, which refers to a change in the way
information is processed as a result of organism‟s experience. The cognitive
theorists have shown that even animals demonstrate intellectual capacity for
cognitive learning. The two forms of cognitive learning that wi ll be discussed next
are: (a) insightful learning, and (b) observational learning or learning by
imitation. Both these forms of learning are clearly different from classical and
operant conditionings. Wolfgang Kohler developed insightful learning, while
Albert Bandura advanced the concept of observational learning. Both of them held
ideas clearly different from those of Thorndike, Pavlov, and Skinner.
Pavlov, Thorndike, and Skinner, all behaviorists, investigated a form learning
that was simple and mechanical. Firstly The behaviorists largely ignored the study
of learning based on reason and intelligence. Imagine a doctor making a diagnosis
of a disease, a student suddenly hitting upon a solution for an arithmetic problem,
or a mechanic figuring out why an engine does not work. Pavlov, Thorndike and
Skinner ignored these instances of complex learning based on insight.
Secondly, the boxes used by Thorndike and Skinner were too artificial. The
boxes did not allow the animals to do anything other than blind guessing to
accidentally emit a correct response. The situation did not allow the animals to
truly understand the problem. Th e animal‟s natural behaviours are different from
the behaviours shown in the box. Kohler showed that animals like chimpanzees are
capable of insightful behaviour, which is based upon an understanding of the
learning situation.
Thirdly, the behaviorists placed undue emphasis on external determinants of
behaviour. According to the behaviorists, the organism learns to connect a
response to a stimulus, so that when the stimulus comes, the response is given. In
other words, animal‟s behaviou r is under the control of the external stimulus.
Behaviorists designed all their experiments to study factors operating as external
stimuli. Behaviorists designed all their experiments to study factors operating in the
environment, and ignored the factors operating within the organism. The
behaviorists did not consider the internal processes such as expectation,
understanding and insight of the organism to be important determinants of learning.
The cognitive theorists emphasized the internal processes.
Gestalt psychologists like Kohler showed that the chimpanzee perceives and
thinks, while it learns. The chimpanzee evaluates the information in the learning
situation, and combines the piecemeal information into a meaningful whole, and
learns to reach a goal by developing insight. The distinctions between the insightful
learning and the trial-and-error learning will be discussed later.

Insightful Learning
Kohler‟s Experiments on Insightful Learning
Wolfgang Kohler (1887-1968), a German psychologist, arrived at Tenerife,
a small island off the West Coast of Africa to take charge of an institute for the
study of the anthropoid apes. When the World War I broke out, Kohler was forced
to stay in the island. He spent these years on an intensive study of how the
chimpanzees perceive, think, and learn. The results of his experiments during the
period 1913-1917 were published in German. Then they were translated into
English in 1925 with the title, „ The Mentality of Apes‟.
Kohler employed five type s of problems to study how
chimpanzees solve complex problems. He also used dogs, hens,
and a little girl as his subjects for these problems. The two most
fascinating and important problems were the „stick‟ problem and

the „box‟ problem. Both the problems involved insightful Wolfgang Kohler
solution.
In the „stick‟ problem, Kohler placed a chimpanzee named Sultan inside a cage.
Sultan was hungry. A bunch of banana was kept outside the cage beyond the direct
reach of the chimpanzee. Two hollow bamboo sticks, one long and the other short,
were kept inside the cage. Since the sticks were hollow, one stick could be pu shed
into one end of the other to form a longer stick. The banana was placed at a
distance such that neither of these sticks alone would be sufficiently long enough
to reach the banana. However, if the two sticks are joined, banana could be
reached.
Since Sultan was hungry, his goal was to fetch the banana for eating.
Initially he showed all customary reactions that a chimpanzee shows inside a cage.
He used one of sticks to draw the banana towards him, but was unsuccessful. He
tried the other stick but failed. After some unsuccessful attempts, Sultan gave up
trying and sat in one corner of the cage. After a while, it started playing with the
sticks. He pushed one stick out as far as it could go, and then pushed the first stick
with the other until the first touched the banana. Kohler reports that Sultan showed
considerable satisfaction at this actual contact. But since the sticks were not
joined, the banana could not be drawn into the cage. Kohler also gave a hint to
Sultan by putting his finger in the bambo o stick, while the animal watched. But this
hint did not work. Sultan took an hour -long trial but did not succeed. He started
playing with the sticks again, and accidentally one of the sticks went into the
hollow end of the other. A sudden insight dawned u pon Sultan. Mentally, he solved
the problem. He used the two sticks to form a longer stick, and with its help pulled
the banana inside the cage. On the next day, when Sultan faced the same problem,
he solved it immediately. Seeing the relationships among v arious aspects of
the problems is described as learning by insight .
Kohler also demonstrated insightful learning in the „box‟ problem. In the
„box‟ problem, a banana was hung from the ceiling of a cage, which the
chimpanzee could not reach ordinarily (Fig ure 5.12). There were several boxes
inside the cage. After an initial period of trial and error, the animal stacked several
boxes, and stood on the top box to fetch the banana. In this case, the chimpanzee
also developed insight by observing the relationsh ips among various aspects of the
stimulus field.
Stages in Insightful Learning
1. The organism must have the need to reach a goal by solving a problem.
 Figure 5.12 The chimpanzees’ insightful solution using boxes to reach the banana

2. The learner makes various surveys, inspections, and examinations of the

problem and the stimulus field.
3. After an initial period of trial and error, the period of incubation begins, when
all overt activities are suspended. The organism sits silently, and thi nks over
the problem.
4. Suddenly the organism develops insight into the problem.
5. The organism makes practical verification of his idea or insight about the problem.
6. Once the insight is achieved, and the problem is solved, the organism
repeats the same method of solution without any hesitation.
7. While solving further problems of similar nature, the organism attends to the
relevant aspects, and ignores the irrelevant ones.
Descriptive Characteristics of Insightful Learning
What does Kohler mean by insight? The common features of the
experiments on insightful learning are as follows:
1. The nature of the experimental situation is very important for insightful
learning. The organism must be able to perceive the relationships among all
relevant parts of the problem before insight can occur.
2. The organism reacts to the whole situation, not to its component parts.
3. The organism perceives the relationships between means and the goal, and
restructures the perceptual field.
4. Insight follows a period of trial and error behaviour. In the trial -and-error
period, the organism does not, however, exhibit blind and random attacks as
shown by Thorndike‟s cat. On the other hand, it tests behavioral hypotheses
in the form of accepting some and discarding others.
5. The insightful solution comes all on a sudden.
6. Once the insightful solution is reached, the organism shows high degree of
retention and transfer to similar problems.
7. Insight is closely related to the organism‟s capacity to learn. The capac ity for
insightful learning depends on age, experience, and individual differences.
Comparing Insightful Learning with Trial -and-Error Learning
The trial-and-error form of learning is behaviorist in orientation. It emphasizes and
studies only observable forms of behaviour, and disregards any internal processes occurring
within the organism. On the other hand, the insightful learning is the contribution of the Gestalt
psychologists from Germany. It emphasizes that learning, and particularly complex forms of
learning require an insight into the nature of the problem. The internal processes occurring
within the organism are important. Most forms of human learning are governed by insight. Table
5.4 summarizes the distinctive features of the trial-and-error and the insightful learning. The
distinctions are explained in detail, below.
The cat in Thorndike‟s puzzle box learns to connect a response with a
stimulus, which is subsequently rewarded. The learning by trial -and-error is a
matter of S-R
 connection. Kohler’s chimpanzee learns to perceive the relationships between various
aspects of the stimulus situation. Establishing the relationship between one stimulus
Table 5.4: Distinctions Between Trial-and-Error and Insightful Learning

Dimensions Trial-and-Error Learning Insightful Learning

1. It is S-R type of learning. The It is S-S type of learning. The
1. Nature of association organism learns to connect a organism learns the relationships
response with a stimulus. among various stimulus situations.
2. The process of learning is The learning by insight occurs all
gradual. The probability of on a sudden. The organism
correct responses increases develops insight into the problem
gradually through a series of solution all on a sudden.
trials. The organism perceives and re-
3. The organism‟s response or sponds to the stimulus situation as
reaction is made to a part of the a whole. The organism‟s reaction to
stimulus situation. Since the the whole situation is molar in
response is made to a nature.
2. Nature of responses specific stimulus, the response
is molecular in nature. It involves less of practice and rep-
4. It depends heavily on practice etition and more of insight.
and repetition. It is higher-order learning and is
5. It is of simple type and is more effective in cognitive and
involved mostly in the verbal learning.
acquisition of motor skills. It involves some amount of trial and
6. It is a stimulus response error at the beginning. The actual
connection, and therefore does learning act involves insight.
not involve insight. The organism plays an active role
7. The organism plays only a in determining what finally leads
3. Role of Organism mechanical and therefore a him to reach the goal.
passive role. It is very rare in lower-order animals
8. It is more often the and is observed in animals higher in
characteristic mode of re- phylogenetic scale like human
sponse in lower order beings and chimpanzees.
animals and children. The organism surveys, inspects,
observes, and examines the prob-
9. The organism shows a lot of lem situation, and the problem solu-
random activity and the solution tion is a purposive activity.
comes by chance. It is relatively more permanent and
stays for a long time, even if
4. Strength of Learning 10. It is more or less temporary. practice is discontinued.
When practice is discontinued, Solution, once reached is
the acquisition of skill fades. transferred easily to similar
11. The transfer of learning is stimulus situations.
relatively poor.
and the others is the core principle of insightful learning. The insightful learning is
of S-S type.
The trial-and-error learning is gradual. The cat in Thorndike‟s puzzle box
takes a number of trials and learns step -by-step to reach the correct response. The
insightful learning occurs all on a sudden. The organism moves from a state of no
solution to a state of solution very quickly. While pulling the string in Thorndike‟s
puzzle box, the cat is showing responses to only some specific stimuli. It does not
have to attend to the whole stimulus field. But insightful learning involves
perception of the whole situation, as the organism has to see the relationships
among various stimuli.
The nature of the response is molecular in trial -and-error learning and molar
in insightful learning. Practice and repetition are extremely important in trial -and-
error learning, while insightful solution is important for insightful learning. Of
course, certain amount of trial -and-error occurs before insight takes place. But the
trial-and-error form of learning primarily does not involve insight. The physical and
motor skills are acquired mostly through trial -and-error. The insightful learning is of
higher order, and is involved in cognitive and verbal learning.
The two forms of learning differ with respect to the role of the organism in
the learning situation. Animals lower in the phylogenetic scale acquire through trial
and error. Their role in the learning situation is only mechanical and passive. The
organism‟s approach in trial-and-error consists of random blind activities and the
solution comes by chance. On other hand, th e organism in insightful learning,
surveys, inspects, observes, and examines various aspects of the problem
situation, and thereby takes an active role in learning. Higher -order animals
including chimpanzees and human beings are capable of insightful learn ing.
Both the trial-and-error and the insightful learning differ with respect to the
strength of learning. The trial-and-error learning is more or less temporary,
depends on continued practice, and weakens when practice is discontinued. The
insightful solution, once acquired, stays for a long time and does not easily fade
away when the practice is discontinued. Finally, in trial -and-error, the transfer of
learning is poor; skills acquired in one situation are not easily transferred to
another situation. On the other hand, learning by insight is easily transferred from
one situation to other similar situations.
Observational Learning: Learning by Imitation
It is true that a part of how human beings learn can be explained by the principles involved in
animal learning. But as we know, human learning is much more creative and is based on intelligent
actions. Most forms of human learning are far more complex than a dog salivating to Pavlov’s bell, or a
rat pressing a lever in the Skinner box, or a cat pulling a loop to come out of Thorndike’s puzzle box or a
chimpanzee joining sticks to pull banana into Kohler’s cage. Human learning is not just an unthinking
mechanical connection of a response with a stimulus.
Consider how a person learns to drive a car. Of course, some amount of
sensory motor learning is involved. We should not ask the person to drive down the
road, make mistakes, and learn from his mistakes through trial -and-error. In
learning to drive a car, the person does not get behind the wheel, and makes
random movements until the key is accidentally put into the ignition. It is not that
he makes many false starts and the car accidentally moves forward, thereby
delivering a positive reinforcement. On the other hand the person carries some
knowledge about driving that he gathered by observing others drive. A great deal of
human actions is learned through observation right from the childhood. Through
observation, an individual can learn behaviour even withou t having any direct
experience of carrying out that behaviour.
According to Psychologist Albert Bandura and his
colleagues, a major part of human learning consists of
observational learning, which is otherwise known as learning
by imitation or modeling. But observational learning is far
more complex than learning by imitation. Bandura defined
observational learning as learning through observing the
behaviours of another person, called a model . The model is
capable of stimulating learning in the observer. In a classic

experiment, Bandura demonstrated that young children imitate Albert Bandura

the aggressive behaviour of the adult models almost
identically. The young children saw the film of an adult model,
which was aggressively hitting a 5 -feet tall toy. Then these children were given
opportunity to play with the same toy. They showed the same kind of behaviour,
sometimes repeating the aggressive behaviour of the adult almost identically.

It is not that negative behaviours are acquired through obser vational

learning. Observational learning can also eliminate undesirable behaviours. In
another experiment, children who were afraid of dogs were exposed to their peers
as models playing with dogs. Children watched that playing with the dog does not
bring unpleasant consequences. As a result, these children approached a strange
dog with less fear. The children who were not exposed to the peer models
continued to be afraid of dogs. Observational learning also helps in learning
adjustment behaviour in critica l situations. For example, imagine that you have
gone to a marriage celebration, where a food item is served, and you do not know
how to take it. Then you observe the behaviors of others in relation to this food
item, and repeat the same kind of behavior t o deal with this new food item.

Observational learning explains, in a very useful way, the impact of

observing violence and antisocial acts in the media on the viewers, particularly on
the minds of young children. Young minds exposed to the models in film s or
advertisements imitate the behaviour of the models. Watching the violent and
aggressive behaviours of the TV models leads the young children to act in an
aggressive manner, because children view aggression as a legitimate response to
particular situations. In order to reduce the impact of TV violence, psychologists
explicitly teach children that TV violence is unreal and that they should not imitate
behaviour seen on televisions. These lessons appear to be effective. The children
receiving these lesson s tend to show aggressive behaviour less frequently.

Observational learning is far more complex than imitation. Bandura viewed observational
learning as an information processing activity. As the individual observes, information about the world
is transferred into cognitive representation that guide our actions. In novel and unfamiliar situations,
you wait for a while, observe what others are doing and then act the same way to avoid any form of
embarrassment. We discussed about the method of shaping earlier under operant conditioning.
Observational learning is important for acquiring skills in which shaping is inappropriate. For example,
piloting a plane or performing a
brain surgery cannot be learned through shaping or trial-and-error, because the cost would be
high. Observational learning is important in acquiring higher-order skills. A new employee
watches an experienced employee perform the task, and then performs the same actions
himself under the guidance of the senior. A child observes the daily routine activities of his
parents and models his behaviours accordingly. In numerous occasions, we learn by watching
the behaviours of others and the consequences of their behaviours. This form of learning is
known as vicarious learning. The reinforcement one receives by repeating the behaviours of
the model is known as vicarious reinforcement.
Whether we would imitate a model depends on the consequences of the
model‟s behaviour. If a particular behaviour of the model is rewarded, we would
more likely learn that behaviour. If the model is punished for his behaviour, we still
learn the behaviour, but are less likely to perform it. If we observe a friend being
rewarded (receiving higher percentage of marks) for his hard work, we are more
likely to learn to be hard working. Instead, if we see our friend being punished for
telling lies, we learn the act of telling lies, but are less likely to engage in that
behaviour. When the act of telling lies would be reinforced, we would tend to
engage in that behaviour.
What factors or conditions determine the extent and strength of
observational learning? The four important conditions are: (a) Attention- focusing
on the critical aspects of other‟s behaviour , (b) Retention- carrying the mental
representation of the behaviour of the model, (c) Production- actually performing
the actions we observe , and (d) Motivation- need to perform actions to secure
reinforcement. The key conditions of observational learning are presented in Figure
5.13.

Factors influencing Learning

It is true that conditioning and observation lie at the roots of any complex learned
behavior. But human learning is far more complex than what simple conditioning principles can
account for. The mastery of concepts, principles, and language characterizes human learning.
Unlike, other animals, human beings rely heavily on language to understand their environment.
They acquire knowledge about objects, events, and situations largely in terms of words,
concepts, and principles. The factors influencing human learning are innumerable, and some
selected ones are discussed below.
 Attention
Focusing on the critical aspects
of others behaviour

Retention
Remembering the behaviour of Observational Learning
the model.
Acquiring and performing the behaviours
demonstrated by others.

Production
Actually performing the actions
we observe.

Motivation
Need to perform actions for
reinforcement.

Feedback
Learning is more effective, and maintained better, if we get some feedback
regarding what are the consequences of our activities. If we have to walk to a
distant destination, we often stop on the way to assess the distance covered. This
mental exercise provides us feedback on the current level of performance
suggesting ways to change our method of learning, if necessary. Similarly, the
feedback or the knowledge of result at appropriate times during the course of
learning tends to enhance the rate of learnin g and the quality of performance.
Feedback initiates a self -reflective exercise of knowing one‟s strengths and
weaknesses. Students, while studying, should create conditions so that they can
get feedback on their mastery of each unit or chapter covered. Fe edback can help
them monitor their progress of learning and maintain their level of motivation for
the targeted task. It will tell the students what they have mastered and what are
their weak spots.
In experiments with animals, the reinforcement works as a kind of feedback to the organism in terms
of strengthening a response. The feedback or the knowledge of result for the responses made by
humans carries a cognitive connotation. In human conceptual learning tasks, feedback is important
because of the information it provides the learner, both with respect to what hypothesis seems to be
correct, and to the elimination of incorrect hypothesis.
The nature of feedback may range from getting information about how bodily processes work
(biofeedback) to receiving knowledge of the results of our mental performance. Biofeedback is a
behavior modification technique emanating from the principles of operant conditioning. How does
biofeedback work? Suppose we want to reduce an individual’s muscle tension. His muscle tension is
monitored and fed back to him. The degree of muscle tension is linked to the loudness of a tone. So the
individual observes that the loudness of the tone increases as muscle tension rises, and decreases as the
muscle tension drops. This is the biofeedback technique through which, the individual learns to control
muscle tension. The reinforcement is the raising or the lowering of the tone as a feedback to tell the
individual about the degree of muscle tension. It is this awareness that helps in learning the desired
behaviors.
In cases of simple learning such as a drawing a line, the feedback exercises a powerful influence
in altering subject’s mode of response. A simple illustration will drive the point home. Ask a person,
while blindfolded, to draw a line five inches long, and keep a record of his performance in successive
trials. You will observe, there will be ho improvement from trial to trial. Then ask someone to do the
same thing, but this time, provide feedback to the person regarding whether he is doing it right or
wrong. Then observe his performance. You will notice that errors would decrease rapidly, and
improvement in performance would be noticed. Such a simple experience would convince you that
feedback or knowledge of results serves as a powerful tool in increasing the rate and accuracy of
learning.
For more complex forms of learning as is evident in learning school lessons, feedback or
knowledge of results maintains learner’s motivation by keeping him on the task. One aspect of
feedback that has been examined is the
time delay between the learner‟s response and informative feedback. The correct
learning should be immediately followed by a feedback. Immediate knowledge of
results helps the learner distinguish between the right and the wrong responses,
and prevents the wrong associations from being unintentionally reinforced. In
animal learning experiments, the delay of reward produces a marked effect on
learning, but in human learning, particularly relating to concepts and principles, t he
delay of feedback does not produce as pronounced an effect.
Distribution of Practice
Starting from simple conditioning to more complex forms of verbal learning,
the learning trials may be massed or distributed. The massed training refers to a
situation, in which the learning trials are given in a rapid succession with minimum
possible time interval in between trials. In contrast, in distributed training, some
longer time interval is allowed in between learning trials. The point here is the
relative economy of either of the training procedures. Which one is better - massed
or distributed- in terms of the rate and amount of learning? It has been generally
found that the distributed trials result in faster learning compared to the massed
trials for simple conditioning as well as for complex forms of verbal learning.
Underwood has cited several studies to show that conditioning takes place more
rapidly by distributed than by massed trials.
Contents of Learning (Whole Versus Part)
Should the to-be-learnt material be mastered as a whole or in parts to be
combined later to form the whole? If a task can be divided into component parts, it
is pertinent to ask if learning the parts separately, and then putting the parts
together to form the whole will yield better learning than learning the whole from
the outset. In part learning, the whole task is divided into different parts, and then
each part is learnt separately in succession to be finally put together to construct
the whole. In the whole method, the individual learns the entire task as a whole.
For example, consider a poem consisting of 5 stanzas. Each stanza is mastered at
a time and after complete mastery of each stanza, the stanzas are recited together
in succession to master the whole poem. Here learning i s done using the part-
method. In contrast, in the whole method, the poem may be mastered as a single
piece.
In the laboratory set up, a 20 -item list of nonsense syllables may be divided into
four parts, each consisting of 5 nonsense syllables. Each part may be mastered
separately, and then combined together at the time of recalling the list. In the
whole method, all the 20 nonsense syllables would be learnt as a whole without
breaking the list into component parts. In operant conditioning experiments, using
mazes, the rats may be trained to learn each part of the maze under conditions of
reinforcement, and then t ested for the whole maze learning. The results of the
experiments done on animal maze learning and human motor and verbal learning
do not suggest a universal conclusion either in favour of the part or the whole
method of learning. The findings have been co ntradictory in that the whole method
is found to yield better learning than the part -method, and sometimes, the trend
has just been the opposite. Which method is superior to the other depends on
many factors including the nature of materials, subject‟s lev el of intelligence
and motivation, and the relationship of one part to the other in the whole text .
The whole method facilitates the progress of learning for more intelligent and
motivated subjects, for meaningful materials, and for those texts, where the parts
are highly interrelated to one another. For the skills that are simple and not
organized, the part-method yields better learning than the whole method.
Woodworth suggests that learning by parts is easier because it creates an
opportunity for the lea rner to get adjusted to the demands of the task. W ith each
part mastered, he carries over his skills and knowledge to the subsequent parts.
But he finds it difficult to put the parts together, because this activity itself requires
additional effort. By lea rning through parts, he might have saved time at the
beginning, but he has to spend a great deal of time and energy to combine the
parts together, particularly for tasks, which are difficult. The less intelligent and the
less motivated subjects would find this activity most difficult. Practically speaking,
it is advisable that one starts with the whole method and then depending on his
requirement, he may seriously concentrate on any part of the task at any time, and
master it fully before proceeding to lear n the whole task.
Meaningfulness of Materials
The more meaningful are the materials, the easier the learning and retention.
It has been consistently shown that words are better remembered than nonsense
 syllables, and that the concepts and interpretations of scientific principles are
retained better than the factual and separate pieces of information. Figure 5.14
describes theoretical curves for materials with varying degrees of meaningfulness.
How do we know if the materials are meaningful or not? The meaningfulness
of the materials depends on (a) familiarity and frequency of usage , (b) the number
of associations elicited within a fixed amount of time , and (c) relations among the
words in the list. Since meaningful materials evoke links with information
stored in the LT M, their recall becomes easier than the meaningless materials
(nonsense syllables). Ebbinghaus was the first person to have conducted
memory experiments on himself using nonsense s yllables. A nonsense syllable is a
meaningless set of three -letters with one vowel in between two consonants, which
can be pronounced in a single articulation.
Substance with insight However, familiarity or
100 associational value is not the
90 only factor related to
Percent Retained

80
meaningfulness. There is also a
70
60 factor of patterning of
50 memorization. Meaningful
40 materials are more likely to be
30
organized into different groups if
20 Nonsense syllobles
10 subjects are allowed to recall the

5 10 15 20 25 30 Days materials freely. Bousefield

Time since Learning demonstrated the phenomenon

Figure 5.14 Theoretical curves for materials varying in of category clustering, which
meaningfulness
suggests that when participants
are allowed to recall freely, they
recall words not in their order of presentation, but category wise. For example, if
subjects are presented nine words belonging to three categories (animals,
vegetables, vehicles) in the following order: potato, car bean, dog, bus, cat,
pumpkin, truck, monkey, they tend to recall potato, bean, pumpkin, car, bus, truck,
dog, cat,
monkey. They learn the list by placing the items into different categories. At the
time of recall, the items are organized into groups, which means that category
clustering occurs with meaningful, not meaningless materials. The nature and the
degree of category clustering differ from person to person depending upon how
meaningfully the materials are related to subject‟s LTM.
Interest and Attitude
With greater interest, the processing of information at the time of learning
becomes deeper. At the deepest level, the information is processed semantically,
and is linked by a network of associations with various cues in the LTM. Therefore,
they are learned and remembere d better. A person interested to play cricket or
read novels or collect stamps would learn the act more quickly and maintain it for a
longer period of time. The amount of effort spent on learning the skills that are
interesting is much less as the processi ng is automatic.

Individuals differ in their favorite ways of learning and remembering.

Materials that are not interesting are not attended to at the time of learning.
Materials that are unpleasant and painful are repressed back into the deep
chamber of unconscious, and therefore, are not available for conscious recall.
A learner has his unique learning style, which has been developed during the
course of socialization. His approaches to the learning materials are based on his
cultural background and unique pattern of abilities. Some have analytic, while
others have relational approach to learning. Those with a relational learning style
learn materials best through exposure to a full unit or phenomenon. Parts of the
unit are understood only by understandin g their relationship to the whole. In
contrast, people with an analytical learning style do best when they carry out an
analysis of the principles and components underlying a phenomenon. After they
master the fundamental principles and components, they are best able to
understand the full content. The distinction between the two learning approaches is
analogous to top-down and bottom-up processing.
William James remarked that the greatest discovery of our generation is that
human beings can alter their fate by changing their attitudes of mind . Attitude
determines the subject‟s emotional and motivational dispositions towards the
learning
material. Most cognitive and complex forms of learning are greatly influenced by
whether or not the subject has the right kind of attitude towards the learning
situation.
Motivation
Motivation is an internal process that activates, guides and maintains
the behaviors of human beings and other organisms . A rat in the Skinner box
acts in a direction so as to obtain fo od, because of hunger. Hunger provides it the
motivation to act to satisfy its needs. As the rat acts, it learns that lever pressing
brings food. Motivation, thus, is related to learning. A motivated animal or a human
being would learn faster and better th an a less motivated one. Although, the
motivational variables have been studied extensively in animal learning
experiments, much less attention been given to motivational variables in human
learning. Motivation is induced into animals by depriving them of food and water.
But this cannot be done with human subjects.

Why do some students obtain better grades in the examination than others?
Those who perform well are better motivated, and as such, they put in more hard
work to reach their goals. The nature of motivation may be extrinsic or intrinsic. A
student‟s motivation to learn may arise from two sources, because the activity is
very enjoyable, or because the activity helps him to obtain rewarding experience
from the environment. Intrinsic motivation refers to persons‟ participation in an
activity for their own enjoyment, not for the reward it will get them. People are said
to be extrinsically motivated when they participate in an activity for a tangible
reward. A student is intrinsically motivated when he likes to read for his enthusiasm
to acquire knowledge, but is extrinsically motivated, when he reads for the sake of
obtaining an external reward, such as a good job.
Research findings suggest that we are able to work harder and show higher
quality performance when motivation is intrinsic, rather than extrinsic. Some
psychologists suggest that providing rewards for desirable behaviors may reduce
the level of intrinsic motivation resulting in less enthusiasm for work. Parents must
think twice before offering monetary rewards to children for getting good report
cards. Better results can come, if they are reminded of the pleasures of learning
and mastering a body of knowledge. The intrinsic motivation explains why a child
learns cycling
quickly without any substantial help from the parents. He does so, because he likes
to do it, or in other words, he is intrinsically motivated to learn cycling.
Learning might be either incidental or intentional. Incidental learning occurs
when individuals are en gaged in doing something other than what they are required
to show their competence in. Incidental learning is „unmotivated‟ learning. There is
no specific motive-incentive condition present to make people want to learn the
incidental task. For example, st udents might be asked to rate the familiarity of
certain uncommon words, and then be suddenly asked to recall the words they
have rated. The learning of the words is incidental in nature. The learning of a
target task with appropriate level of motivation i s intentional learning. Under
nearly all conditions, incidental learning is poorer than intentional learning. Such a
result is due to the weaker motivation of the subjects to learn the incidental
material.
The motivation will result in better learning pr ovided that it does not cause a
high level of emotional arousal in the learner, as emotion would interfere with
complex performance. With increased arousal, motivation would turn to anxiety,
which would not at all be helpful for learning. What is important is that the
learner must be optimally motivated and must practice the task efficiently .
Additional factors. Besides the factors mentioned above, there are many
minor ones, which influence the progress of learning. A detailed discussion of how
these factors influence learning is beyond the scope of this chapter. They are only
mentioned here briefly for the sake of completeness and to create in you a sense
of awareness regarding how the complex process of learning is influenced by a
multitude of variables. These factors include recitation, use of imagery, and active
participation in the learning process.
 KEY TERMS
Learning Fixed-action Patterns Behavior potential
Reinforcement Maturation Performance
Classical conditioning Operant conditioning Instrumental conditioning
Trial-and-Error learning Cognitive leaning Insightful learning
Observational learning Learning by imitation Law of effect
Law of exercise Law of readiness Law of multiple responses
Law of selective responses Law of set or disposition
Law of analogy
Law of associative shifting Law of belongingness Law of spread-of-effect
Neutral stimulus Unconditioned stimulus Conditioned stimulus
Unconditioned response Conditioned response Simultaneous conditioning
Delayed conditioning Trace conditioning Backward conditioning
Acquisition Extinction Spontaneous recovery
Stimulus generalization Stimulus discrimination External inhibition
Higher-order conditioning Blocking Counter-conditioning
Implosive therapy Flooding Systematic desensitization
Aversion therapy Rate of response Response probability
Positive reinforcement Negative reinforcement Punishment
Omission training Successive approximations Primary reinforcement
Secondary reinforcement Instinctive drift Partial reinforcement
Continuous reinforcement schedule Fixed-interval schedule
Fixed-ratio schedule
Variable-interval schedule Variable-ratio schedule Discriminative stimulus
Stimulus control Intrinsic motivation Latent
learning
Place learning Contrast effect Behavior modification
Biofeedback Computer-assisted instruction Programmed instruction
Massed trials Distributed trials Whole method
Part-method Incidental learning Intentional learning
 SUMMARY
1. Learning is a relatively permanent change in behavior or behavior potential
produced by experience . It is a process that must be assessed indirectly.

2. Maturation is a process of growth and development. Learning is different

from maturation, and both interact in producing most of human beh aviors.
Performance provides an index for learning, but all learning may not always
be translated to performance.

3. The three basic forms of learning processes are classical conditioning,

operant conditioning, and cognitive learning which includes insightful
learning and observational learning . Trial-and-error learning is a form of
instrumental conditioning. Insightful learning is a cognitive learning based on
the interactive influence of all the three basic processes.

4. The trial and error learnin g experiments conducted by Thorndike suggest

that animals learn stimulus-response connections mechanically without any
understanding. Learning involves gradual strengthening of the correct
response and weakening of the incorrect ones over trials. Thorndike
proposed Law of Effect, which states that the tendency to perform a
response is strengthened, if it is followed by reward, and weakened if it is
not.

5. Besides the Law of Effect, Thorndike‟s laws of learning included (a) Law of
Exercise (b) Law of Readiness, (c) Law of Multiple Responses, (d) Law of
Selective Response (e) Law of Set or disposition , (f) Law of Response by
Analogy, (g) Law of Belongingness and (h) Law of Spread of Effect.
Thorndike‟s laws laid the groundwork for modern learning theories.
6. The basic form of learning is classical conditioning, which was discovered by
Pavlov. Classical conditioning involves establishing a connection between a
stimulus and a response, which are not naturally linked. The neutral stimulus
(conditioned stimulus) by being constantly paired with a stimulus ( unconditioned
stimulus) that evokes a natural response ( unconditioned response ), acquires
the potentiality of evoking a same/ similar response ( conditioned response).

7. The time interval between the CS and the UCS significantly influences the
rate of conditioning. Among the four types of conditioning based on CS -UCS
interval the delayed conditioning is the most effective followed by trace,
simultaneous, and backward conditioning . A CS-UCS interval of .5 seconds
produces optimal conditioning.

8. The basic processes in classical conditioning are: acquisition, extinction,

spontaneous recovery, generalization, discrimination, and higher-order
conditioning.

9. The rate of learning is affected by (a) CS-UCS interval, (b) CS intensity, (c)
UCS intensity, and (d) the reliability of the CS in predicting UCS . The
measures for the strength of acquisition are: response rate, response
magnitude, response latency, and resistance to extinction.

10. Extinction occurs when a previously learnt response decreases in frequency

and eventually disappears. Extinction is not a passive process. Following a
rest period after extinction, the response is partially recovered. This is
known as spontaneous recovery.

11. Stimulus generalization occurs, when the organism responds to stimuli

similar to the conditioned stimulus. The greater is the similarity between the
new stimulus and the conditioned stimulus, the greater the likelihood of
generalization. The converse phenomenon, stimulus discrimination occurs
when the organism learns to respond to one stimulus and withhold the
response to another. Generalization is reaction to similarities, but
discrimination is reaction to differences.
12. During conditioning, if a novel stimu lus is presented along with the CS, the
strength of the CR reduces. This is known as external inhibition, and the
new stimulus, the external inhibitor.

13. Higher-order conditioning occurs, when the CS is used as a UCS for further
conditioning. The neutral stimulus by being paired with the CS tends to
evoke the original conditioned response.

14. Pavlov explained classical conditioning in terms of stimulus substitution (the

CS works as a substitute to the UCS). The contemporary psychologists
believe that given the CS, the organism expects that the UCS would come.
Thus CS is not a substitute, but a signal for the UCS.

15. Classical conditioning explains the acquisition of emotional behaviours and

phobia, which can be treated by counterconditioning consisting of implosive
therapy, flooding, systematic desensitization, and aversion therapy.

16. Operant or instrumental conditioning occurs when behaviour is affected by

its consequences. Moving from Thorndike‟s early research and statement of
the Law of Effect, Skin ner developed operant conditioning. When behaviour
is followed by reinforcement, its probability of recurrence increases. Primary
reinforcers are naturally effective, as they satisfy biological needs. Stimuli
that acquire reinforcing properties by being as sociated with the primary
reinforcers are known as secondary reinforcers.

17. Positive reinforcers lead to an increment in the preceding response.

Negative reinforcers are stimuli that remove something unpleasant from the
environment. Punishment is the administration of an unpleasant stimulus
following a response. Removal of a positive reinforcer works as punishment.
Punishment is meant to decrease or suppress behaviour.

18. Operant conditioning involves the principles of time -interval, shaping and
chaining, primary and secondary reinforcement, schedules of reinforcement,
as well as extinction, generalization and discrimination.
19. Schedules of reinforcement are the rules determining the timetable for
reinforcement delivery. Generally, partial reinforcement schedules (when
reinforcement is not delivered on every trial) produce stronger and longer -
lasting learning compared to the continuous reinforcement schedules .

20. In explaining how the operant conditioning works, Skinner believes tha t the
external reinforcement determines and controls the behaviour of the
organism. The cognitive theorists cite the phenomena of latent learning,
place learning and contrast-effect to provide supportive evidence for their
belief that operant conditioning involves understanding, forming of mental
representations and expectations regarding the consequences of the
behaviour.

21. The principles of operant conditioning are used for behaviour modification ,
which consist of changing maladaptive behaviours in favo ur of the adaptive
ones. Operant conditioning principles are used for biofeedback, programmed
instruction, and computer-assisted instruction.

22. The classical conditioning is S -S type learning, where usually an involuntary

response is elicited by the reinforcement with the organism playing a
passive role. On the other hand, operant conditioning is S -R type of
learning, where a voluntary response emitted by the organism is followed by
reinforcement with the organism playing an active role. The classical
conditioning is learning by contiguity, while operant conditioning is governed
by the Law of Effect.

23. Cognitive learning refers to the way information is processed as a result of

organism‟s experience, and includes insightful learning and observational
learning or learning by imitation .

24. The Gestalt psychologists studied the role of understanding and insight in
learning. Insightful solution comes all on a sudden and is based on subject‟s
understanding of the relationships among various aspects of the
environment. The transferability of the insightful solution is very high.
25. Insightful learning is different from trial-and-error learning. The trial-and-
error learning is of S-R type, where learning is gradual; response is
molecular, organism‟s role mechanical, and transfer of learning poor.
Insightful learning is of S -S type, where learning is sudden, response is
molar, organism‟s role active, and transfer is quick.

26. Observational learning occurs when an individual learns from some one
else‟s behaviour. In order for such learning to occur, we must pay attention
to other person‟s behaviours, remember the behaviour, and convert our
mental representation to actual performance with proper motivation.

27. Observational learning explains how young minds may be inclined to show
new ways of aggression after exposure to violence in TV and films. When
children are explicitly taught that TV violence is unreal, they tend to benefit
from these lessons.

28. The learning of concepts, principles, and language chara cterizes human
learning, which is far more complex than simple conditioning and
observational learning. Human learning is influenced by many factors
including (a) feedback, (b) distribution of practice trials , (c) whole and part
method of learning, (d) meaningfulness, (e) interest and attitude, and (f)
motivation.

29. Learning is more effective and better maintained if immediate feedback is

given regarding the consequences of the learning activity. The nature of
feedback may range from biofeedback to receiving knowledge of results
regarding a mental performance.

30. The distributed practice trials result in faster learning compared to the
massed trials for simple conditioning as well as for complex forms of verbal
learning. This happens because the int er-trial rest periods allow fatigue to
dissipate, the neural traces to become more organized and consolidated,
and the incorrect associations to fade away.
31. It cannot be conclusively said that the part method of learning is better than
the whole method. The superiority of one method over the other depends on
many factors including the nature of materials, subject‟s level of intelligence
and motivation, and the relationships among the parts.

32. The meaningful materials are better learned and reta ined than the
meaningless materials, and allow category clustering to take place at the
time of recall.

33. With greater interest, the processing of information becomes deeper, and
consequently, learning better and quicker. Persons with different attitudes
and learning styles show unique differences in the way they master the
learning materials.

34. Appropriate level of motivation quickens learning. Persons work harder and
show higher quality performance when motivation is intrinsic rather than
extrinsic. If motivation causes high degree of arousal and turns into anxiety,
it interferes with learning.
 QUESTIONS
A. True-False Questions
(State whether each of the following statements is True (T) or False (F))

1. Extinction occurs due to forgetting of the CR.

2. Reinforcement follows the response in instrumental conditioning.

3. Kohler developed insightful learning.

4. Solution comes all on a sudden in insightful learning.

5. Learning sometimes refers to change in behaviour as a result of fatigue.

6. Learning is dependent only on practice.

7. Any change in behaviour is called learning.

8. The trial-and error learning was introduced by Pavlov.

9. Salivation in classical conditioning is the conditioned stimulus.

10. In instrumental conditioning, the organism acts on the environment.

11. If a pat on the back makes a student work faster, the pat is called a
reinforcer.

12. The CS-UCS interval should be long for effective conditioning.

13. Maturation fully depends on learning.

14. In trial-and error learning, the mistakes are gradually reduced through
practice.

15. Maturation is a necessary condition for learning.

16. Reward seldom influences learning.

17. When a CS no more elicits a CR, the process is known as learning.

18. Acquiring a bad habit is also an instance of learning.

19. Maturation provides a necessary but not sufficient condition for learning.
20. Theoretical definitions describe the processes underlying learning.

21. Pavlov discovered the principle of trial -and-error learning.

22. The dog is instrumentally conditioned to salivate to the bell.

23. A stimulus that naturally evokes a response is called a conditioned stimulus.

24. The conditioning is the best when the CS precedes the UCS by about .5
seconds.

25. The strength of acquisition is known from the rate of responding.

26. Disappearance of the CR because of non -reinforcement is called

discrimination.

27. The phenomenon of spontaneous recovery suggests that extinction is the

same thing as forgetting.

28. Through generalization, a person learns to respond to similar stimuli in

similar ways.

29. Discrimination is a complementary process to generalization.

30. Money is a primary reinforcer.

31. Classical conditioning is otherwise known as stimulus -substitution.

32. The CS serves as signal for the UCS.

33. Irrational fear is acquired through classical conditioning.

34. Fear can be reduced through counterconditioning.

35. The Law of effect was propounded by Skinner.

36. Negative reinforcement is called punishment.

37. In partial reinforcement, the response is not rewarded every time it occurs.

38. Cognitive theorists view learning as an active organizing of information.

39. Tolman conducted experiments on place learning.
0. The principles of operant conditioning are used to modify behaviour.

41. The instrumental conditioning is S -R type learning.

42. The CR and the UCR are exactly the same.

43. In classical conditioning, the response is given after the reinforcement.

44. The organism plays a passive role in classical conditioning.

45. The instrumental learning is S -S type of learning.

46. Transfer of insightful learning is quicker and easier.

47. In insightful learning, the organism‟s reaction is molecular in nature.

48. Certain amount of trial-and-error activity precedes insightful learning.

49. Thorndike proposed the Law of Effect.

50. Skinner introduced the theory on trial -and-error learning.

51. Meaningful materials are more likely to be organized into different sets at the
time of recall.

52. Extinction is faster if the trials are massed.

53. Reading for the sake of enjoyment is an example of extrinsic motivation.

54. Anxiety interferes with the progress of learning.

55. Incidental learning is poorer than intentional learni ng.

56. Feedback maintains the person‟s motivation to learn.

57. The processing of information becomes deeper with greater interest.

58. Massed method results in better learning than the distributed method.

59. The rest period in between learning trials he lps consolidation of neural
traces.
60. Part method of learning is always better than the whole method of learning.

61. Learning is a cognitive process.

62. Thorndike was a behaviorist.

63. Salivation to bell is a conditioned response.

64. Latent learning supports cognitive explanations of learning.

B. Multiple-Choice Questions

(Choose the correct alternative from the bracket to fill up the blank or
answer the question)

1. In classical conditioning, the food is the_____.(conditioned respon se,

unconditioned stimulus, orienting response, conditioned stimulus)

2. In _____schedule, reinforcement is given in 5 to 1 response pattern.

(variable-ratio, fixed-ratio, variable-interval, fixed interval)

3. The Law of effect was introduced by____. (Skin ner, Thorndike, Pavlov,
Kohler)

4. ____ is one of the important conditions for operant conditioning. (interest,

intelligence, practice, punishment)

5. Mirror drawing apparatus is used for____learning. (social, maze, sensory -

motor, serial)

6. Undesirable behavior is removed by_____. (counterconditioning,

punishment, positive reinforcement, backward conditioning)

7. The trial-and-error leaning was introduced by____. (Wertheimer, Thorndike,

Skinner, Pavlov)

8. Skinner box is used in _____.(problem solving, creative thinking, verbal

learning, skill learning)

9. In classical conditioning, a specific stimulus is used to____ a specific

response. (emit, elicit, suppress, regulate)
10. When a CS no more elicits the CR, the process is known as____.
(suppression, generalization, forgetting, extinction)

11. Conditioning method was introduced by _____.(Freud, Pavlov, Thorndike, Skinner)

12. For effective conditioning, the CS -UCS interval should be____ seconds. (.5,
1, 1.1, 5)

13. The child learns to open a lock through a number of trials. This is due to
learning by______. (classical conditioning, trial-and-error, instrumental
conditioning, insight)

14. The reappearance of an extinguished response after a rest period is known

as______. (reconditioning, spo ntaneous recovery, acquisition,
discrimination)

15. Conditioning takes place due to close temporal contiguity between____. (CS
and UCS, CS and CR, UCS and UCR, UCS and CR)

16. Which of the following is not an important condition for learning to take
place? (contiguity, punishment, reinforcement, practice)

17. ______is not a learning theorist. (Maslow, Skinner, Tolman, Kohler)

18. The dog‟s salivation to the bell is a____. (CR, UCR, orienting response,
natural response)

19. When the UCS is presented before the CS, it is known as _____
conditioning. (backward, simultaneous, delayed, trace)

20. Which of the following is not a measure of the strength of acquisition? (CS -
UCS interval, response rate, resistance to extinction, response magnitude)

21. Which of the following indicates that extinction does not take place because
of forgetting of the CR? (generalization, spontaneous recovery,
discrimination, higher-order conditioning)

22. Responding to similar stimuli in similar ways is a case of ____.

(discrimination , higher-order conditioning, conditioning, generalization)
23. ______is a complementary process to generalization. (discrimination,
acquisition, extinction, inhibition)

24. When conditioning is done, the bell serves as a _____. (primary reinforcer,
secondary reinforcer, natural stimulus, discriminative stimulus)

25. Pavlov termed classical conditioning as_____. (stimulus control, stimulus

substitution, stimulus-response connection, none of these)

26. Albert‟s fear for the white rat was established through____. (operant
conditioning, classical conditioning, counter conditioning, observational
learning)

27. Distributed method of learning allows _____ to dissipate during the rest
period (interest, neural traces, fatigue, excitation).

28. Learning for the sake of acquiring knowledge is an example of _____.

motivation (extrinsic, intrinsic, social, psychological).

29. Trial-and-error learning provided the foundation for _____. (operant

conditioning, insightful learning, observational learnin g, classical
conditioning)

30. The gambling behavior is maintained through _____ schedule of

reinforcement. (fixed -ratio, variable-ratio, fixed-interval, variable-interval)

C. Short-Type Questions

(Write the answer to each question in five sentences)

1. Define learning operationally.

2. How is learning different from maturational changes?

3. What is extinction?

4. Briefly explain the classical conditioning procedure.

5. What is meant by schedules of reinforcement?

6. Distinguish insight from trial-and-error learning?

7. What is spontaneous recovery?

8. Explain implosive therapy.

9. Explain the concept of reinforcement.

10. Distinguish between learning and performance.

11. What is the Law of Effect?

12. What is generalization?

13. Name the factors influencing learning.

14. What is discrimination?

15. How does time-interval influence classical conditioning?

16. What does the organism learn in classical conditioning?

17. Briefly state the stages of insightful learning.

18. What is systematic desensitization?

19. What is shaping?

20. What is the contribution of Kohler?

21. What is the contribution of Skinner to learning?

22. How do cognitive theorists explain the role of reinforcement in operant

conditioning?

23. What is behavior modification?

24. Which results in better learning - intrinsic or extrinsic motivation?

25. What is Law of Exercise?

26. What is cognitive learning?

27. State the key factors in observational learning.

28. How does motivation influence learning?
29. Is distributed learning better than massed learning? Why?
30. Briefly explain trial-and error learning.
31. How does feedback influence the progress of learning?
32. How does meaningfulness of materials affect the rate of learning?
33. Is whole method better than part me thod of learning?

D. Essay-Type Questions (Write long answers)

1. What is learning? Describe the conditioning experiment of Pavlov and the

processes associated with it.

2. Define learning operationally. Discuss the operant conditioning experiment

and the contributions of Skinner to the field of learning.

3. Describe the classical conditioning procedure and explain what is learned in

classical conditioning?

4. How are the classical conditioning principles applied to understand and

control human behavior?
5. What is learning? Compare the procedures and principles of classical and
instrumental conditioning.
6. What is operant conditioning? Discuss some basic aspects of operant
conditioning.
7. Explain the phenomenon and laws of trial -and-error learning.
8. Discuss the characteristics and stages of insightful learning citing Kohler‟s
experiments.
9. Distinguish between trial-and-error and insightful learning.
10. What is cognitive learning? Discuss the phenomenon of observational
learning.
11. Discuss the factors influencing the progress of learning.
 ANSWERS
A. True-False Questions:

1. F 2. T 3. T 4. T 5. F 6. F 7. F 8. F 9. F 10. T 11.
T 12. F 13. F 14. T 15. T 16. F 17. F 18. T 19. T 20. T 21.
F 22. F 23. F 24. T 25. T 26. F 27. F 28. T 29. T 30. F 31.
T 32. T 33. T 34. T 35. F 36. F 37. T 38. T 39. T 40. T 41.
T 42. F 43. T 44. T 45. F 46. T 47. F 48. T 49. T 50. F 51.
T 52. T 53. F 54. T 55. T 56. T 57. T 58. F 59. T 60. F 61.
T 62. T 63. T 64. T
B. Multiple-Choice Questions :

1. unconditioned 2. fixed-ratio 3. Thorndike 4. practice

stimulus
5. sensory-motor 6. counter 7. Thorndike 8. skill learning
onditioning
9. elicit 10. extinction 11. Pavlov 12. .5
13. trial-and-error 14. spontaneous 15. CS and UCS 16. punishment
recovery
17. Maslow 18. CR 19. backward 20. CS-UCS interval
21. spontaneous 22. generalization 23. discrimination 24. secondary
recovery reinforcer
25. stimulus 26. classical 27. fatigue 28. intrinsic
substitution conditioning
29. operant 30. variable-ratio
Conditioning
Chapter 6
HUMAN MEMORY

This chapter covers : CONTENTS

a) Memory Process Introduction
What is Memory?
i) Encoding Encoding
ii) Storage Storage
iii) Retrieval Retrieval
b) Kinds of Memory Memory Systems
i) Episodic Memory Sensory Memory
ii) Semantic Memory Short-Term Memory
iii) Procedural Memory Long-Term Memory
c) Three Systems of Memory Distinctions between Short-Term
i) Sensory Memory Memory (STM) and Long-Term
ii) Short-Term Memory Memory (LTM)
iii) Long-Term Memory Kinds of Long-Term memory
d) Measurement of Memory Episodic Memory
i) Recall Semantic Memory
ii) Recognition Procedural Memory
iii) Saving or Relearning Measurement of Memory
e) Forgetting Recall
i) Encoding failure Recognition
ii) Storage failure Relearning
iii) Retrieval failure Reconstruction
f) Improving Memory- Mnemonics: Method Nature of forgetting
of Loci, Number and Letter Peg system. Causes of forgetting
Chunking Encoding Failure
After you go through this chapter, you Storage Failure
would be able to: Retrieval Failure
 Understand the nature of memory from Motivated Forgetting
an information-processing perspective. Improving Memory
 Describe the types of information stored Mnemonics
in memory. Method of Loci
Number and Letter Peg systems
 Distinguish between sensory, short-term, Chunking
and long-term memory. First-Letter Technique
 Explain the methods for measuring Narratives
memory. Key Terms
 Understand the nature and causes of Summary
forgetting. Questions
 Know some of the ways of improving Answers
memory.
 Human Memory

Introduction
Memory is an important cognitive process, which helps us to record the past
so that we can refer to it later, as and when required. W ithout memory, there would
be no past, but only the present. We would not be able to execute all the
psychological processe s that depend on our past experiences. We would be
perpetual beginners for every activity that we perform everyday. If we do not retain
information over time, and retrieve it for present use, we would not be able to recall
names, recognize faces, and under stand the concept of time. Even the present
would not be our own, because there would be no concept of self -identity. An
individual would wake up every morning, and doubt who he is, and would have to
rediscover his identity every day, every hour, every sec ond, and even every
millisecond. The identity of the individual would be lost, and the whole world
including him would appear to him as a booming buzzing confusion.
The feeling of personal identity is based on a continuous stream of memories
that link our yesterdays to today. Since memory is an important cognitive
phenomenon, psychologists have devoted considerable time and effort to
understand the process of memory, and the strategies to improve memory. Memory
is the retention of information over time . It has to be retrieved from its store for
present use.
Psychologists and philosophers have opined differently at different times on
the concept of memory. But the contemporary cognitive psychologists are of the
belief that the raw physical energy that impi nges upon the sense organs is
transformed, and passes through various stages consisting of sensory memory,
short-term memory and long -term memory. Here the basic or initial information is
successfully modified and reduced.
Hermann Ebbinghaus published a book titled „On Memory‟ in the year 1885.
This book opened the avenues for further research on memory. Before Ebbinghaus,
there had been only speculative discussions on memory by the philosophers. Plato
(427-347 B.C.) believed that “the mind is a block of wax into which sensory
experiences can be imprinted ”. Aristotle opined, “We remember things by virtue of
contiguity, similarity, and contrast. Further experiences are transmitted by the
blood and that memory is stored in the heart”.
The conceptualization of memory underwent several transformations, but all
were philosophical in nature until Hermann Ebbinghaus (1885) carried systematic
research on the assessment of memory. Before him, it was thought that the effect
of higher mental functions can o nly be observed, but cannot be measured. The
assessment of memory started with the initial experiments of Ebbinghaus, who
collected most of the evidences by experimenting on himself. Ebbinghaus himself
memorized and then recalled hundreds of lists of nonse nse syllables (meaningless
combinations of letters having no association value, such as XOQ, and ZOF). His
findings about how materials are remembered or forgotten stood the test of time.
One of his important findings is that at first, forgetting is very r apid; gradually the
rate of forgetting slows down. The contemporary psychologists accept memory as a
process in which information is registered, processed, stored, and retrieved, when
needed.

What is Memory?

Memory is the retention of information over tim e. It is a crucial aspect of

cognition, as it provides the basis for all cognitive processes. The term „memory‟
has been derived from the Latin word, „ memoria‟, which means historical account
or long remembrance. Modern approach to memory has gone far beyo nd the simple
yet significant beginnings made by Hermann Ebbinghaus (1885). The contemporary
psychologists take an information processing view of memory, which relies on the
computer as a model. Like computers, the human mind receives information from
the external world, stores it in some form for a period of time, and recalls it, when
needed. Memory may be defined as a process by which we encode, store, and
retrieve information. As you will know later, there are three distinct memory
systems, which carry o ut the basic functions of encoding, storage, and retrieval.
These three interrelated components of memory are discussed below (see Figure
6.1).
 Encoding Storage Retrieval
(initial recording of (information saved (recovery of stored
information) for future) information)

Figure 6.1 : Three basic processes of memory

Encoding
Encoding refers to the processes through which information is
converted to a form that can get an entry into memory system . The information
from the external world is received in the form of physical energies, and
transformed into a neural code that the brain can access. At the time of reception,
certain strategies are used for efficient encoding. These strategies consist of
rehearsal or practicing the information, organizing it into different groups or
chunking, and relating it to the already stored information. The nature of storing
information, and its retrieval for later use depend to a large extent on how the
information was coded in the first place. Encoding, thus, may be considered as
an active process of representing information in the memory system .

Storage

Storage refers to retaining the encoded information in memory over a

period of time. If the information were not stored, it would not be available for
later use. The storing takes place in the form of neural traces. The encoded
information tends to be lost, when it cannot be linked to already stored information.
The stored information is t o be periodically practiced or used for retaining it for a
longer period of time. Depending on the utility of the information, some are only
stored for a short period of time. Thus, storage refers to the holding of the
information in the memory system for future use.

Retrieval

Retrieval refers to the process of recovering the stored information

from memory. Even if information were stored in memory, it would be of little use,
if it cannot be accessed at the time of need. Whether or not the stored informati on
can be
easily accessed depends on how the information was encoded and stored. When
you meet a friend of yours after a long gap and are able to recognize him and
remember his name, you are retrieving information from your long -term memory.
The two most common methods of testing retrieval are recall and recognition.
Recall means reproducing the information already in memory, while recognition
means identifying the present stimuli as having been learned earlier. The encoding
and storage would be of little help, if we were not able to recover information from
memory storage at the time of our need.

Memory Systems
In late 1960s, many researchers in the field of memory believed that human
memory model is based on the connectionist approach. Martindale (1991) viewed
that the information processing explanation of memory is a well -researched
framework for examining human learning and memory. Information processing view
of memory uses computer as a model for understanding memory systems, though
human memory and co mputer memory are definitely not identical (Lewandoswky &
Murdock, 1989). Like the computer, the human mind takes in information, performs
operation on it to change its form, stores the information, retrieves it when needed,
and generates responses. The th ree basic tasks that are performed in this process
are encoding, storage, and retrieval.
Several important models of memory, which rest firmly on this (information
processing) approach, have been proposed. Of these, the model proposed by
Atkinson and Shiffrin (1968) is the most influential one. According to this model,
there are three kinds of memory systems: (i) sensory memory (sensory register),
(ii) short-term memory, and (iii) long-term memory. These storehouses vary in
terms of their functions and the length of time they retain information.
In the Atkinson-Shiffrin model (see Figure 6.2), memory starts with a
sensory input from the environment. This is held for a brief period of time (a
fraction of a second). Information that is attended to and re cognized in the sensory
register may be passed on to the short-term memory (STM), where it is held for
15 to 25 seconds. Some of the information reaching short -term memory is
processed by being rehearsed again and again, and then passed on to the long -
term memory, and information not so processed is lost.
When items of information are placed in long-term memory, they are organized into
categories, where they may reside for days, months, and years or for a lifetime. When
you remember something, you firs t search for it in the STM; if it is not found there, you
begin searching in the LTM. The mental representation of the item is retrieved from the
LTM, and transformed to the STM, where you can then consciously deal with it. A
diagrammatic representation of such a model is given in Figure 6.2. The three memory
systems are discussed separately below.

Work Space- Permanent

Temporary Storage Storage

Figure 6.2 Three distinct memory systems

Sensory Memory
Sensory memory is the initial momentary storage of information lasting
only an instant. Sensory memory, also known as „ sensory buffer‟ or „sensory
register‟ refers to the recorded or transcribed raw physical input. Stimuli from the
environment (sights, sounds, smells etc.) constantly bombard our receptors.
Receptors are the body‟s mechanisms for seeing, hearing, tasting, smelling, and
feeling. The sensory memory holds all these sensations for a brief period of time
until such information are transformed to other memory stores. If the
transfer is not virtually instantaneous then the information gets lost.
It is generally accepted that there are as many sensory memories as are
sensory registers. But the researchers have mainly focused on the visual (iconic),
and auditory (echoic) sensory memories. The following are a few important basic
characteristics of sensory memory: (i) The capacity of the sensory memory is very
large, (ii) The duration of sensory memory is fragile (short duration), (iii) The
content of sensory memory resembles the sensations from the original stimulus,
(iv) The visual sensory register holds information for less than a second and (v)
The auditory memory lasts for up to 2 to 4 seconds. If information from the sensory
memory does not pass to the short -term store, it is lost for good.
Short-Term Memory
It is the memory system that holds limited amount of information for
relatively a short period of time . After the information is processed from the
sensory store, and has been recognized and attended, it moves into sh ort-term
memory. But the sensory information does not reach the short -term memory
directly; rather it reaches in a coded form. Once noticed and transformed into
patterns of images or sounds, the information in sensory memory is readily
available for further processing. Short-term memory is otherwise known as
„working memory‟, which is the „workbench‟ of the memory system, the component
of memory where new information is held temporarily and combined with knowledge
from the long-term memory. Unlike sensory memory, working memory is temporary,
active and conscious and is like the workspace or screen of a computer - its content
is activated information or what you are thinking about at the moment. For this
reason, some psychologists consider the working memory t o be synonymous with
„consciousness‟. When you hear the telephone number of your friend, you store it
for a short period of time in your STM.
According to Broadbent (1958), STM is interpreted as a bioelectric process
in the form of a close neural circuit and is strongly susceptible to forgetting ( filter
effect), and interfering influences. Short -term memory is more selective and more
permanent than sensory memory. It is quite possible to retain information in
working
memory through maintenance rehearsal processes by repeating the information
to oneself.
Short-term memory or working memory has certain characteristics. They are:
1. The storage capacity of STM/working memory is quite limited . Some
psychologists argue that working memory is limited not b y the number of bits
of information it can store, but by the amount of information it can hold in a
rehearsal system of about 15 seconds. The STM can hold seven units of
information or items plus or minus two, i.e., 7 + 2.
2. Thus, the duration of information, in the working memory lasts for about
15 to 20 seconds. This is why working memory has been called „short -term
memory‟. Keele (1973) found from his experimental study that material in
STM disappears in 15 to 25 seconds if it is not practiced.
3. The content of information in working memory may be in the form of
images or may be structured more abstractly, based on meaning. According to
Baddeley (1986) and Jurden (1995), there are actually two working memory
systems: one for language based infor mation, and another for nonverbal, spatial
and visual information. Craik and Lockhart (1972) viewed that there are two types
of rehearsals involved in the process. They are - maintenance rehearsal, which
involves repeating the information in one‟s mind like remembering phone numbers,
and elaborative rehearsal, which involves connecting the information by
associating it with something else that one has already come across. For example,
suppose you meet a person on the road whose appearance looks like
that of your brother. In order to keep him in your memory, one has to make the
association of appearance of the brother with the person. Rehearsal, thus,
plays the role of executive control process that affects the flow of
information through the info rmation processing system. So, the information
from the environment reaches the sensory memory, and after screening,
reaches the working memory where it is rehearsed over and over to
ourselves, and after enough of such rehearsal, it goes into long -term
memory.

Long-Term Memory
It is the memory system that stores large amount of information over a
long period of time. Long-term memory is the third stage of memory. It is a
permanent storehouse of memory having unlimited capacity of storage. Long -term
memory holds the information that is well learned. For example, recalling the
telephone numbers of all of your friends is an example of LTM. Thus, long -term
memory is the memory system for the retention of large amount of materials over
long period of time. It ma y be noted that the information enters working memory
very quickly. To move information into long -term memory requires more time and a
bit of effort. But once the information is stored in the long -term memory, it remains
there permanently for days, weeks, months, years and even a lifetime. In the long -
term memory, the information is stored in an organized, categorized and classified
manner.
Psychologists suggest that information is stored in long -term memory
as either visual images or verbal units or both . Psychologists who agree with
this point of view believe that information coded both visually and verbally is easier
to learn. Long-term memory represents permanent
changes in the brain. When we think about memory, we generally mean long -term
memory. It includes almost anything that you remember which is essential for your
self-identity and proper functioning. The long -term memory can be episodic,
semantic, or procedural. These three types of long -term memory are discussed
later in this chapter.
Distinctions between Short-term memory (STM) and Long-term memory (LTM)
The short-term memory differs from the long -term memory in the following
ways:
1. Short-term memory is viewed as a rapidly decaying system. Most
psychologists believe that short -term memory does not involve permanent
changes in the brain. However, some temporary changes occur in this case.
The physiological nature of the traces is such that they fade quickly. The
long-term memory appears to be permanent. A permanent change occurs
in our brain when we remember things for a longtime. Long -term memory
has a more or less enduring impression on the brain. Because of the
consolidation of traces, the traces are relatively permanent.
2. Short-term memory has limited storage capacity resistant to overcrowding in
any form. It just cannot take any overload . On the other hand, long-term
memory is limitless for all practical purposes . Any information transferred
from short-term memory to long-term memory will have a place for
permanent storage.
3. Short-term memory is an active system involving rehearsal . We need to
keep the items actively in STM relearning them constantly. On the other hand, the
long-term memory is rather passive in nature; it is not easily disturbed by
interruption, unlike short-term memory.
4. Long-term memory differs from short -term memory in the kind of information
that is most easily stored. Information is usually stored in short -term
memory in terms of the physical qualities of the experience (what we
see, do, taste, touch, hear etc.) with a special emphasis on acoustic (sense
of hearing) codes. Although sensory memories can be stored in long -term
memory, information is primarily stored in LTM in terms of its meaning
or semantic codes.
5. There is a difference between long -term memory and short-term memory in
the process of recall. When we are looking for a bit of information in STM
we scan the entire contents of this store . But as the amount of
information stored in long -term memory is lost, we cannot scan the entire
contents of the LTM, when we are looking for a bit of information. We use a
cue relevant to the information we need and retrieve only that information
instead of the entire contents of LTM.
6. Short-term memory also differs from long -term memory in the way forgetting
occurs. Short-term memory is characterized by trace dependent forgetting . If
information is not rehearsed or processed immediately, then the memory
transf ormed by the information fades rapidly and the item is permanently lost or
completely erased from the memory. In contrast, long-term memory is
characterized by cue dependent forgetting. The information is permanently
recorded in LTM. But our ability to ret rieve it depends upon having the appropriate
cues.
7. The different stages of memory are handled by different parts of the brain.
Short-term memory is primarily a function of the frontal lobe of the
cerebral cortex, while information that is stored in long-term memory is first
held in the hippocampus and then transferred to the areas of the cerebral
cortex involved in language and perception for permanent storage .
There is no universal acceptance of a distinction between short -term memory
and long-term memory. However, clinical evidence from patients suffering from
Korsakoff‟s syndrome (where chronic alcoholism produces both retrograde and
anterograde amnesia) or from severe head injury shows that short -term memory in
such occasions is severely impaired while the long -term memory remains intact.
It is to be remembered that even though short-term memory and Iong-term memory are
conceptually different from one another, they are highly interdependent. Rehearsal in STM
leads to memories in. LTM and LTM is necessary for STM encoding.

Kinds of Long-Term Memory

If memory is a storehouse of information, what kind of information does it
store? It stores a wide variety of information. After careful research, psychologists
have tried to categorize LTM into distinct categories. A comprehensive
classification given by Tulving suggests that there are three types of long -term
memory: (i) episodic memory, (ii) semantic memory, and (ii) procedural memory.
Episodic Memory
Episodic memory refers to the memories of the
events that we have experienced personally . Since, this stores biographical
details of our individual lives, it is also known as autobiographical memory. It
allows us to move back in time so as to locate what was the event, and where and
when the event took place. Our childhood memories are episodic in nature. Which
was your happiest birthday? When did you go to the movie the last time? What
happened during the get together of your friends la st year? These and many other
similar experiences are contained in the episodic memory.
Episodic memory usually has an emotional content . W hen past personal
experiences are recalled, the earlier events are experienced partly at the conscious
level. The very pleasant or the very painful experiences are remembered better
than the non-emotional events. Episodic memory can be surprisingly detailed. It is
also true that the episodic memory is prone to forgetting. Everyday, we experience
innumerable events of wh ich only some are important. The unimportant ones are
quickly forgotten. Extremely significant and emotional experiences are almost
permanently stored in memory. In episodic memory, the events are recalled and
experienced through a process of reconstructio n. Every time the past experience is
recalled, it gets more coherent and abridged. Sometimes the event gets distorted.
Hence, episodic memory may not always be a reliable reproduction of earlier
personal experiences.
Semantic Memory
Semantic memory is the sum total of our general abstract knowledge about
the world. It stores the basic meanings of words and concepts, and the
understanding of the formal rules to deduce other facts and solve problems. All that
you would learn and store in your memory after rea ding this chapter is semantic
memory. It is somewhat like a mental
dictionary of facts and principles. The semantic memory is hardly dependent on
the time and place of the experience . Those who participate in television quiz
shows have rich semantic memory. Semantic memory allows us to operate on
events and situations that are not experienced directly through senses.
Procedural Memory
This memory system stores information regarding how things are done .
It is sometimes referred to as non-declarative memory. On many occasions, we
remember how a skilled action is performed, but fail to express it verbally. These
experiences are stored in the procedural memory. This memory system refers to
memories for skills and habits such as riding a bicycle or pl aying cricket. It is
primarily the result of basic learning processes. One can consciously recall the skill
memories during the early phase of performance. W ith increasing practice, the skill
becomes automatic. The experts perform advanced level skill with out consciously
recalling the appropriate skill memories. Procedural memory is important,
because without it, we would not be able to retain many skills once they are
learned.

Measurement of Memory
Memory is an internal and unobservable process. At times we feel that we don‟t
remember all that we had learnt earlier. In such a situation, we come face to face with the
imperfect nature of our own memories- our cognitive system for learning, storing, and retrieving
information, throwing a challenge for its assessment. The credit for the first systematic
assessment of memory goes to Ebbinghaus (1900). Since then several studies have been
reported in which various methods of assessing (measuring)
memory have evolved. The amount of information retained in memory can be inferred from
observable performance on various tasks. There are both direct and indirect methods of
measuring memory. The direct methods of assessing memory are: (i) recall, (ii) recognition, (iii)
relearning, and (iv) reconstruction. The indirect method focuses on the amount of transfer of
previous learning to a subsequent learning situation.
Recall
The most widely used method of testing memory or measuring retention is
the method of recall. It is a passive, but direct method of measuring retention.
Reproduction of learnt materials after a time span is recall . It is actually the
repetition of learned material, i.e., verbatim (word for word) recitation. For
example, one may recall a poem by reciting it, even if he does not remember the
circumstances under which he had learned.
Recall involves verbal reproduction or repetition of previously learnt
material. Recall becomes easier when materials are meaningful, interesting, short,
and over learned. Recall is often categorized into: (i) Free Recall and (ii) Serial
Recall.

Free Recall. Free recall allows us to summon up pieces of information out of order. For
example, we may listen to a lecture and afterwards remember a few important quotes without
recalling the order in which they were presented. Thus, in free recall, pieces of learnt
materials may be recalled freely without following any specific order.
Serial Recall. In serial recall the material is recalled in a very specific
order i.e., in which it has been learned . For example, there are people (who)
when asked the question -
what is twelve multiplied by seven - may start from the beginning of multiplication
chart twelve, and only then can recall the correct answer.
Ebbinghaus (1885) used recall method for studying remembering and
forgetting. He was of the view that retention can be tested either by the method of
(i) immediate recall or, (ii) delayed recall. When recall is made immediately after
learning, it is called „immediate recall‟; whereas, when recall is made after an
interval of time, it is called „delayed recall‟. It may be noted that failure to recall
does not necessarily mean that there has been no retention. Failure to recall
despite retention is known as recall amnesia. Sometimes due to emotional
disturbances like fear, anxiety and sudden shock, one fails to recall. Further, when
the subject is motivated to learn, she/he can recall the items easily. Thus, motive
plays a major role in recall.
Recognition
Recognition is considered as a sensitive method of measuring retention. It is
an active process where identification of elements takes place. Recognition is a
common experience which refers to the fact that once the remembered event or
word is in front of us, we know th at we have stored it away before; it is familiar to
us. Guilford (1917) viewed that recognition means knowing again. Further, the
essential difference between recall and recognition is that in the first case, the
stimulus is not there for one‟s identificat ion, whereas it is there in the second case.
Thus, recognition is the identification of learnt material or object from a
combination (combined list) of learned and unlearned materials. The correct
identification will provide the raw retention score. The pe rcentage of recognition
can be derived
by using certain formula:
Percentage of Recognition =
Where, R = Total number of items correctly recognized
W = Total number of items incorrectly recognized
K= Total number of alternatives given for rec ognition (old + new)
N= Number of items originally presented for learning
For example, let the learner recognize 4 out of 10 items with 10 alternatives.
Then, percentage of recognition =
Recognition is easier than recall, because in recognition, the object is present in
a mixed form with certain new elements. The sensitiveness is greater in case of
recognition, which is sometimes influenced by the subject‟s attitude, prejudice,
values, and other inner motives.
Seeleman (1940) conducted an experiment on the role of motivation in
recognition and observed that the pleasant experiences are better remembered
than the unpleasant experiences. Further, it has been reported from other studies
that with the increase of similarity between original learning materials to that of the
new materials, recognition becomes difficult. While studying the process of
recognition, usually two kinds of errors are noticed. They are: (i) failure to
recognize the familiar items, and (ii) false recog nition of the new and unfamiliar
items.
We fail to recognize the familiar object, when it is seen under changed
circumstances. We accept a new stimulus as the old stimulus when there is a lot of
similarity between the two. The greater amount of similarity facilitates larger error
in recognition. Studies conducted by Skaggs and Robinson suggest that “ as
similarity between the interpolated activity and original learning is reduced to
a near identity, retention falls to a minimum and then rises again, but wit h
decrease in similarity it never reaches the level obtained with maximum
similarity.”
Relearning
The method of relearning is the most sensitive among all measures of
retention. This method is otherwise known as the method of „ saving‟, which was
introduced by Ebbinghaus (1885) for measuring the quantitative aspect of memory.
In this method, a list of materials is presented to the subject up to perfect learning,
and after a time gap, she/he is presented with
the same list to relearn. The experimenter records the number of trials and time
taken by the subject in relearning condition. The percentage of saving is found by
the formula :

Where OLT = Original learning trials

RLT = Relearning trials
For example, if a child takes 8 trials to learn the original task and 6 trials to
relearn it, then the percentage of saving is =
Reconstruction
Reconstruction involves the reproduction of the learned materials.
Reconstruction technically means rearranging the part s of an original task,
presented randomly. In this method, the stimuli are first presented in a certain
arrangement, then this arrangement is broken up and the stimuli are handed over
to the subject with instruction to reconstruct the original order.
Suppose the parts of a plastic doll are joined to get a full figure of a doll.
Then the experimenter breaks it into pieces and asks the subject to rearrange the
items to form a doll. If the subject can rearrange, then she/he gets the full credit for
the test. Similarly while writing an essay on Second World War, we recall that the
United States entered the war in 1941 after the attack on Pearl Harbour, and an
atom bomb was dropped on Hiroshima in 1945. Hence, we are able to reconstruct
the events that took place between these two times. The limitation of this method
is that only such materials, which are breakable into parts, can be used for
experimentation.
The methods of testing retention i.e., recall, recognition, re -learning and
reconstruction are the basic units of assessing memory. But the question of how
information is stored in memory has encouraged the researchers in the past.
William James distinguished memory into primary memory and secondary
memory. But with the advancement of research and electronic devices, the idea of
multiple memories came into light. Most researchers believe that computer memory
can be used as a rough working model for understanding human memory.
Nature of Forgetting
We are most aware of our memory when it betrays us, i.e., we fail to
remember information that we need at a particular moment. Many experiences that
we want to remember are forgotten in course of time. Forgetting is an inevitable
process of life having bot h positive and negative values. Generally, psychologists
use the term forgetting to refer to the apparent loss of information already
encoded and stored in memory . It is the opposite of remembering and is inferred
from our inability to remember something a t a given point of time. Forgetting is
the difference between what one has learned and what one has retained . To
forget means not to be able to remember a material learned earlier. According to
Underwood (1968), “retention and forgetting are thus reciproca l terms for the
quantitative aspect of memory, with retention indicating the amount
remembered under specified conditions and forgetting the amount not
remembered under same conditions. ”
The first attempt to study forgetting was made by German psychologis t
Hermann Ebbinghaus about a century ago. Using himself as his only subject, he
memorized lists of three -letter nonsense syllables. A nonsense syllable is a
meaningless set of three letters with two consonants and a vowel in between, such
as XOQ, and YUC. A nonsense syllable can be pronounced in a single articulation,
and has no associational value.
Ebbinghaus‟s experiments were designed to explore the rate of forgetting as
a function of time. His curve of forgetting (see Figure 6.3) suggested that
forgetting is rapid at first, but slows down with the passage of time . As the
Figure 6.3 indicates, the most rapid forgetting occurs in the first nine hours, and
particularly in the first hour. After nine hours, the
rate of forgetting slows down, and declines little, even after the passage of many
days. His study had profound influence on subsequent research on memory and
forgetting.

Causes of Forgetting
Why do we forget? As you already know, memory has three interrelate d
components, i.e., encoding, storage, and retrieval. Forgetting may occur because
of problems experienced at any one these stages. If the materials were not
properly encoded, the relevant aspects of what is to be remembered would not be
stored. Even after efficient encoding, if the materials are not properly stored in the
LTM, they cannot be retrieved at the time of need. Even if the storage is proper,
the learnt material may not be retrieved because of some interference. Besides all
these, some painful experiences may be repressed in the unconscious, and not
available to our consciousness. In other words, we forget some painful
experiences, because we want to forget those. All these causes of forgetting are
discussed below.
Encoding Failure
The process through which information is converted into a form that
can be entered into memory is known as encoding . You know that the
informational impact at the sensory register should be properly processed to be
passed on to the STM, and then to the LTM. Massive forg etting occurs at the level
of encoding. Without deep level processing, materials may be lost at the level
of encoding itself.
Sometimes, we think that we have forgotten because what we remember
does not match with what actually occurred. Constructive proc esses distort what is
stored in memory and we remember the distortions. For instance, we
remember the gist or meaning of what we have read or heard in a conversation but
not the actual words themselves. We remember inferences constructed at the time
the information was encoded for storage, or we encode only selected portions of
the to-be-remembered information. Strictly speaking, such faulty remembering is
not forgetting. In fact, we remember what was encoded, and stored.

Much of what we think we hav e forgotten does not really qualify as being
forgotten, because it was never encoded and stored in the first place. According to
the information theory, some information might not have reached STM because of
lack of attention. Due to inadequate encoding, t he information may not have been
transformed from the STM to the LTM. If the encoding is not proper, the information
reaching the STM might have been knocked out, because the STM has a limited
storage capacity. Thus, a person may forget because of encoding failure. What
are the different factors that influence the encoding of the materials?
The factors operating at the time of encoding are (i) strength of original
learning, (ii) nature of material, (iii) method of learning, and (iv) speed of learning.
Although amount of retention cannot increase indefinitely as a function of the
degree of over learning; over learning is preferable than under -learning. Forgetting
involves both verbal and nonverbal learning. Meaningful and rhythmic materials
decrease the rate of forgetting because of their associative value. Motor learning is
retained for a long period in comparison to verbal learning. Speed of learning is
conversely related to the degree of forgetting. According to Underwood, “ when
learning is rapid, forgetti ng will be slow and when learning is slow forgetting
will be rapid”.
Attitude towards learning material, motivation and interest to learn are also
important determinants influencing the nature of encoding. Emotional shock such
as failure in examination, suspension from job etc. seriously interferes with
encoding and leads to forgetting.
The rate of forgetting varies from individual to individual. It is found that
some forget sooner than others. Some people easily learn and retain certain
materials in comparison to others. So, whether forgetting will be slow or fast
depends upon the individuals, the situation, and the nature of the information
to be remembered.
Storage failure
Even if the encoding is proper, materials may be forgotten because of
improper storage. As you know, materials have to be finally stored in the LTM to be
retrieved at the time of need. Forgetting takes place because either the material
is not properly stored in the LTM, or the storage is affected by interference or
disuse. The LTM storage may face problems because of several factors.
The oldest and simplest view of forgetting is that information entered into
memory fades or decays with passage of time during which it is not used. Thus,
forgetting is a function of the passage of time. This explanation assumes that
learning leaves a trace in the brain, which is known as memory trace or engram.
The memory trace involves some sort of physical changes not present prior to
learning. With the passage of time, the normal metaboli c processes of the brain
cause a fading or decay of the memory traces so that traces of material once
learned gradually disintegrate and eventually disappear. As a result, the memory
storage is greatly disturbed. This theory fits our common sense understan ding of
forgetting and is consistent with our informal day -today
experience.
Often information we acquired quite sometime ago is more difficult to
remember than information learned only recently. Does it mean that the memory
traces of earlier learning are completely wiped out? Considerable evidence
suggests that decay is probably not the key mechanism in forgetting. If the material
is relearnt, it could be done quickly. The process is known as saving. Furthermore,
in many instances, learning (e.g., motor skills like cycling, driving etc.) is retained
for a long period of time with no intervening practice. Even in some cases, verbal
materials may be retained over long periods of time. For example, we may recall a
poem learned in the XI standard and y et be unable to remember a part of a play we
learned in XII standard. Why should the decay process affect the second material
and not the first?
Another evidence, which goes against the trace -decay theory, rests on the
recovery of memory supposedly lost. People approaching senility, who can barely
remember the events of the day, often vividly recall events of their youth. Findings
of the study by Jenkins and Dallenbach (1924) and Minami and Dallenbach
(1964) argue against the suggestion that forgetting is primarily the result of gradual
decay of information over time. It appears that simple passage of time is a cause of
forgetting both in the sensory register and in short -term memory, but not in long -
term memory. Memory traces seem to be permanent once they make it into long-
term memory. Forgetting does not seem to happen in long -term memory because of
disuse overtime. Forgetting may simply be a matter of retrieval failure in that some
other additional experiences may interfere with the systems at the time o f retrieval.
Retrieval failure

The failure of retrieval provides the most important explanation for

forgetting. Even when the material is properly coded, and stored in the LTM, if
for some reason, the material cannot be retrieved when needed, it is deemed
to be forgotten. There are several factors influencing retrieval from the LTM. One
of them is the context of memorization. If our memory for persons and events has
taken place in one context, and we are asked to recall it another context, som e
amount of retrieval failure may take place. Many of us fail to recall the names of
our high school classmates, when we meet them later in the out -of-school settings.
This means that we have lost social -context-retrieval cues that we used while
forming the initial memories of those classmates. Hence, the change of the
memorization context leads to retrieval failure, and consequently, poor memory. It
seems that many memory failures are due to poor encoding and inadequate
retrieval cues rather than loss of m emories. Failure to call up memories cannot be
taken as a positive proof that memory was not there.
Another important source of influence for memory failure comes from
interference. The theory of interference suggests that forgotten memory is
neither lost nor damaged, but is only misplaced . The memories for other
materials interfere with the retrieval of the one that is sought. Our inability to
remember the names of our high school friends is similar to what happens when a
clerk fails to locate a letter th at he received a year ago. The letter is still
somewhere in his file but it has been buried among a host of other letters that the
clerk filed before and after this letter. The modern theorists accept interference as
a major cause of
forgetting.

The interference takes place in two different forms such as proactive

interference, and retroactive interference . Proactive interference refers to a
phenomenon, when old memories displace or block out new memories . On the
other hand, when new memories knoc k out the old memories, the
phenomenon is known as retroactive interference . A vast amount of
experimental evidence as well as everyday experiences indicate the occurrence of
both proactive and retroactive interferences. When you fail to recall the names o f
your high school classmates, because you had so many new friends in colleges,
you are experiencing the phenomenon of retroactive interference. On the other
hand, if you had difficulty recalling the names of your college friends because of
your memories f or close friends in your high school, you are experiencing what is
called proactive interference. Memory interferences are easily demonstrated in the
experimental laboratory.
Suppose you want to demonstrate experimentally the retroactive interference
that affects retrieval memory. The prefix „ retro‟ means „backward acting‟.
Retroactive interference occurs when a new learning works backward, and
interferes with the previously learnt material . In a typical experiment, there are
two groups known as the contro l group and the experimental group. The control
group learns some materials such as a list of nonsense syllables (List A), and is
tested after a specified rest interval. The experimental group learns the same list
(List A), and then learns a second list (L ist B) during the period when the control
group takes rest. The learning of List B by the experimental group is an
interpolated activity. Then both the groups are asked to
recall List A, which was previously learned. The experimental procedure for
retroactive interference is given in Table 6.1.
Table 6.1: Experimental procedure for studying retroactive interference
Group Phase-l Phase-ll Phase-III
Experimental Learning List A Learning List B Recalling List A
Control Learning List A Rest Recalling List A
Proactive interference refers to the interfering effect of previously
learnt materials on the learning of new materials . The prefix „pro‟ means
„forward acting.‟ The old memory acts in a forward direction to interfere with the
new memory. The phenomenon of proactive interference can be demonstrated in
the laboratory by taking an experimental group and a controlled group. The
experimental group learns a list of nonsense syllables (List A), while the control
group takes rest. Then both the groups learn List B. The next step is to ask both
groups to recall List B. It is generally found that the experimental group recalls less
number of nonsense syllables of List B, compared to the control group. Thus, the
initial learning of List A by the experiment al group worked forward in interfering
with the recall of List B. The control group did not experience the interference of
List A, and therefore, performed better in the recall test of List B. The experimental
procedure for proactive interference is given in Table 6.2.
Table 6.2: Experimental procedures for studying proactive interference
Group Phase-I Phase-II Phase-III
Experimental Learning List A Learning List B Recalling List B
Control Rest Learning List B Recalling List B

In both types of experiments, the experimental group performs worse on the

recall test, compared to the control group. The most obvious predictions emerging
from the interference theory is that memories, undisturbed by other memories,
will last longer. It has been shown that subjects, who go to sleep after learning a
material, recall it better the next morning than those who spend their time in usual
activities after learning. Both retroactive and proactive interferences point to
retrieval failure in the me mory process. There are three general principles, which
govern interference.
Similarity of Materials. The similarity between the two sets of materials
influences the degree of interference. The general principle is that the greater the
similarity between the original and the interpolated materials, the greater the
interference. Interference primarily comes from similar memories. The Skaggs -
Robinson hypothesis states, “ As similarity between interpolated and original
learning is reduced from a near identity, retention falls to a minimum and then
rises, but with decrease in similarity it never reaches the level obtained with
maximum similarity.” W hen the two activities are completely dissimilar, there is
less confusion, and therefore, less retrieval failure.
Meaningfulness of Materials. Meaningless materials are more likely to
be forgotten than meaningful materials. Meaningful materials evoke
associational linkage with subjects‟ personal knowledge and experiences. They
are, thus, related to a few familiar cues . A person can fall back on these cues at
the time of recall. But meaningless materials do not carry any associational links
with person‟s store of knowledge in the LTM. That is why it is more difficult to
memorize nonsense syllables such as ZOQ, QIX, KEZ than the meaningful words
like KEY, SUN, and PIG. If both original and interpolated materials are
meaningless, retrieval failure would be more.
Nature of the Interpolated Task. The more difficult the interpolated task,
the more it will interfere with the memory of materials learned earlier . If you
study a course on psychology, and then a course on anthropology for the
examination, the contents of anthropology would interfere more with the memory
for psychology. If the interpolated task were simple r such as cleaning clothes, you
would experience less interference with memory for psychology. If the interpolated
activity has emotional content, forgetting will be more. The temporal location of the
interpolated task is also another important factor. Interpolated task given just
after learning or just before the recall heightens the influence of retroactive
interference. Minimum interference occurs if the interpolated task is introduced in
the middle of a long retention interval.
Motivated Forgetting
Freud, the father of the psychoanalytic school, believed that we forget what
threatens us. The threatening, shocking, painful, stressful, and ego -dissatisfying
experiences are pushed back to the unconscious. In other words, these
experiences are repressed in the unconscious, and cannot be retrieved when
needed. Hence, motivated forgetting is a case of retrieval failure. Freud observed,
“Forgetting in all cases is founded on a motive of displeasure .” We forget,
because we like to forget. Repression is the key mechanism underlying
forgetting. In case of repression, there is no loss of retention but there is a strong
inhibition to recall, and this inhibition causes the retrieval failure. Since such type
of forgetting occurs because the subject intends to forget anxiety -provoking and
ego-dissatisfying experiences, th is is also called intentional or motivated
forgetting.
The retrieval of the repressed memories is possible only under special
circumstances using a few psychoanalytic techniques. These techniques are free
association, hypnosis, and dream-analysis. This theory of forgetting explains why
pleasant materials are better remembered than the unpleasant ones. The
unpleasant materials are ego threatening, and therefore, may be repressed in the
unconscious. Our motivational needs not only prevent‟retrieval of certai n memories
but even change the tone and the content of the memories that we retrieve.

Improving Memory
Individuals differ in their abilities to memorize. Some have more
impressionable mind than others. Therefore, the materials they learn get more
easily and more effectively registered as a result of which they show better abilities
for recall and recognition. Is it possible to improve one‟s memory? Yes, more
specific aids to memory are available. Some of the general principles that you have
learned in this chapter can be applied to improve your memory. Psychologists have
developed mnemonics, which means the art or system of memory strategies. By
using the techniques described below, one can improve one‟s encoding, storage,
and retrieval capacities.
Mnemonics
The word „mnemonics‟ comes from the Greek word for memory and refers to
specific memory improvement techniques.
The „mnemonics‟ consist of a set of strategies, which includes the use of
visual imagery, method of loci, number and letter peg systems, chunking, and
narratives. Most of the mnemonic techniques link the newly learnt materials with
the organized set of images and concepts in the long -term memory. These firmly
established LTM images serve as reminder cues for retrieval. These reminder cues
are called pegs as though the to -be-remembered items are hung on these pegs.
The pegs act as mediators for remembering something long and complex.
The Method of Loci
Its literal meaning is method of locations. The memory pegs in this system
are parts of your images of a scene or places. It helps in remembering a number of
terms serially. Suppose you want to remember the following five terms serially:
house, man, tree, water, and book. You need to go through the following three
stages:
a) Visualize a series of places with which you are very familiar (for
example, visualize five rooms in your educational institution like principal‟s
room, staff room, classroom, laboratory, and toilet in that sequence)
b) Create a visual image of each term you have to remember (for example,
create the images of horse, man, tree, water, and book)
c) Associate the terms one by one with the places in your imagery (for
example, associate horse with principal‟s room thinking that the room has a
big photograph of a horse, then associ ate staff room with man, classroom
with tree and so on).
One can also use the same set of images for remembering
an additional list of items. The method of loci has proven to be helpful in
remembering separate terms in an order.
Number and Letter Peg Systems
Here the memory pegs are numbers or letters. The to-be-remembered
items are linked to the visual images formed with numbers. For example, you
may create a rhyming system for the numbers 1 to 20. Think of words that rhyme
with numbers such as 1 with man, 2 with shoe, 3 with tree, 4 with door, 5 with hive
and so on. Now if you want to remember a list, associate each term serially with
the images of the numbers. Suppose the first few items of the list are cake, door,
chair, book, and pen. You may create associations as follows: man is eating the
cake, shoe is in front of the door, chair is hanging from a tree, a door is created by
arranging books, and the pen is hidden in the bee hive. In each case, you
associate the number image with the items to be memorized.
Using letters as pegs follows a similar method. In this case, let each letter
stand for a word that starts with that letter. The images of these words are linked to
the items to be remembered. These methods not only help in remembering the
items serially, but also help in recalling the 9 t h , 16 t h or 21 s t item. Any numbered item
can be retrieved from memory. It is shown that more bizarre the images of the
items to be remembered, the easier it becomes to store and retrieve.
Chunking
Chunking refers to recoding information into a single meaningful unit .
Suppose you want to remember a seven -digit phone number, 2350478, it will be
helpful if you break the number into two chunks such as 2350, and 478. One chunk
consists of four digits, and the oth er consists of three digits. In fact seven units of
information are reduced to two longer units called chunks. By doing this you
automatically increase your working memory capacity . You can further aid your
memory, if you associate the numbers 2350 and 478 with some facts firmly
established in your LTM. For example, in order to remember a phone number
610365, a person told me to divide the number into two chunks, 610 and 365. He
further helped me to associate the numbers with some knowledge in the f ollowing
way: We are busy from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. every day, and for all the 365 days. I have
never forgotten that phone number. Similarly you have to create your memory
linkages. Chunking is a powerful and oft -used mnemonics to aid memory.
First-Letter Technique
If you need to remember a set of concept names, you can take the first
letter of each concept, and combine them to form words , though not
meaningfully. When children remember the seven colors of the rainbow in the form
of „VIBGYOR‟, they use this technique. We remember the word through their
abbreviations such as ICU for Intensive Care Unit, IEC for Information, Education,
and Communication, and UNICEF for United Nations Children‟s Emergency Fund.
In this method, the order of the words or concepts is important.
Narratives
In order to remember a list of unrelated words, you may create a story
using these words. Suppose the items to -be-remembered are tree, water, gate,
sun, and forest. The made -up story might go as follows, “A crow on a tree needing
water flew over the gate under the hot sun to the forest.” While recalling the items,
the story would help you to retrieve the items from the LTM.
All the mnemonics discussed above provide useful techniques to improve
one‟s memory. But as you know, memory
is far more complex a process, and these techniques have limited applications, when
higher-order memory processes are involved. The contents of a college level course are
far more complex. In fact, you cannot rely on a single and simple method fo r improving
your memory for the course. Several other additional factors and considerations are
important. Ability to memorize depends on the internal characteristics of the learner, the
characteristics of the items, and the methods of learning. First of a ll, the person must
feel the need to improve his memory, and must be highly motivated to do so. He needs to
have good physical and mental health. In order to be able to store the items and recall
those later, he must use efficient coding devices, pace his rate of learning, use effective
methods for learning the items, rehearse the learnt material for proper storage, take rest
in between learning sessions, and from time to time engage in exercises of recall to
assess the status of storage. If you are motivat ed to improve your memory, you may
consult the teachers of psychology in your college.
 KEY TERMS
Memory Cognitive Process Nonsense syllable
Encoding Storage Retrieval
Sensory register Sensory memory Iconic memory
Echoic memory Working memory Rehearsal
Information processing Episodic memory Semantic memory
Procedural memory Recall Free recall
Serial recall Recognition Re-learning
Saving Reconstruction Forgetting
Encoding failure Storage failure Retrieval failure
Proactive interference Retroactive interference Interpolated task
Motivated forgetting Repression Mnemonics
Method of loci First-letter technique Narratives
Chunking Number and letter peg systems
 SUMMARY
1. Memory is an important cognitive process by which information is registered,
stored, and retrieved, when needed . Hermann Ebbinghaus was the first
person to have carried systematic research on the assessment of memory.
2. The basic functions in memory are encoding, storage, and retrieval. In
encoding, the information is converted to a form that can get an entry into
the memory system. Storage refers to retaining the encoded information over
a period of time. Retrieval refers to the process of recovering the stored
information from memory.
3. The most influential memory model proposed by Atkinson and Shiffrin
proposes that there are three memory storage systems: sensory memory,
short-term memory (STM), and Long-term Memory (LTM).
4. Sensory memory, known as „sensory register‟, is the initial momenta ry
storage of information lasting only an instant . Visual and auditory sensory
memories are called iconic, and echoic memories, respectively. The contents
of the sensory memory resemble the sensation from the original stimulus. It
has a large storage capacity but only for a short duration. While the iconic
memory holds information for less than a second, the echoic memory lasts
for 2 to 4 seconds.
5. Short-term Memory (STM), also known as „working memory‟, holds a limited
amount of information only for abou t 15 to 25 seconds. The span of STM is 7
± 2. The information is retained in STM through maintenance rehearsal, and
elaborative rehearsal. Then the information is passed on to the LTM.
6. The long-term memory (LTM) stores large amount of informati on over a long
period of time as either visual images or verbal units or both . The LTM
contains episodic, semantic and procedural memories.
7. While the STM is a rapidly decaying system, the LTM appears to be
permanent. The STM is an active system involvin g rehearsal, and has a
limited storage capacity. In contrast, the LTM is rather passive, and has an
unlimited capacity for storage. While STM stores information usually in terms
of physical qualities of the experience, the information is stored in LTM in
terms of meaning and semantic codes.
8. To retrieve information from the STM, we scan the entire contents of the
store. The information from LTM is recalled by using a cue relevant to the
information instead of scanning the entire content of the LTM.
9. While STM is characterized by trace-dependent forgetting, the LTM is
characterized by cue-dependent forgetting. STM is primarily a function of the
frontal lobe, but the information stored in LTM is first held in the
hippocampus and then transferred to the cer ebral cortex involved in
language and perception for permanent storage. Though STM and LTM are
conceptually different, they are highly interdependent in that rehearsal in
STM leads to memories in the LTM, and LTM is necessary for LTM encoding.
10. Tulving suggests that there are three types of LTM: episodic memory,
semantic memory, and procedural memory. Episodic memory refers to the memory
of events that we have experienced personally, and usually has an
emotional content. Semantic memory is the sum total of our general abstract
knowledge about the world. Procedural memory, otherwise known as non -
declarative memory, stores information regarding how things are done.
11. There are both direct and indirect methods of measuring memory. The dir ect
methods are (i) recall, (ii) recognition, (iii) relearning, and (iv)
reconstruction. The indirect method focuses on the amount of transfer of
previous learning to a subsequent learning situation.
12. Recall is the verbal reproduction of previously lear nt materials. Recognition
is the identification of learnt materials from a combination of learned and
unlearned materials. Recognition is easier than recall. Relearning involves
presenting the materials to the subject up to one perfect learning and then
presenting the same material after a time gap to be learnt again. The lesser
the number of trials taken in the relearning situation, the better is the
memory. Reconstruction means asking the subject to rearrange the parts of
an original task.
13. Forgetting refers to the apparent loss of information already stored in
memory. Ebbinghaus was the first person to have conducted experiments on
forgetting. His curve of forgetting suggested that forgetting is rapid at first,
but slows down with the passage of time.
14. Forgetting occurs because of failure experienced at one or all of the stages
of encoding, storage, and retrieval. The psychoanalysts believe that we
forget because we like to forget experiences that are stressful and threaten
our ego.
15. The failure to retrieve information from the LTM because of interference is
regarded as the major explanation of forgetting. Thus, forgetting occurs
because of proactive interference , and retroactive interference . Proactive
interference occurs when old memories block o ut new memories. If the
reverse takes place, it is known as retroactive interference.
16. The three important principles which govern interference are (a) similarity of
materials, (b) meaningfulness of
Chapter 7

MOTIVATION AND EMOTION

This chapter covers :
a) Meaning and Operational CONTENTS
Def inition of Drive and Incentive Introduction
b) Brief Idea about Types of Motives: MOTIVATION
Biological, Social and Meaning and Operational Definition
Psychological Motivational Cycle
c) Meaning, Operational Def inition Needs, Drives, and Incentives
and Nature of Emotion Type of Motives
d) Diff erent Bodily or Organic Biological Motives
changes during Emotion Social Motives
Psychological Motives

After you go through this chapter, Unconscious Motivation

you would be able to:
Homeostasis
Measurement of Human Motives
 Understand the nature of human EMOTION
motivation as shaped by needs, Meaning and Definition
drives and incentives Nature of Emotion
Organic (Physiological) Changes in Emotion
 Explain different types of human Role of the Autonomic Nervous System in
motives.
Emotion
 Gain an understanding of the
measurement of human motives. The Sympathetic Division
The Parasympathetic Division
 Learn about the nature of human
emotion. Role of Hypothalamus in Emotion
 Discuss the organic changes Role of Limbic System in Emotion
accompanying emotional state and Role of Amygdala in Emotion
the role of different biological
structures and systems in Role of Learning in Emotion
emotion. Development of Emotion
Common Emotional Patterns
 Explain the development of Theories of Emotion
common emotional patterns from James-Lange Theory
early childhood. Cannon-Bard Theory
 Understand two important
theories of emotion. Key Terms
Summary
Questions
Answers
 Motivation and Emotion

Introduction
You must have noticed that some of your friends work hard to get good
grades in the examination, while others who are equally intelligent take it easy, and
set their priorities on things other than academic pursuits. Everybody‟s behavior is
driven and pulled towards a goal, but the goals are different for different
individuals. Why do people behave as they do? The answer lies in the concept of
motivation. Motivation focuses on the „why‟ aspect of behavior. It directs
individual‟s behavior towards a goal. Th e motives within us to reach a target lead
us to act in a specific way.
Even when we are motivated to reach a target, our behavior depends to a
large extent on how we feel at a given moment. The world looks beautiful when we
are in a good mood, and very u nappealing when we are in a bad mood. Though we
are rational beings and would like to satisfy our motives in an intelligent way, our
daily life encounters are full with feelings of pleasure and disgust. When the
feelings become intense and prolonged, they take the shape of emotions. We are
basically emotional beings. Our emotions have the power to motivate our
behaviors. Both motivation and emotion explain a variety of activities that we
pursue vigorously. This chapter will help you understand the nature of motivation
and emotion.

MOTIVATION
Meaning and Operational Definition
Motivation is any internal or external process, which is involved in
instigating, directing, and terminating behaviour . All our involuntary responses
are reflexes, whereas all our voluntary activities involve motivation. But one‟s
motivation cannot be observed directly. It is inferred from the behaviour of the
organism. Motivation is a driving state. It is also a behaviou r-arousal state within
the individual. Motivation directs the behaviour towards a goal. It is thus an internal
or external condition of the organism that forces him / her into action.
 Motivation has the following three aspects: (a) a driving state within the
organism that is set in motion by bodily needs, environmental stimuli, or mental
events, (b) the behaviour aroused and directed by this state and (c) the goal
towards which the behaviour is directed.

We never observe motives directly. Rather we infer their existence from what
people say about the way they feel and from observing that people and animals
work towards certain goals. In other words, motives are inferences from behaviour.
If our inferences about motives are correct, we have a powerful tool for the
explanation of behaviour. Truly speaking, most of our everyday explanations of
behaviour are in terms of motives.
Here is a simple question- “Why are you going to a college?” The answer is given usually in
terms of “motivation”. You are going to the educational institution because you want to learn something
or you need a college degree to get a good job or it is a suitable place to make friends. You are a student
in that college because you think it is expected of you, and one of your goals is to conform to what is
expected.
It is true that you are going to college most likely to meet some combination
of these needs. Someone who understands your motives can see why you do the
things the way you do . For this reason, clinical and personality psychologists who
study the behaviour of individuals place so much emphasis on motives.

Sometimes motives do not tell us exactly what will happen, rather they give
us an idea about the range of things a person w ill do. So, in other words, motives
help us to make predictions about behaviour.
Motivational Cycle
Most of our motives have a cyclical nature - they are aroused, they trigger
behaviour, which leads to a goal, and finally, after the goal is reached, they a re
shut off. The behaviour that is related to drive state is called “ Instrumental
Behaviour” because it is instrumental in bringing about the goal or the satisfaction
of need. A diagram of a simple motivational cycle, especially useful in
understanding motives with a biological basis is given in the Figure 7.1.
The first stage of the motivational cycle is the driving state, simply called as 1. MOTIVE
drive. This term is often used when the motive state has a biological or
physiological basis. It is regarded as impelling a person or animal to action.
Drives can originate when an organism lacks something. Drives can also

RELIEF
be aroused by environmental stimuli, such as advertisements from
newspaper, magazines and television etc. For example, when someone
sees a sexy picture in a magazine, his sex drive is aroused. Besides all these 3. GOAL
factors, some cognitive factors like thoughts and memory can also trigger 2. INSTRUMENTAL
BEHAVIOUR
driving states. Very often, the term “need” is used to refer to the driving
state. Drives can originate when an organism lacks something in its needs. Figure 7.1 Motivational cycle
This is one meaning of the word need. The need creates a drive state in the
organism. It acts as if it pushes the organism to behave in a certain fashion to satisfy its need.

The second stage of the motivational cycle is the instrumental behaviour. It

is instigated by the driving state. Thirst, for example, drives an animal to explore
water. Sooner or later this beha viour succeeds, thereby reducing both the need
and the drive state. In other words, the animal‟s exploratory behaviour is
instrumental in finding water and reducing the thirst drive.
When an instrumental behaviour achieves its goal, the need is satisfied and
there follows a temporary period of relief. This is the third stage of the motivational
cycle. For example, in thirst, lack of water in the body produces a need and a drive
state (first stage); the organism has shown some exploratory behaviour ( second
stage) and finally he quenches his thirst by drinking water i.e., reaching the goal
(third stage).
When the thirst is satisfied, motivational cycle is over. But when the need for water will
build up again, the organism will once again go through the motivational cycle.
Goals may be positive or negative. Food, sexual satisfaction and
companionship are some of the examples of positive goals. These are the goals,
which the individual approaches or tries to reach. On the other hand, negative
goals are those, which the organism tries to escape from or avoid. Dangerous,
unpleasant and embarrassing situations are some of the examples of negative
goals. However, goals depend upon the drives or needs, which are active.
Needs, Drives, and Incentives
The terms such as need, drive and motive are frequently used
interchangeably. But each term is distinguished from the other.
Motive is a general term, which refers to any process internal or
external involved in instigation, direction and termination of behaviour . All
voluntary responses involve motivation. Motivational process consists of (a) a drive
state in the individual, (b) the behaviour aroused and directed by this state and (c)
the goal towards which the behaviour is directed. Thus motivation is one of the
determinants of behaviour. Motivation is considered to be a state of the
individual where his/her energies are mobilized selectively towards the
attainment of a goal. It is an internal or external state of an organism that forces it
to action- to start upon a sequence of behaviour. Therefore motivational states are
specific to particular “drives” and “needs” and are explained in terms of specific
goals and the directions it takes. Motives cannot be directly observed. It is inferred
from the behaviour of th e organism.
Needs are the physiological or environmental imbalances that give rise
to “drives”. A need is the absence of something desired, required for the
organism‟s welfare. Individual is aware of his needs when she/he is in a state of
deprivation. When a person is hungry, he/she needs food, when thirsty needs
water, and when alone, needs social companion.
Drives are the effects of the deficits and lacks, which define needs .
Drives are the tendencies or urges to act in specific ways, determined by the
nature of the need that gives rise to the drive. For example, on account of fasting,
the need for food gives rise to the hunger drive. The hunger drive may then be
seen as a motive for behaviour relating to eating.
Incentives are motivators of behaviour . Like need and drive, incentive is a
motivational concept, which is associated with drive -reduction components or
subjective value attached to a goal.
Incentive means value or effectiveness of the goal as a motive for behaviour .
For example, attractiveness of dress material determines one‟s behaviour of
purchasing it. But goals or objectives do not possess the same incentive value for
a person; they have low or high incentive values. Therefore incentives are
conditions or objects that are perceived as satisfier of some need . The greater
the value of an object the greater is its perceived incentive.
Further, a supplementary reward for example, a bonus in a company job, a
merit promotion in an office serves as incentive before reaching the goal. Annual
prize ceremony in schools for high rank holders is an incentive for better
performance in examinations.
Types of Motives
Every behavior of an organism has motivational causes. The reasons of
human behaviour can be known through explaining why some one behaves as
he/she does. But explaining a particular be haviour comes from various branches of
psychology. For example, the learning theories describe how behaviour changes;
developmental theories put forth a description of changes that take place between
conception and death; perceptual theories describe how p hysical events are
translated into neurological events and responded to; personality theories describe
how individuals are unique; and social psychology attempts to explain the
influences of others on the individual. Finally the motivational theories descr ibe
why we behave as we do.
What we do is performance. Performance refers to the actual manifested
behaviour of the organism. Some performances are innate and do not depend on
learning. But there are many performances, which are learned. There are situati ons
where learning is not reflected directly in performance. For example a trained
animal does not repeat continuously the act only because it has learnt. The
animal‟s performances do not demonstrate learning all the time with trained
abilities and skills. That means performance depends on something more than
learning. It depends on appropriate motivation . Thus motivation explains the
factors that account for actual behaviour, its initiation, direction, and the end. The
accounts of motivation for different behaviours are many. Thus important motives
have been classified by psychologists into some categories. These categories are:
biological motives, social motives, and psychological motives.
 Physiological Cognitive/Personal Social
/Psychological

Hunger Curiosity affiliation

thirst Exploration dependency
sex achievement
competitiveness
cooperation
* Need for sensory
stimulation conformity
* Postural changes

Figure 7.2 Types of motives

Hunger, thirst, and sex are the most obvious biological or physiological motives.
They are physiological because they are associated directly with physiological
systems involved in survival. Drinking and eating are essential for our biological
survival. Thus biological motives are also called physiol ogical motives.
Biological Motives
Biological motives are directly related to individual‟s physiological
needs, Drinking and eating are necessary for individual‟s biological survival. Sex is
essential for survival of the species.
These are also called primary drives, which are deeply rooted, in our
biological make-up. Satisfaction of these drives is necessary because our body
needs certain substances for its growth as well as its day -to-day maintenance with
a view to keeping the balance of various physiol ogical processes within the body.
Some of our most powerful motives, e.g., hunger, thirst, sex, sleep, avoidance of
pain, are rooted in our physiological make -up and are actually regulatory in their
nature.
In other words, we can say that many biological needs are triggered by
departures from balanced physiological conditions of the body . Our body
tends
to maintain a balance, called homeostasis, in many of its internal physiological
processes. This balance is very important for life. For example, body temperature
must not get too high or too low; there must be enough water in the body tissues
The homeostatic mechanisms are mainly responsible for maintaining the acidities,
water level, sugar level, temperature, blood pressure and numerous other highly
complicated bodily processes. The working of these physiological processes and
homeostatic equilibrium of the body are made possible by our efforts to supply the
requirements of the body.
On the whole, the tendency of motivated behaviour to maintain a
balanced condition within the organism is called homeostasis . According to a
renowned physiologist, “The living being is an agency of such sort that each
disturbing influence induces by itself the calling forth of compensatory activities to
neutralize or repair the disturbance”.
There are many automatic mechanisms, which maintain the balanced
condition of homeostasis. Consider the automatic physiological control of body
temperature at a point of 98.6°F. Our body temperature usually stays around this
point because of automatic mechanisms that allow the body to heat and cool itself.
It the temperature of our body rises too high, perspiration lowers the temperature.
When the temperature falls, we shiver, causing our bodies to burn fuel faster to
generate extra heat.
Physiologists have discovered that the automatic physiological mechanisms,
which maintain homeostasis, are supplemented by regulatory or motivated
behaviour. For example, falling temperature creates a drive state to which we
respond by regulatory behavi our- putting on a sweater or closing the doors and so
on. So the biological motive states are aroused by departures from
homeostasis.
Hunger Drive
Experiments done earlier in the century revealed that the source of the
hunger drive is stomach contraction. This was shown by using subjects who were
trained to swallow a small balloon with a rubber tube attached. The balloon was
inflated in the stomach and the rubber tube was then connected to a kymograph
recording mechanism, so that each spasm of the stomach muscles could cause a
mark on the smoked drum.
Again, the subject was also asked to press a key, whenever he felt hunger pangs.
Therefore, a mark was made on the drum just below the record of stomach
activities. The abnormal breathing of the subject was also recorded, so that the
investigator could decide whether the spasms represented in the record were due
to stomach or abdominal movements. It was found that hunger pangs coincided
with stomach contractions, but were not related to movements of the a bdominal
muscles.
Recent works on hunger drive have revealed that the relationship between
stomach contractions and hunger is weak. Both psychologists and physiologists
have tried to find other conditions of the body, which trigger hunger. Some
physiologists held that changes in the metabolic functions of the liver when fuel
supplies are low provide body‟s stimulus for hunger. Here the liver can signal a
part of the brain called hypothalamus that more fuel is needed which triggers
hunger drive. Experimenta l findings also confirmed that two regions of
hypothalamus are involved in hunger drive - lateral hypothalamus and ventro -medial
area. Lateral hypothalamus is considered to be the excitatory area. Animals eat
when this area is stimulated. When it is damaged , animals stop eating and die of
starvation. The ventro -medial area is located in the middle of the hypothalamus,
which is otherwise known as hunger -controlling area. Experimenters consider it as
the inhibitory region of the hunger drive.
Experimental studies have shown that when this area is damaged, animals
develop voracious appetites; they eat huge quantities of food. But their hunger
drive is somewhat different from that of normal animals. Some experiments have
also shown that .the cessation of eating or satiety is controlled by a hormone called
Cholecystokinin (CCK), which is released into the blood stream, when food reaches
the intestine (Gibbs and Smith, 1973). From the above discussion, it is obvious
that both hypothalamus and blood chemistry are, n o doubt, responsible for
hunger.
Thirst Drive
When we are deprived of water over a period of several hours, the mouth
and the throat become dry, which reflects dehydration of body tissues in general.
So, we drink. A local stimulus theory suggests that dri nking is triggered by a dry
mouth. But physiologists have shown that dry mouth does not result in enough
drinking to regulate the water balance of the body. Rather, thirst and drinking are
controlled by processes within the body itself.
It was found that when water is placed in the stomach directly via fistula, a short
span of time elapsed before the thirst experience ceased. It is obvious that the
water must get into the tissues sufficiently to remove the dryness of mouth and
throat. Then only, the thirst is removed effectively. It has been seen that merely
wetting the mouth temporarily removes the thirst experience.
Like hunger, some unknown conditions, aroused by a state of deficit, must
regulate both thirst and water consumption. Of course, the impor tant condition
appears to be cellular dehydration. The physiologists feel that the dryness of
mouth and throat is one of the factors in this regulation, but it does not explain the
whole story. It is true that when the water level in the body goes down, it stimulates
tiny nerve endings in the mouth and throat, and produces awareness of thirst.
Again it was established that thirst couldn‟t be relieved by simply taking water in
the mouth, without swallowing it. So dryness of mouth and throat is only a
secondary mechanism to explain thirst drive.
Recent experiments have revealed that it is the anti -diuretic hormone, which
seems to be the key factor in regulating the water supply to the body. The
researchers feel that the thirst drive and drinking of water are mainly triggered by
two mechanisms. The first one is that when the water level of the body goes down,
certain neurons located within the hypothalamus begin to give out water. The thirst,
which results from this mechanism, is known as cellular dehydration thirst.
Further experiments revealed that the loss of water from the cells in the particular
region of the hypothalamus might arouse the drinking behaviour. The
experimenters concluded that the neurons in the preoptic region of the
hypothalamus known as the osmoreceptors are somehow responsible for
controlling drinking behaviour of the organism.
The second mechanism, which is responsible for triggering drinking
behaviour, is known as hypovolemia or the condition of low blood plasma volume.
Studies have shown that kidneys respond to hypovolemia by formation of a
chemical known as angiotensin, which when released in the blood stream, triggers
drinking.
It is believed that all these mechanisms work together to regulate water
intake of the body. The mechanisms, which explain the intake of water, also seem
to be responsible for stopping the intake of water. Others have pointed out that the
role of
stimuli resulting from the intake of water in stomach must have something to do
with stopping of drinking. However, it can be concluded that the precise
physiological mechanisms underlying the thirst drive are yet to be understood.
Sex Drive
The sex drive is considered as a powerful drive both in animals and human
beings. It depends on many physiological conditions, es pecially in lower animals.
But in case of human beings, the sex drive is very closely regulated by social
restrictions. The conflict between sex motive and cultural restrictions makes sex
one of the most powerful forces in influencing behaviour. Sometimes it is very
difficult to classify sex purely as a biological drive. Although it is a biologically
rooted drive, it differs considerably from the other two biological drives such as
hunger and thirst. Sexual drive is not a response to lack of some substance in the
body. It is, therefore, not triggered by homeostatic imbalance.
Physiologists are still trying to find out the exact location of the internal
control of the sexual drive. They are certain that the intensity of sexual urge is
dependent upon chemical substances circulating in the blood, known as sex
hormones. Studies on animals as well as human beings have clearly revealed that
this urge is profoundly influenced by the presence of hormones produced by testes
in males and ovaries in females. However, in case of human beings, socio -
cultural and emotional factors seem to play a pivotal role .
Generally the hormones secreted by gonads, i.e., testes in males and the
ovaries in females, are responsible for sexual motivation. The male sex hormones
are known a testosterone. These hormones come from the testes. The ovarian
hormones are known as estrogens. Experiments revealed that estrogenic
hormones activate the female rats, and provide a high level of sexual motivation. In
human females, the same hormones are present; but their production becomes
greatly accelerated at puberty.
Observation indicated that purely biological processes like hormone
secretions seem to play a very minor role in the sex drive. Studies have shown that
women have greater sexual desire immediately before and after the menstrual
period than during the fertile period, which corresponds to the heat period of
animals. Studies with animals,
as well as clinical observations on human beings have demonstrated that sexual
motivation is also influenced by other endocrine glands, such as adrenal and pituitary
glands. Of course, the pituitary gland plays a key role.
In case of human beings, sexual drive is primarily stimulated by external stimuli
and its expression depends upon cultural learning. Hence a psychologist has advanced a
theory that sex is more a learned drive than a biological one.
Need for Sensory Stimulation
Physiologically human beings have many sensory organs, i.e. eyes, ears, skin, nose,
tongue, cochlea (or labyrinthine receptor deep in the inner ears-responsible for the
sensation of one’s body position in the space), deep joints and muscles (kinesthetic
receptors) and internal receptors, such as viscera. These receptors are the gateways of
information about both environments and the conditions within. Studies indicate that
human beings are in constant need of some kind of sensory stimulation .
Hebb and Heron (1957) conducted sensory deprivation studies and recorded its
effects on college students. The students were deprived from t actual, auditory, and
visual stimulation to a great extent and were kept in controlled sensory restrictions for a
prolonged period (Zubek, 1969). It was found that the subjects could not tolerate the
sensory isolation for long. They experienced impairment in perceptual and intellectual
functioning. Tasks, which were once very simple before the onset of sensory deprivation,
became extremely difficult after longer periods of sensory deprivations. A great deal of
emotional fluctuations such as nervousness, irr itability, anger, and fear were marked in
these subjects. Hallucinations also appeared in some subjects. Thus the findings were
that the effects of sensory deprivations are manifold. Psychologists are of the view that
human beings are in need of a variety of sensory stimulation in the absence of which
abnormal reactions may occur.
Need for postural changes
One of the physiological needs is to change our body-postures constantly at some intervals.
Photographic evidences show that during sleep at night, a person changes his/her posture more than
four hundred times. Although it appears apparently that one continues to sit in a single posture
throughout the period in the class, there are minute shifts in his/her body position. Thus postural
changes are also physiological needs.
Social Motives
Social motives are otherwise known as acquired or learned motives. These are
some complex forms of motives, which result mainly from man’s interaction with his
social environment. These motives are called social becaus e they are learned in social
groups. These peculiar human motives can be looked upon as general states that lead to
particular behaviours. Social motives are general characteristics of a person and since
they are learned motives, their strength differs gre atly from one individual to other.
The social motive that will activate an individual is dependent upon an individual’s
own social experience. It is unique to him and depends upon his ways of perceiving
things. For this reason, the psychologists have alwa ys found it difficult to arrive at a
commonly agreed list of social motives as they have done in case of biological motives.
Since these motives are inferred from behaviour, it is very difficult to measure these
motives. This type of difficulty stems from the problem that we do not know which
particular type of behaviour is associated with which particular motive.
Need for Affiliation
Sometimes we find people trying desperately to get close to people, to seek their
help, and to become members of their grou p. This type of behaviour of seeking other
human beings and wanting to be close to them both physically, and psychologically is
called affiliation. In other words, affiliation refers to the need that people have to be
with others. This affiliation need is aroused when individuals feel threatened or helpless
and also when they are happy. Psychologists have tried to rank people according to the
degree of their need to affiliate. People high on this need are motivated to seek the
company of others and to maintain friendly relationships with other people.
Studies have revealed that fear and anxiety, are closely associated with the
affiliation motive. But where the degree of anxiety and threat is very high, such
affiliation behaviour is often absent. Results of situational tests also indicated that early
learning experiences influence this motive. It was found that the first -born or only
children have stronger affiliation motives than those born later. It is because children use
to receive more parental attention during early years. Different studies also revealed
that children who are brought up to be dependent or raised with close family ties
show a stronger affiliation motive than those coming from more loosely -knit families
that encourage early independence. Affiliation needs are stronger in some cultures
than in others. For example, Indian society is strongly affiliating in nature
compared to many of the western societies .
Need for Power
As an independent motive, the need for power expresses itself in
behaviours, which tend to control and influence the course o f events
including the behaviours of others. Traditionally it was believed that power was
desired by people as an instrument to satisfy other motives like greed, aggression,
affiliation etc. In the past, we have seen that mankind has always struggled for
power. Cities have been destroyed and wars waged by people in reckless manner
to increase their power. However, in recent years, emphasis has been placed on
power motive as independent in itself and not derivable from other motives. Such a
view was expressed by McClelland.

David McClelland (1975) has also described four general ways in which
power motivation is expressed:
People do things to gain feelings of power and strength from sources outside
themselves. For example, we express power motivation by rea ding stories about
sports or we may attach ourselves to a leader from whom we can draw strength.
People do things to gain feelings of power and strength from sources within themselves.
For example, an individual may express power motivation by building up the body and by
mastering urges and impulses. A person may express power by trying to gain control over
things- collecting pistols, fancy cars, credit cards and so on.
People do things as individuals to have impact on others. For example, a
person may argue with another person or may have competitive attitude for another
individual in order to have impact or influence on that person.
People do things as members of organizations to have an impact on others. For
example, the leader of a political party may use the party apparatus to influence others or an
army officer may express the need for power through the chain of command.
For any individual, one of these ways of expressing power motivation may
dominate. But a combination of power motives cannot be ruled out. However, the
dominant mode of expression often changes with age and life experiences of a
person.
Different studies have shown that women seem to have less strong needs for
power than men. Generally women are said to express their power mot ivation by
being counselors, advisors and resource persons for other people. In this way, they
have indirect impact and influence.
Dependency Motive
Dependency refers to interpersonal relationships where an individual
behaves in a way in order to gain att ention, reassurance, assistance, comfort,
and support from fellow men. People use to spend more time with parents, or
intimate friends when in difficult situations. They seek advice and mutually depend
upon one another in working on the solution to various problems. In other words,
individuals appear to be more dependent on social interactions and approval.
Research studies indicate that the girls tend to be more dependent and more
affiliative than boys (Maccoby and Jaklin, 1974).
In times of stress, people want to resort to dependency, i.e., they are in
need of some one‟s care, and thus rely on the other (or others) for emotional,
economic, and other support like love and security etc.
Cooperation Motive
Cooperation is an acquired motive. It is a condition manifested when two
or more individuals or groups work together to achieve a common goal .
Cooperation signifies lack of mutual disagreement and opposition among fellow
group-members, and absence of rivalry. Citizens of Zuni of New Mexico, Pacific are
found to be extremely cooperative. Goleman reports that being wealthy in Zuni
brings no status. On the other hand status is derived not from power or landed
property but from friendships. A happy and successful Zuni is who has the most
friends.
Studies of altruism among children provide evidence that helping -behaviour
can be fostered through the use of models. Peulson (1974) compared 36 children
who had watched all programmes in the Sesame Street Series with those who had
not been exposed to the series. He found significantly more cooperative behaviour
among the experimental group.
Conformity motive
Conformity generally refers to the tendency to allow one’s opinions, attitudes,
actions, and even perceptions to be affected by prevailing opinions, attitud es, actions
and perceptions. There is behavioral conformity, i.e., the tendency to “go along with the
group”- to act in ways consistent with the majority. When changes in attitude, and belief
take place because of pressures from significant others, attitud inal conformity takes
place. There is also conformity of personality traits, i.e., underlying characteristics of a
person undergo changes according to the norms of society.
F.H. Allport (1935) described, the conformity motive phenomena with the help of a
conformity curve, which reflects that most people exhibit complete conformity to social
norms with fewer and fewer people having deviations. Norms are rules or laws or
implicit moral standards of a society . Norm refers to behaviour that is usual, or
expected, acceptable and socially prescribed. Conformity to social norms takes many
forms such as “Honor you mother”, or “Love your country”, which are very encouraging.
Norms are also discouraging, i.e., “Do not steal”, “Do not lie”. They take widely held
beliefs, and opinions, and are manifested in forms of dress, speech, manners, and
fashions. Our submissiveness to social influences is due to conformity motives to the
norms of society in which we live.
Psychological Motives
The psychological motives are also known as personal motives. These motives are
personal in the sense that they are very specific to the personal psychological make up of
the individual.

Curiosity
Curiosity is a motivational tendency to act, which does not have specific and
identifiable goals. It is simply gaining pleasure by obtaining information, experiencing, or
doing. It is the tendency to seek for the novel. Curiosity describes behaviours whose
primary motives appear to remain in the activities themselves rather than on objectives.
Dember (1956), Fowler (1958), and other researchers demonstrated by using “T” and “Y”
mazes that rats preferred novelty, change, and complexity. Animals who were allowed to
become thoroughly familiar with a maze, when put in a structurally changed maze, spent
more time exploring the altered maze.
In a number of studies, Harlow (1953) presented monkeys with mechanical
puzzles. They were never rewarded nor punished for playing with these. Yet, they found,
the monkeys spent several hours trying to dismantl e them and finally succeeded.
Berlyne (1960) while experimenting on motivational behaviour investigated some
of the variables that are associated with curiosity and exploratory behaviour. Berlyne
identified a number of curiosity variables, termed as “coll ative” variables that are
involved in curiosity-motivated behaviour. These are novelty, complexity, intensity, and
change. He also mentioned about curiosity that is directed towards acquisition of
knowledge. Curiosity leads us to explore. Thus curiosity is not manifested simply in
perceptual exploration, but in cognitive explorations as well.
Curiosity motives and the needs for sensory stimulation are also conducive for the motive of
exploration. It is true that we are driven to explore the environment by our curiosity and our need for
sensory stimulation. Very often we ask a simple question- “What will happen if. . . ?” This stimulates
intellectuals to find answers. This motive is otherwise known as “curiosity behaviour.” It is not an
exclusively human trait. Animal experiments proved that curiosity behaviour is also found in many
animals (Buttler, 1954).
Evidences indicated that the curiosity motive could be unlearned . It is true that
interest in a novel object tends to diminish with time, but the motivation does not
diminish. It appears early in human infants as well as in naive animals.
The need for changing sensory stimulation is closely related to curiosity. It is the
basic motive, and exploration and curiosity are just two expressions of it. Besides all
these motives, competence motivation also plays an important and persistent role in
human behaviour. Sometimes we are motivated to master challenges in the environment.
This is called competence motivation.

Exploration
Always people want to explore the environment. On many occasions we want to
visit new places and “points of interest” by s pending time and money. Further, we
watch television, cinema and sports, and read newspapers and magazines to know about
the world. The motive behind all the activities is to find out “What’s new?” by exploring
the world around us. Small children alwa ys try to explore something. A baby’s life is
dominated by this motive. They also seem .to receive satisfaction from being allowed to
explore. Very often, they smile and babble excitedly when exploring their world. When
the motive to explore has been frust rated, children become distressed the same way as
adults are bothered by frustration.

Achievement Motivation
The need to meet some inner standard of excellence is called achievement or
competence motivation. Achievement motivation is a personality variable, which appears
to differ from one individual to another. Some individuals are highly achievement -
oriented and competence-oriented, and others are not.
As we know, what is most striking about man is his achievement. It arises out of a
tendency to define one’s goals according to some standards of excellence in product or
performance attained. This motive has been investigated most extensively by cognitive
psychologists like David McClelland and John Atkinson. For the first time, they used the
projective methods to measure achievement motivation.
Generally people with a need for achievement seek to accomplish things, and to
improve their performance. Many studies have been done to find out the relationship
between the achievement motivation and perfo rmance. The results indicate that people
who are high in achievement motivation generally do better on tasks than those who are
low. Further studies indicate that people high in need for achievement are motivated to
succeed. Therefore, they do not choose t o work on very difficult tasks in which the
probability of success is very low. Obviously they prefer to work at tasks where the
possibility of success is great. In general, people with high achievement motivation
prefer tasks that are moderately difficult and that promise success.
In some studies, child psychologists viewed that parents can teach their children
to approach challenging tasks with the idea of mastering them. Children who are
successful at little tasks gain confidence and seek other challeng es. Further success
enhances the tendency to try to do one’s best to accomplish things and to improve
performance. Consequently, this approach to life’s problems becomes persistent and very
much a part of the child’s personality.
Extrinsic motivation and intrinsic motivation are closely related to the achievement
motivation. Extrinsic motivation programmes are extensively applied in education,
industrial and clinical settings. A person’s need for feeling competent and self -
determined in dealing with his environment is termed as “ intrinsic motivation”. It is
called intrinsic because the goals are internal feelings of achievement and competence.
Extrinsic motivation is directed towards goals external to the person such as money or
grades. But intrinsic motivation has practical aspects because they are powerful
motivators of human behaviour. The intrinsically motivated activities are those activities
for which there are no apparent rewards except the activity itself. The activities are ends
in themselves rather than means to ends.

Self-Actualization
Maslow (1954) has developed a humanistic approach to motivation, which is very
popular due to its theoretical and practical value. His humanistic model is known as the
“Theory of self-actualization”.
Maslow attempted to portray a total picture of human behaviour. His approach is
unique. He explained human motives or needs by arranging them in a hierarchy. Going
from the highest need of self-actualization down the motives in the hierarchy are :

 Need for self-actualization.

 Esteem needs: Such as the needs for prestige, success and self -respect.

 Belongingness and love needs: Such as needs for affection, affiliation, and
identification.
 Safety needs: Such as needs for security, stability a nd order.

 Physiological needs: such as hunger, thirst and sex.

Maslow’s arrangement was made in the order of potency and priority of unsatisfied human
needs. The hierarchy has different levels arranged in an ascending order (see Figure 7.3). A person’s
stand in this hierarchy is determined by either deficiency-oriented or growth-oriented behaviour (D-
Behaviour or G-Behaviour).
An individual who is deficiency -oriented is one whose basic needs have not yet
been satisfied, and who is oriented towards achieving satisfaction and eliminating
deficiency. The individual who is growth -oriented is the person whose basic needs
have been satisfied and who is motivated towards self -actualization.
The most basic aspects of human motivation are physiological needs,
which remain in the first level in the ladder of motives. These are essential for our
survival. Once these needs are satisfied, the second level needs emerge and gain
importance. At the highest level is the desire to utilize one‟s perso nal capacities, to
develop one‟s potentialities to the fullest and to engage in activities for which one
is well suited. This level is called “ self-actualization”.
Maslow explains that every individual does not ascend this hierarchy step -
by-step; some exceptions may be there. But it is true that the basic needs like
hunger and thirst cease to be powerful motivators of behaviour once they have
been satisfied to a certain degree. This approach reveals that every category of
need has a limited
Maslow explains that every individual does not ascend this hierarchy step -by-step;
some exceptions may be there. But it is true that the basic needs like hunger and
thirst cease to be powerful motivators of behaviour once they have been satisfied
to a certain degree. This approach reveals that every category of need has a
limited capacity to motivate behaviour. Beyond this point of limitation, it is
necessary to involve a higher category of need to motivate action.
Maslow‟s humanistic approach has been criticized for b eing over-optimistic
about mankind in general. He has been accused of looking at only the healthy side
of man and totally ignoring the unhealthy side. However, this model insisted that
the human being is not a multi-system but a single entity consisting of many part
functions. Truly speaking, this approach attempted to view “man as a man and not
as an animal or machine‟‟- thus restoring man to himself.
Unconscious Motivation
Very often we do things without knowing why we do them. This aspect of
behaviour can be easily analyzed through the concept of “unconscious” developed
by Sigmund Freud. Freud‟s concepts of “instincts” and “unconscious” are very
much important to explain human motivation.
According to Freud, the unconscious includes ideas, thoughts and feelings,
which cannot be brought to awareness or conscious level by ordinary means. It is
just like a great underworld with powerful unseen forces, which influence conscious
thoughts and the actions of the individual. In his psychoanalytic theory, Freud h as
rejected the principles, which limit themselves to the analysis of observable and
conscious behaviour because they cannot explain the underlying powerful
unconscious motives of human behaviour.
He emphatically viewed that unconscious processes , which guide human
behaviour, can be known by special techniques devised by psychoanalysts. These
techniques are free-association, dream analysis, hypnosis etc.
Another distinguished psychoanalyst, C.G. Jung also emphasized the
importance of human behaviour in his theory. However, the concept of the
unconscious differs notably from Freud. According to Jung, the unconscious is
much more complicated and it is made up of two functional divisions - the personal
unconscious and collective or racial unconscious. Personal unconscious is
somehow similar to Freud‟s description of unconscious. But the collective
unconscious is much more influential. Jung believed that human behaviour is
guided by two potential forces – the unconscious and teleology.
The unconscious includes everything about human past; teleology includes
everything about the future like one‟s aims, aspirations and intuitions. So the
psychic life results from an interaction of the past with the future.
According to Jung, the main agency, which guides the past and future, is the
ego. He calls it “conscious mind”. It is made up of conscious perceptions,
memories, thoughts, feeling etc. But beyond this ego, lies a bigger interacting
system, which influences human behaviour. Jung calls it “ personality” of an
individual. In his theory, Jung told about a fascinating concept called “ collective
unconscious”. It is the most powerful and influential system of the personality and
in pathological cases it overshadows the ego and the personal unconscious. The
collective unconscious is inherited from man‟s ancestral past.
Jung also viewed that a person adopts a mask in response to social
demands, norms and conventions. He called it
“persona”. It is the role assigned to him by the society and expected of him. The
purpose of mask is to make a definite impression upon others and often to conceal
the real nature of the person. The “persona” is the public personality. Very often,
this is different from the private personality. According to Jung, man inherits some
animal instincts, which indicate the animal side of his nature. This can be inferred
from the display of violence, aggression, and injury to oneself.
The concept of unconscious motivation was criticized by many psychologists
later on. This approach was st ated to be most unscientific by many experts. The
concept of collective unconscious is considered to be absurd and lacking in
scientific proof.
Homeostasis
Psychologists, in the early part of the twentieth century were fascinated by
the concept of homeostasis. They borrowed this concept from physiology. Claude
Bernad, a physiologist coined the word “ homeostasis” to explain the stability of
the inner environment or physiological equilibrium. The function of all biological
drives is to regulate and maintain the physiological equilibrium of the organism.
When the internal state is disturbed, the conditions propel the organism to seek
activity. Such activity continues until the equilibrium is restored and this state is
called homeostasis. Generally homeostatic processes are physiological and
automatic in nature. The examples are maintenance of body temperature, adequate
supplies of nutrition for growth and maintenances of body and so on.
Psychologists used two terms for homeostasis for animals and human beings
separately. For animals, it is known as static equilibrium or static homeostasis.
This involves a
limited part of the organism, mostly reflexes or chains of reflexes, where the
activities are controlled by the spinal cord and the brain. But the human being is
more than a biological creature. He is superior to animals. So the psychologists
used the concept of „dynamic homeostasis‟ to explain our complex behaviour. This
behaviour takes place as a consequence of the functioning of the cerebral cortex.
It is true that an organism strives to restore its balance when there is a
physiological deficiency. On the same line, it also strives to maintain equilibrium
when there is psychological imbalance. This could be inferred from the processes
of adjustment or coping patterns. The organism may use other ways and means to
resolve conflicts and reduce the tension arising out of such conflicts for a short
span of time. This state is referred to as dynamic equilibrium by Kurt Lewin. So it
is obvious that static and dynamic homeostases are the key concepts in
understanding human motives.
No doubt, the concept of homeostasis has been borrowed from physics and
physiology to explain psychological processes. Experts opined that trying to
explain psychological processes with this concept is like fixing a square peg in a
round hole. They argue that many a time man exhibits such a v ariety of behaviour
that it can be explained neither by static nor dynamic homeostasis. An individual
may behave in such a manner that it deliberately upsets its equilibrium and
destroys itself. For example, revolting against society or bringing about soci al
reforms often means an increased state of disequilibrium. Very often, every human
being chooses death to dishonor, prefers aesthetic experiences to satisfaction of
hunger. Here homeostasis does not give the entire picture of human motivation.
Measurement of Human Motives
It is not easy to measure human motives. The attempts made earlier proved
to be too complex. Apart from the practical difficulties involved in putting people
into an activity wheel, the very idea of measuring human motivation through activity
is ridiculous. The main reason is that at the human level, there can be motivated
inactivity as well as unmotivated activity.
It is true that in human beings, motivation shows a high degree of
complexity. As discussed earlier, Freudian co ncept of unconscious motivation adds
the possibility of different forms of activity springing from the same motive. This
has necessitated the development of a variety of tools and techniques for
measuring motivation. Taking this problem into consideration, psychologists have
developed a variety of tools serving different purposes. The two approaches to the
measurement of human motives are: (a) direct measurement, and (b) indirect
measurement.

When motives are measured directly through objective observation , the

approach is the “Direct Measurement of Motives”. This approach also includes
conscious self-reports, administering questionnaires, and inventories to
assess specific motives as required by the observer. To measure the drives like
hunger, thirst, many gadgets have been derived. These gadgets have a precise
quantitative measure of the level of deprivation, physiological changes
accompanying the drive and some behavioral changes, as a whole. In these types
of measures, the tools are basically structured and responses are classified into
predetermined categories.
Some psychologists rejected the concept of “direct approach” of measuring
motivation. They have opined that motives cannot be measured directly, but can be
inferred through certain indirect means. Hence, they use projective
techniques for the measurement of motivation. In these techniques, the stimuli are
deliberately made somewhat ambiguous in nature and the organism is free to give the
responses he wishes. Popular projective techniques used to assess motives are ink -blots,
pictures, incomplete sentences, and ambiguous figures. Chances of faking are less in this
case, because the individual does not know what kind of demands are being made of him.
In these tests, he is more likely to project his own needs and motives into responses.
The most popular projective technique used by experts in motivational research is
the Thematic Apperception Test (TAT). This test was originally introduced by Morgan and
Murray in 1935. The TAT test consists of a series of pictures about which the person is
asked to write stories. These stories are then analyzed and coded as motives, needs,
wishes, and desires etc., which are assumed to have been projected by the respondent
into the characters in the pictures.
No doubt, the studies on motivation invited many criticisms la ter on. Despite their
flaws, the plethora of studies in this area has opened avenues for human beings to
understand themselves.
EMOTION
Meaning and Definition
The term ‘emotion’ has been derived from the Latin word “ emovere” which means
‘to move’, ‘to excite’, ‘to stirrup’, or ‘to agitate’. Arousal behaviour is emotion, which is
an affect-laden state of the organism. “Affect means experience of pleasantness,
unpleasantness, excitation, calmness, tension and relaxation” (E.B. Titchener). It is what
we mean when we say that we love, fear, or hate. Some of the other emotions are joy,
acceptance, surprise, sadness, anger, and disgust etc.
Emotion is a subjective experience of prolonged feelings. What is feeling? In a
general way, feeling refers to “experiencing”, “sensing” or having a “conscious
process”. Specific meaning of feeling is, (a) „sensory experience‟ such as warmth
or pain, and (b) „affective states‟, such as feeling of well -being, a feeling of
depression, and a feeling of desire etc. Wilhelm Wundt stated three dimensions of
feelings, such as (!) pleasant or unpleasant, (ii) tense or relaxed, and (iii) excited
or depressed. Intense feelings when prolonged turn to be emotions.
P.T. Young has operationally defined emotion in the following way: Emotion
is an acute disturbance of the organism as a whole, psychological in origin
involving behaviour, conscious experiences, and visceral functioning . In
emotion, the total behaviour including the receptors, effectors , nervous systems,
and related psychological processes is affected. For example, we have experiences
at one time or another the pleasure of seeing a loved one, the enjoyment of a
movie, or the feeling of grief for the sad demise of a dear relation etc. All these
experiences represent emotions in spite of their subtle differences, and varied
characteristics. In other words, emotions are prolonged feelings that generally have
both physiological and cognitive elements, which influence behaviour.
Nature of Emotion
Emotional behaviour involves both physiological and psychological activities. Any
emotion consists of both mental and cognitive components, and physiological
responses. Emotion helps persons in the following ways.
1. Emotion prepares the individuals for actions. Preparation for action
means aiding the development of effective responses. Thus emotion
gives motion to the organism
to respond, i.e., either to move towards the goal or to move away from the harmful
stimulus environment. Emotion activates and directs behaviour towards the
goal. It serves as a motive for locomotion towards the desired object. It also serves
as a basis for avoidance or flight -behaviour when the situation arises. For example,
being emotionally attached toward s music, one may go for admission to a music
college instead of mainstream of science, arts or commerce etc. The individual
gets satisfaction out of such music pursuit, and it serves as reinforcement for
seeking out similar course of action in future.
2. Emotion is behaviour-arousal. That means the individual being emotional
becomes active for a prolonged period. He or she goes on working tirelessly. This
continuous action does not usually happen when one is in a state of calmness and
relaxation. For example, political party workers continue to work ceaselessly before
their election schedule canvassing for their party -candidates. During festival and
wedding ceremonies members of the host become overactive arranging
decorations, lightings, music and dinner et c. This is because they become
emotional about the event, and the emotion arouses in them a set of behaviors
towards a desired goal.
3. Emotion prepares the individual to be insensitive to physical pains
and injuries. For example, one forgets his/her hung er, as one has to attend an
urgent meeting. During outdoor games such as football or cricket, players hardly
become aware of any muscular pain or injury unless it is very severe. They become
conscious of their pain only after the event is over. In picnics, parties, and
fanfares, participants hardly become aware of their minor bruises.
4. Emotion activates the individual to use his
maximum potential at the time of life -threatening dangers. For example, when
an individual is about to be attacked b y an enemy or a beast, he/she tries to exert
maximum strength to save his/her life and escape into safety. Very often we come
across the news that a pouncing leopard was killed by a cowherd boy by means of
a small weapon. During emotional state, the motor organs are supplied with more
flow of blood and thus become energetic.
5. Emotion helps us to regulate and appropriately modify our social
interactions with others. W hether verbal or nonverbal, our emotional behaviour is
observed by others; their reactions act as a signal to us. We become aware of our
emotional behaviour. In course of time, this awareness leads us to be more
effective in our social interaction with our fellowmen. For example, a father who
notices frightening responses in his son seeing a st ranger may explain, persuade,
and finally convince him not to fear this loving stranger, and thus teach him to deal
with the world effectively.
The world has been enriched due to some healthy emotions such as parental
affection, piety, love, compassion, f ellow feeling, patriotism, martyrdom, reverence
for genius, love for plants and flowers, tenderness for animals and pets etc. F. L.
Ruch states that emotion involves four types of responses: (a) destructive
responses, (b) approach responses, (c) retreat or flight, and (d) stopping of
responses
Destructive Responses. Emotional behaviour is manifested through
destructive responses, such as attacking, hitting, biting, kicking, spitting, shouting,
and abusing. Destruction of self and others are noticed in extr eme cases. Each
individual expresses his anger and frustrations in unique ways. The civilized
society has influenced the modern man not
to be quite obvious in expressing his emotions. Rather the expectation is to inhibit
strong emotional reactions from being expressed in physical forms. These inhibited
emotional urges sometimes find expressions indirectly through ridicule, parody, or
snobbery.
Approach Responses. There are some pleasant emotional situations, which
the individual seeks with delight and interest. For example, a lover and a beloved
eagerly want a quick meeting of the two. They welcome each other with gusto. The
individual shows approach responses where there are possibilities of success.
Approach behaviours are manifested in peace, satisfaction, and contentment. A
confident football player demonstrates such approach behaviours before entering
the field for a scheduled match.
Retreat or Flight Responses. Due to fear emotion, the individual takes a
flight and goes away from the goal -object. The flight may be direct or indirect.
Running away from a place out of fear of a biting dog is an example of direct flight.
But the situation, where direct flight is not possible, psychological retreat is an
alternative. There are some individuals who frequently change their jobs or even
marital lives. The modern man demonstrates his flight through apology, excuses,
reconciliatory approach, and several withdrawal responses. Daydreaming, childish
behaviour, and regression are some of the examples of such repressed emotional -
retreat responses.
Stopping of Responses. Excessive disappointment and sorrow may create
in an individual a state of complet e inactivity, a situation where he stops all kinds
of responses and remains static. Because of extreme emotional shock, he cases to
work, talk, and take food. The individual experiences a state of depression, and
loses all interest in pleasurable
activities. The person sometimes may require to be forcibly fed by the doctor. But
this does not mean that we will not have our normal shares of frustrations,
disappointments or grief. Stopping of response owing to grief etc. point out our
limitations as well deficiencies, thereby aiding us to gain insight as to how this can
be overcome.
Organic (Physiological) Changes During Emotion
The experience of emotion is associated with a variety of bodily changes,
both overt and covert. Overt bodily manifestation s of emotions are obvious and
observable. But the covert organic changes are detected only by special
procedures, and modern recording devices including computers. Following overt
and covert changes occur in the body at the time of emotion :
 Face becomes red with excitement or anger;
 Eyes are protruded;
 The pupils of the eyes are dilated.
 Respiration becomes more rapid;
 The electrical resistance of the skin decreases;
 The blood clots more quickly at the time of injury;
 Blood sugar level increases to make the organism energetic;
 Gastrointestinal activities decrease or even stop totally;
 Blood is canalized from stomach and intestine to the motor organs and brain;
 The hairs stand on their roots.
All bodily changes during emotions are the result of a number of complex
underlying processes originating in and
integrated by the Autonomic Nervous System, the endocrine glands and the
cerebrospinal system. (Activities of the Autonomic Nervous System have been
described in detail later in this chapter). These internal reactions are quite complex
and difficult to measure.
The outward bodily changes include changes in facial expression, vocal
expression, sweating on the surface of the body, and accelerated motor activities,
etc. The internal physiological changes include changes in the electrical activities
of the skin, respiratory activities, blood pressure, pulse rate, sweat glands,
reactions of the endocrine glands, and the chemical activities of blood etc.
The following instruments are used separately or in combination to measure
organic changes during emotion: (i) the polygraph, (ii) multichannel amplifier with
associated ink writing, (iii) optical oscillographs, (iv) pneumograph, (v)
sphygmomanometer, (vi) psychogalvanometer, and (v ii) electroencephalogram.
In addition to these instruments, damages in the brain such as paralysis on any
lobe of the cerebral cortex due to emotional shock can be diagnosed by modern
computerized instruments such as CAT scan, PET scan and MRI (Magnetic R esource
Imaging). The electrical activities of the body during emotion such as brain waves, muscle
action potentials, galvanic skin responses, electro grams, and eye blinks are studied
through these aforesaid instruments.
The following organic or physiol ogical changes occur during emotion.
Electrical Phenomena of the Skin
One of the common measures of autonomic activities associated with affective
and emotional state is the
“galvanic skin response” (GSR). It also bears several names, such as ‘ psychogalvanic
reflex’, ‘skin resistance’, ‘Palmer resistance’, ‘Palmer conductance’, ‘electrodermal
response’ and ‘skin potential’. The GSR is measured with an apparatus known as
psychogalvanometer. The changes in GSR called the electrodermal changes resu lt from
the activity of the sweat glands. The GSR is associated with blood pressure and
respiration, and indicates that an emotional reaction is taking place. The GSR is activated
during emotion by the sympathetic nervous system and decreases during emotio nal
stimulations. The latency, amplitude, and duration of the GSR provide indications of
whether or not an emotional reaction is taking place.

Blood Pressure
Darrow (1936) used blood pressure and galvanic skin reflex as indicators of
emotional states. The level of blood pressure and GSR are considered to be the best
indications of facilitative, preparatory, and emergency functions during emotion
activated by the sympathetic system.
There are two measures of blood pressure, i.e., systolic and diastolic. The
difference between these two measures is known as “pulse pressure”. Systolic pressure is
maximal pressure reached during the contraction of the heart; diastolic pressure is the
least pressure during expansion. Variations in pressure owing to emotion are recorded
continuously. The
significance of these changes is correlated with emotional manifestations of the individual.
Heart Rate
The electrocardiogram (ECG) records the heart rate by means of attachment of
electrodes to the two arms or to either of the arms and the left leg. The pattern recorded
enables the cardiologist to analyze the performance of the heart during the emotional
state. The “cardiotachometer” is a useful device for counting the number of heartbeats.
“Cardiochronograph” is also another such device to study the heartbeats during emotion.

Respiration
The respiration pattern is very often disturbed by emotional conditions. The
respiratory features, i.e., the rate, depth, pattern, and inspiration and expiration ratio
are measured in order to gauge the intensity of the emotional state. Respiration is mainly
regulated reflexively through the respiratory center in the medulla. The medulla responds
to changes in blood chemistry. Even if the respiration is interrupted by other reflexes,
such as, coughing, sneezing, sighing, and yawning, it is a sensitive indicator of emotional
responses such as the startle response, the conscious attempts at deception, a nd
conflicts.

Skin Temperature
The common method to measure skin temperature in emotion is to apply a
thermocouple to the skin area concerned. Emotional stress produces a fall in the skin
temperatures. Conflict and altercations are associated with vasocon striction and a fall in
the skin temperature. On the other hand, uninhibited action and emotional security are
said to result in vasodilation and increase in skin temperature.
Pupillary Response
The sympathetic and parasympathetic divisions of the Autonomic Nervous System
never act together. Either of the two becomes active at one time depending on the
situation. That means the two divisions are in active opposition to each other while in
action. Pupil of the eyes is the index of this. During emotion, dilation of the pupil occurs
through the sympathetic system. Constriction of the pupil occurs by the parasympathetic
system. Pupillary responses to pain and emotion -provoking stimuli have been studied by
Bender (1933), Lindsley and Sassaman (1930). They recorded pupillary reaction during
emotion, which are recorded through motion pictures. (This is the same as modern video -
tape recording).

Salivary Secretion
The secretion of the parotid gland has been studied by Pavlov and others in
conditioning experiments. Wenger and Ellington (1943) described a method measuring
salivary output as an index of autonomic activity. Others have tried to study the
secretion of parotid gland in psychoneurotic patient’s res ponse to auditory stimulation.
The secretion resulting from parasympathetic stimulation is thin and watery. But owing
to sympathetic stimulation the salivary secretion becomes thick and is filled with mucus.
This leads to the general observation that emoti onal excitement, anticipation, fear and
anger produce a dryness of the mouth due to predominance of sympathetic activity.

Pilomotor Response
During emotion, especially when one is afraid, hairs stand on their roots. This is
due to the activities of the sy mpathetic nerves. The production of “goose flesh” when
one is afraid is an emotional reflex.
Blood, Saliva and Urine Analysis
Chemical components of the blood have been found to be affected by emotional
stimulation. Among them are blood sugar level, adrenaline content, acid balance (pH),
red blood cells, and many other constituents. Tests have been made to know which organ
of the body is activated when glucose and insulin are injected into the body. It was
known that due to glucose and insulin intake, the sympathetic division becomes most
active. Urine is analyzed for excess sugar secretion from samples taken at intervals
before, during, and after emotional stimulation. The secretion of ketosteroids, a
metabolic product resulting from steroid flow from adrenal cortex during stressful
emotion, and the acid base balance (pH) have been found to vary with emotional state
and stressful mental activities.

Gastro-intestinal Activities
Studies have been made on the activities of the stomach and the intestine in
animals under emotional, electrical, and chemical stimulation. Cannon (1929)
demonstrated that emotions of fear or anger inhibit a ctivities in the gastro-intestinal
tract. X-ray and fluoroscopic examination following barium milk, and by means of inflated
stomach-balloon with a recording device are used to measure such gastro -intestinal
activities.

Metabolic Rate
The amount of oxygen consumption or the basal metabolic rate (BMR) generally
increases during emotions involving excitement and general body mobilizations. A
standard BMR machine is used for the purpose.
Muscle Tension
A common symptom of emotional anxiety is bodily tension. These somatic
reactions are caused by emotional reactions. Muscular tensions and visceral changes
occur in emotion. Muscular tensions are recorded by means of muscle -action potential.
Studies by Davis (1938), and Courts (1942) reveal the re lation of muscular tension to
frustration and performance.

Tremor
The emotional excitements such as fear and anger give rise to tremors. Tremor is
witnessed in conditions of tensions. Luria (1932) found that emotional conflict
externalized in motor perfor mance led to tremor and disorganization of motor responses.
Berrien (1939) has described finger -tremors as indices of emotion.

Septal region Hypothalamus

Amygdala Hypothalamus

Figure 7.5 : The limbic system

Eye Blinking
The excessive eye blinking is associated with emotional tensions. Too much eye
blinking seems to suggest a kind of “nervousness”. The rate of eye blinking increases with
emotional arousal and excitement. Records of eye blink shows that there are different
patterns of blinking in different people; in some there may be continuous blinking; in
others sporadic groups of rapid blinks; and in some others blinks may occur singly or
doubly at irregular intervals.
Besides the aforesaid organic changes, which are assoc iated with emotional sates,
there are neural and hormonal mechanisms underlying emotional behaviour. These can
be understood by studying the activities of the Autonomic Nervous System.
Role of the Autonomic Nervous System in Emotion
The visceral system of the Peripheral Nervous System is known as the Autonomic
Nervous System. The sensory (afferent) and motor (efferent) nerves connecting the
surface of the body with the central nervous system constitute the peripheral nervous
system. In other words, rest of the nervous system, other than the brain and spinal cord
is the area for Autonomic Nervous system (see Figure 7.4).
The nerve fibers of the Autonomic Nervous System are connected with the
function of the blood vessels, endocrine glands, heart, lungs, sto mach, intestines, colon
and bladders etc. The Autonomic Nervous System is controlled by the old brain, and is
not under the functional control of the cortex. The synapse of this system is situated
outside of both the spinal column and central nervous syste m.
Physiologists have discovered two divisions of the
autonomic nervous system, i.e., sympathetic division and parasympathetic division. These
two divisions never function together. Either of the two functions at a time.

The Sympathetic Division

Structure. The spinal nerves emerge from the middle portions of the spinal cord.
These spinal nerves emerging on both the sides of the spinal cord run into a series of
ganglia. Ganglia are the nerve centers present in both the sides of the spinal cord. Th ese
nerve fibers run up and down the body synapse with the effector neurons that go into
muscles, glands, skin, and viscera. These fibers coming from thoracic -lumbar segments of
the spinal column finally reach organs from the head to toes - all parts of the body. This
part of the autonomic system is called sympathetic nervous division because they make
the visceral organs function in ‘sympathy’ during emergency conditions of serious effort
or exercise, states of fear and anger.
Functions. The sympathetic division acts in three major events, such as during (a)
excitement, emotion of fear, anger and elation, (b) violent exercise and bodily activities
and (c) extreme cold when the life is endangered.
Owing to the function of the sympathetic division during em otion such as anger
and rage, medulla of the adrenal gland pours excess amount of its “adrenaline” secretion
to the blood stream. This secretion in the blood stream is associated with strong
emotional experiences. This leads to release of stored sugar from the liver into the blood.
There are chemical changes in the blood as a result of which the blood clots easily and
quickly. Blood pressure increases, pulse beats become rapid and vigorous. The passages
of the lungs enlarge and more air is admitted due to h eavy breathing. The pupils of the
eyes are
dilated and thus more light enters into the eyes. Heavy sweating occurs throughout
the body. Palms and hands are full with sweating. The temperature of the skin
sometimes rises and at times falls several degrees.
The adrenal medulla also secretes another hormone called “noradrenaline”
which constricts the blood vessels at the surface of skin. Bloods are chanelised
from stomach and sex organs to the motor organs, such as, muscles of legs and
arms. The digestive functions come to stop. There is cessation of digesti ve juices
due to inhibitive function of the sympathetic division. The blood from these is
diverted to the muscles. Hairs stand on their roots. The adrenaline secreted from
adrenal glands expedites the actions and reinforces the emergency -facing
processes. There is evidence that the thyroids and pituitary glands also secrete
hormones during emotion. During joy, the stomach has maximum visceral changes,
where as in fear and anger, the adrenal functions vigorously. During sorrow, the
gall bladder becomes most active. These glandular responses in emotion are
adaptive in nature, which means the individual becomes able to cope physically
with emergency situation.
The visceral activities as well as the neural activities are involved in
emotion. Almost the total ne rvous system is involved in emotional response.
Electrical responses are also closely associated with the visceral and neural
activities during emotion. The electrical responses, such as galvanic responses
and brain potentials undergo changes during emotio n. The autonomic activities
energizing sweat glands lead to perspiration, which produces changes in the
electrical properties of the skin. The tissues of the skin generate electromotive
force and the electrical resistance of the skin is changed.
The Parasympathetic Division
Structure. From the two end segments of the spinal cord, i.e., from the upper and the lower
segments, the nerves of the parasympathetic division emerge on both the sides. The upper
division of the spinal column is called cranial part and the lower segment is called the sacral
part. These nerves then pass the rough series of ganglia and reach the visceral organs and
structures having synapses outside the central nervous system. Thus, the parasympathetic
division of the autonomic nervous system is situated from the above and below the sympathetic
division. This division is thus known „cranio-sacral division‟ of the autonomic nervous system.
Parasympathetic nerves like the sympathetic division reaches almost all the organs of the body
from head to toes. When sympathetic division is active, the parasympathetic division takes rest
and vice-versa. Whether a particular division accelerates or inhibits a particular organ or system
depends on the welfare of the organism at that moment depending on the situation.
Functions. Parasympathetic division is involved in the ordinary vital functions of life. The
parasympathetic division maintains the ordinary processes of life. Protection of the eyes from
the bright light is the work of this division. The constriction of the pupils of the eyes is done by
this division for protection purpose. It adjusts the lens of the eye for new vision. The conduction
of food, its digestion and the excretion are done by parasympathetic division. During sexual
union, more blood supply to the sex organs are made by this division. It meets the physiological
demands of the body to maintain. It stores up energy in abundance for future use by the
sympathetic division during emergency.
But owing to prolonged emotion , if both the divisions of the Autonomic
nervous system become overactive that may lead to organic pathology.
Parasympathetic over activity may lead
to peptic ulcer, backache, and headache etc. The sympathetic over activity may
lead to psychosomatic diseases, such as asthma, tuberculosis, migraine etc. for
which psychosomatic medicines are prescribed by the physicians.
Role of Hypothalamus in Emotion
Hypothalamus sits at the midline of the brain just below the thalamus
extending to the base of the brain. Its size is not larger than the tip of a little finger
and it weighs about less than one percent of the brain‟s entire weight.
Hypothalamus is very vital to both emotion and motivation, thus it is called
“the brain within the brain”. It is an important brain structure, which through its
connections with autonomic nervous system controls glands and smooth muscles,
blood vessels and the heart. It influence s various kinds of emotional responses
accompanied by physiological arousal. The heart rate speeds up, blood
circulations from internal organs carrying increased amount of glucose i.e. blood
sugar to the muscles take place. These “fight” or “flight” emergency responses are
the preparatory processes of body for appropriate kind of action and are regulated
by the autonomic nervous system under the control of hypothalamus.
By stimulating a part of the hypothalamus in cats, Levison and Flynn (1965)
have found that they turn into cold, silent killers of its victims. Flynn (1967) by
stimulating other part of hypothalamus found tha t the cats can be violent,
aggressive emotionally, and can attack the victim that comes close. Thus
aggressive behaviour can be elicited in animals by
mild electrical stimulation of a particular part of the hypothalamus. By implanting
electrodes when a part of a cat‟s hypothalamus is stimulated the animal hisses, its
hairs stand on its body, its pupils become dilated and it attacks the rat or its victim
ferociously in the experimental cage. Injected neurochemical stimulation of a
hypothalamic region results in exactly the same violent attack response by the cat.
On the other hand inhibitory neurochemical stimulation injected to the same part of
hypothalamus produced temporary inhibitory responses. (Smith, King, & Hoebel,
1970). Later studies have shown that hypothalamus is the important center for
the integration of emotional impulses.
Role of Limbic System in Emotion
The limbic system is a group of structures of the brain lying in an area below
the corpus callosum at the innermost edge of the cerebral hemisphere. The
particular structures, which are grouped as limbic system, are as follows: the
hippocampus, anterior thalamus, amygdala, septum or septal area, hypothalamus
and their interconnecting fibers. There are specific structures in the limbic system,
which are involved in emotional and motivational reactions. This structure is not
well developed in lower organisms below the mammals. Limbic system being
interconnected with hypothalamus works in emotional and motivational needs (see
Figure 7.5).
When there is a lesion in a precise part of the limbic system in human
patients, they fail to carry out sequential activiti es. They are found to have
forgotten the order of activities. Monkeys having lesions in some regions of the
limbic system express anger at minor provocations. Moreover, monkeys with
lesions on some other regions at the limbic system become
 Figure 7. 8 :Harlow’s baby monkeys with surrogate mothers showing attachment behavior

docile and calm, and do not show hostility or anger when provoked.

Tumors and lesions in the limbic system lead to impotence and reduction of
sexual drive (Blumer & Walker, 1967). Other evidences also suggest that
stimulating limbic area may result in sexual arousal. Heath (1964) reports four
cases of electrical stimulation of the limbic system of three males and a female, of
which three male persons experienced sexua l arousal during limbic stimulation and
the female experienced orgasm. Thus researchers have evidences in common that
this structure is involved in emotional reaction.

Role of Amygdala in Emotion

Amygdala is a part of the cerebellum in general, and limbic system in
particular. Findings by G.V. Goddar (1964) revealed that damage to the amygdala
could turn a wild animal into a docile creature. In another study, Bard and
Mountcastle (1948)
d turn a docile animal into an aggressive beast. Goddard also found that by
stimulating parts of the amygdala, mild and intense fears are elicited. In intense
fear, the animal flees from the spot in panic. Psychosurgery of amygdala is called
“amygdalectomy”. Malfunction of amygdala may trigger violent emotional reactions.
(Mark and Ervin, 1970)

Role of Learning in Emotion

Many of our emotional reactions are innate as well as learnt too. Except the
emotion of fear, rage and love, all other emotions are learned through our
experiences and interactions with people. Our emotional reactions are learnt
through association with ne w objects and situations. J.B. Watson, the founder of
the behaviorist school (1930) considered a number of emotions as the product of
child‟s learning experiences. Watson and Rayner have described the way by which
one may learn to fear certain stimuli from their famous experiments with a child,
named Albert.
Albert was an 11-month-old boy who was never afraid of animals. In the
beginning, he was playing with white furry toys, i.e., a rat, a rabbit, a dog, a
monkey and Santaclaus mask. But later, when he wa s happily looking at a white
rat, Watson introduced a loud sound, which evoked fear response in him. Albert
shrank back. He repeated the procedure many times whenever Albert was with the
white rat. Such repetition of loud sound being associated with the pr esentation of
white rat/rabbit elicited fear responses in Albert. The child was frightened by the
very sight of the rabbit and tried to avoid it. When other white toys were shown to
him, these also provoked fear in him. Thus this experiment led to the
g is a simple type of learning made possible through association. Thus a stimulus
being all the time associated with a fear response becomes in the long run a
stimulus for fear. This is called “generalization” phenomenon in learning. The fear
responses, which Albert learned, was not limited to the CS only but was
generalized to similar objects, i.e. to all white furry toys.
Not only fear, love and rage emotions are learned. The escape and
avoidance behaviours are learned too. There are many situatio ns, which are
emotion producing. We in course of our development learn to fear more and more
stimuli, i.e., we develop the ability to distinguish the new stimuli, which are fear
provoking from the old ones. Our cognitive abilities help us to be aware of su ch
new emotion-provoking stimuli in the environment.
We also learn many emotional responses including irrational fears through
imitations and observations of our sibling and parental behaviour. Similarly many
emotional expressions, such as abusive languag e, temper-tantrum, escape
responses etc. are learned behaviours. Facial expressions and gestures in certain
emotions are learnt from one‟s culture. Many emotional reactions are also modified
according to the cultural norm to which the person belongs.
Development of Emotion
The ability to respond emotionally is present in the newborn; it is a part of
the developmental process and not learned. Emotion is governed by “ biological
clock” of the brain and its maturation. The environment and its influences at
different times can alter the emotional development in children. Children learn to
control and regulate their
emotions through socialization process. Emotional development in children
involves biological factors too.
As early as the second week after birth, strong stimulus gives rise to the
generalized responses of undifferentiated excitement. Thus general excitement is
the original emotional response from which all other emotional patterns develop.
During the first month, the general excitement gets divided into pleasant and i
emotions, having apparent appearance of undifferentiated form. The child‟s smile is
not focused on any particular stimulus.
During neonate and infancy stage, wet diapers, cold or hot touch, roug h
holding, sudden change of baby‟s body position, loud sound, insect biting and
stomach trouble etc. are the common stimuli which give rise to unpleasant
emotions. According to the research findings of Johnson, Emde, Pannabecker,
Stenberg and Davis (1982), the infants display a wide range of emotional
expressions at a very early age.
In one study by Malatesta and Haviland, 95% mothers conveyed that their
one-month-old infants displayed joy; 85% mothers reported anger, 74% surprise,
58% fear, and 34% sadness, and 99% showed interests. Bridges (1932) has given
a developmental timetable for infants‟ emotional expressions (see Table 7.1).
Table 7.1 :Developmental Timetable for Infants‟ Emotional Expression
Age Expressions of Emotions
At birth Generalized undifferentiated excitement
2 to 4 weeks Interest, spontaneous pleasant and unpleasant emotions without any
specific
cause.
2 to 4 weeks Startle response
2 weeks While responding to sucking, rocking, patting, close hugging
and providing warmth pleasant emotion
2 weeks Spontaneous smiling, getting stroking of the lips, cheeks. It is like a
reflex. Girls show more spontaneous smile than boys.
3 weeks Responding to unfamiliar food, unpleasant taste, smell,
disgust
3 to 6 weeks Social smile while responding to voices, faces, moving from
one side to the other, hide and seek of one‟s face.
1-2 months Calm or excited fleeting smiles, when they are picked up.
2-4 months Anger, surprise, sadness corresponding to the nature of
stimulation.
3 months distress, and delight
4 months Laughter in response to facial, tactile, visual, auditory or
social stimulus
5 - 7 months Fear emotion on account of loud sound, animals,
displacement, in darkness being left alone, high places, loss
of body support and presence of stranger
7 months Undifferentiated jealousy; Differentiated emotion
7 months Joy, elation when they succeed in manipulating some toys, in grasping
the
feeding bottle, in catching a toy or rattle beyond reach, uncovering mother‟s face
and visual scenes.
11 Months Love and affection for adults
12-18 months Jealousy (has elements of both fear and anger) when
attention of familiar adult is withdrawn and is shown to
another
18 Months Selective affection behaviour for adults.
15 months to 2 years Affection for other children (by putting arms around the neck
of mother, children, and kissing etc.)
2 years Shyness, pride, guilt, contempt, self awareness
3 years Fears of snake, death and ghosts
Pleasure emotion by the child is expressed through general relaxation of the
total body. It is followed by smiling, cooing and laughing response. Learning to
walk is a pleasant emotion to the child.
Crying is a common way of infant‟s expression of displeasure. They cry in distress
because of physical discomfort and pain. Displeasure is shown not only by crying, but also by
sulking, running away, verbalizing his/her displeasure and hiding. Grownup children express
their displeasure through language, sometimes using slangs.

Common Emotional Patterns

All of us have experienced emotion when our heart beats fast, our palms
sweat, and our stomach churns. When one is in love with another, she/he
experiences varieties of emotions.
 JAMES-LANGE

Our body, mind, facial grimace or smile play

significant role in understanding and experiencing
emotions. Do we not experience love, fear, anger,
awe, compassion, happiness and anxiety at times?
The English vocabulary consists of as many as 200
1 2 3 1 R
words for emotion. However we exercise
considerable control over emotional states.
Robert Plutchik (1980) has classified human
emotions into four types: (i) emotions are either
positive or negative, (2) they are primary or mixed,
(3) emotions are quite opposite, and (4) they vary in
intensity. Plutchik‟s classification has been put in a
wheel of emotion given in Figure 7.6.
Sk M In the Figure 7.6, the primary emotions are

V given inside the wheel. The emotions arranged

Figure 7.9 : Diagram of the nerve outside the wheel are
connections in the James-Lange theory
of emotion. C : cerebral cortex; R :
receptor; V : viscera; SkM : skeletal
muscles. Lines

the combined products of primary emotions. It is believed that opposite emotions cannot
be experienced simultaneously. For example, happiness, disgust, sadness, anger and fear
etc. are considered as primary emotions by Plutchik. Anger and fear are negative
emotions. Positive emotions give us pleasure, facilitate our self -esteem and improve our
relationships with
others. The negative emotions lower our self -esteem, and lowers quality of
relationship with others.
Figure 7.7 provides a profile of positive and negative emotions. Love and
remorse, optimism and disappointment are opposite emotions. We have discussed
in the beginning of this chapter about Titchener‟s three -dimensional nature of
feelings, i.e., pleasant and unpleasant, tense or relaxed, excited or depressed are
polar opposites.
J.B. Watson in his experimental studies of Albert, an eleven -month-old child
found that, love, fear and anger are the basic emotions. Other emotions are,
Watson said, combinations of these basic emotions. Plutchik too believes that
emotions are like colors. All colors can be produced by mixing the primary colors.
In a similar way, some primary emotions when mixed together form all other
emotions. When any emotion is associated with people, place, objects, and even
dates, this leads to conditioned emotion, where a neutral stimulus gives rise to
conditioned response of emotion.
Love
Love means fondness, affection and tender feelings. It is a warm and kind
affective state between persons, especially of opposite sex. It is a process of
interpersonal attraction. Mother‟s affection toward the child and vice -versa, love
towards one‟s own country, or patriotism, relational attachment and sexual
passions are also called love. It is considere d to be a positive emotion. We express
love through language, and gestures. From the intimate physical contact with the
mother‟s body, the child is able to understand her love and all other emotions
through tactual sensation.
Loving involves attachment, i.e. “being close to”. Love
 JAMES-LANGE
also means possessiveness. Harlow (1959) studied
C
attachment behaviour of baby-monkeys in
experimental laboratory conditions (see Figure 7.8). 3
Infant monkeys were separated from their mothers 1
4
at birth. There were two one-way-see-through glass
rooms for experimental observation. These baby- P h

monkeys were put with artificial mothers in these

I R
rooms where surrogate mothers were made of iron 2
wires having wooden heads and heating
arrangements for warmth. There were two wire-
mothers in each room; one mother was covered with
soft cloth; the other mother was left bare - the wire
nets only. A feeding bottle with milk was inserted in
S k
the wire-mother’s breast part of the body. In the V M
other room, there were the same surrogate mother- Figure 7.10 : Diagram of the nerve connections in the
James-Lange theory of emotion. C : cerebral cortex; R
monkeys, but of the two mothers the cloth mothers were : receptor; V : viscera; SkM : skeletal muscles. Lines
fitted with the feeding bottle and the wire mother was
left without the milk. There were four
i n f a n t m o n k e y s i n e a c h o f t h e s e
s i t u a t i o n s .
Harlow took two measures of attachment, i.e. the amount of time spent by the
baby monkeys on each of the surrogate monkeys; and the reaction to a fear -inducing
stimulus. It is found from the experiment that irrespective of the surrogate mother -
monkeys’ breast feeding conditions, they were deeply attached to the one who was soft
cloth mother.
The baby monkeys were frequently running to the cloth mother and clung to it
closely when frightened. Most interesting was the scene that when the two mothers were
kept side by side, the baby would typically suck milk from the wire -mother’s breast while
holding tightly the cloth mother. From these experimental observations it is obvious that
love and attachment emotions are different from the satisfaction of basic drives.
Love is also interpersonal attraction in case of human beings. Self -love, and love
for others are the functions of the “ libido”- the life energy- a hypothetical concept
contributed by Freud. Loving means the ability to feel empathy (awareness and
understanding of emotions and feelings of another person) for and loyalty to another
person. Caring, attachment, belongingness, and intimacy are the components of love.
Fear
Fear is an emotional state in the presence, or anticipation of a dangerous
stimulus. Often it becomes intense like anger. Fear means being afraid of or panic. Fear
for loud sound, strangers, unknown objects, new places, dark shadows and darkness,
seclusion, imaginary objects and
withdrawal of love etc. are common with children. Children are afraid of various
animals including frogs, rats, insects, snakes, cockroaches, etc. Tiger and elephant
bring out emotion of awe and surprise. Children are afraid of demons, thieves,
villains in operas an d movies. J.B. Watson in course of studying the emotional
behaviour of a boy named Albert found that he was conditioned to fear a previously
neutral object- a white rat. When this eleven -month-old Albert was shown a white
rat he reached for it, showing no fear response. But every time he touched the rat
he was hearing a loud sound, which made him frightened of rat. He soon developed
fear for rat. Thus rat became a “conditioned stimulus” to fear. Albert also was
conditioned by Watson to fear white furry obje cts, furry coats etc. (Watson and
Rayner, 1920).
Some fears are acquired through conditioning process. The child comes to
fear both lightning and thunder as one follows the other. But thunder is the primary
reason for fear. Fear also is learned through co ntact with punitive objects (for
example, electric shock while exploring an open switch board). Some are learnt
through imitation of parental and sibling fears. Watson also added that the loss of
body support evokes fear. In families parental physical puni shments, verbal
reprimand, forced toilet training, doctors with injection syringe are the causes of
emotion.
In adult life, the loss of security on account of unemployment, retirement,
demise of companions, natural calamities like super cyclone or plague, political
unrest and old age etc. causes fear response. Due to fear, the behaviours affected
are: pounding of heart, and rapid pulse rate, tense muscles, dryness of the throat,
churning in the stomach, frequent nature -call for urinating, trembling, confus ion,
fainting, inability to concentrate, wetting and soling one‟s
dress and crying aloud etc. Responses to the fear emotion are usually expressed
through anxiety, flight and feeling miserable.
Fear to the objects or events, when becomes irrati onal, is called “phobia”.
Phobic reactions of fear are persistent and intense, and not based on sound
judgment. For example, fear of public speaking, fear of public toilet, fear of eating
in public are the examples of social phobia.
It is known from experimental studies that phobias can develop through
classical conditioning. These irrational fears can be eliminated and cured through
classical conditioning methods. Fear emotions can be rectified by the following
techniques: (i) counter-conditioning process, (ii) desensitization process, and (iii)
exposure to fearless models .
Anger
Intense emotion like anger involves a great deal of bodily changes that occur
as a result of activation of the sympathetic divisions of the autonomic nervous
system. At one time or another every one feels angry. J.B. Watson mentioned that
when goal-directed behaviour of a child is obstructed and is interfered with, anger
is manifested. Thus anger is the outcome of restrictions imposed against
desires. In other words, frustrating s ituation on the way for a goal results in anger.
The need for catharsis and role of learning also play significant role in anger.
Catharsis refers to the release of anxiety and tension, pent -up feelings and
dissatisfaction and emotions resulting from daily life struggle verbally and through
actions. These are directed towards any one or anything that causes anger in the
adult person. Children learn to show attack and aggressive behaviours by
observing cartoons, movies, and T.V. serials, and aggressive model s.
Observation of live scenes of anger and aggressive behaviour produces more
imitation of specific anger action. In one of the experiments by Bandura (1973),
nursery school children observed a movie where adults were showing varieties of
aggressive behaviour toward an inflated baby doll. After observing the film both
boys and girls demonstrated the same kind of aggressive behaviour toward the
inflated doll. These aggressive responses include punching, throwing, striking with
a hammer, kicking and pounding number of blows to the doll.
Freud inferred from his observati onal studies of numerous patients and
children that aggression is an inborn instinct. Lorenz too believed that anger and
aggression are innate instincts with animals and human beings. This basic anger
behaviour should have some outlets, such as competitive sports, hard labor such
as gardening, walking, recognizing the stimuli that provokes anger and aggression,
a persuasive leader, and not rewarding any aggressive behaviour etc.
Studies indicated in the past that rage - an extreme form of anger, relatively
uncontrollable - can be at times real and at times partial which are termed as
“sham rage”. Sham rage was demonstrated in cats, dogs, primates and other
animals by stimulating particular areas of brain, especially the hypothalamus.
Joy
Joy means pleasure, happiness and delight. The stimuli that make a child
feel satisfied, and contented give rise to the feelings of joy. Joys are
expressed by smile, laughter, shouting, dancing with glee and hugging mother or
peers. But smiling does not appear till the boy i s two months old. Joy or pleasure is
an emotional reaction to the satisfaction of a motive. It is also as the result of
reaching a goal. Unhindered
exploration, patting, stroking, and touching evoke the feeling of joy.
Child shows joy when he/she is having close physical contact with the
mother. In the beginning, joy is a generalized and undifferentiated reaction. It
comes from physical comfort. Joy is associated with baby‟s new activities such as
cooing, babbling, creeping, standing up, walking and running. The child becomes
joyous being active on his own accord (Jersild, 1960). When he overcomes an
obstacle to reach the goal the joy increases. Babies get pleasure when they learn a
new skill (reaching out, shaking a rattle, opening a box, and whe n some body plays
hide and seek with newspaper in between). Smiling and laughter are the
expressions of joy in different situations at different ages (Washburn, 1929).
Children laugh when there are odd behaviours, funny sight, and funny stories.
Teasing others, playing pranks, putting animals or other children in difficulties give
him/her pleasure too. Cartoon scenes in T.V. and movies also give joy to children.
They transfer joy to pet animals, toys, dolls or pillows. Older children experience
joy emotion when they feel superior. Plutchik‟s wheel (see Figure 7.6) of human
emotion reveals that of the eight pairs of primary emotions joy and sadness is one
pair.
Jealousy
Jealousy is a special form of emotional anxiety, which occurs due to the
lack of a sense of security in relation to the one who is loved . The jealousy is
directed to a third party, i.e., the competitor who is perceived as the rival for the
affection of the person who is loved. Jealousy is an emotion having components of
both anger and fear commonly found in children. It originates from the lack of a
sense of security for the affections of one who is loved and more attended to.
There is subtle difference between “ envy” and “jealousy”. In envy, there need not
be any loved one. It is a desire for things, which belong to the competitor.
McDougall has defined envy as “a grudging contemplation of more fortunate
persons”.
Jealousy arises apprehending loss of affection. Apprehension of losing
affection leads to the attitude of resentment dir ected towards the rival. In relation
to a loved one, the child feels insecure and never wishes to lose that person‟s
affection.
Children compete with one another in their attention -drawing behaviour from
near and dear ones and members who dominate the fam ily as leaders. Anticipatory
or actual loss of affection on the part of the child in comparison to another who is
about to get much attention evokes jealousy. It may be expressed directly through
shouting, temper tantrum, i.e., hitting, biting, kicking, mi sbehaving, and being
immodest. It may also be expressed in inhibitory manners where jealousy -
responses are found through generalized passivity, apathy, melancholy, loss of
interest in the events in the surroundings, loss of appetite, sleeplessness, anxiety ,
refusal to play and loss of exchange of ideas found in adults.
The jealous child feels insecure in his/her relationship with a loved one, and
is afraid of losing the love and affection, which he/she was accustomed to getting.
Thus among siblings in the joint family, jealousy is found to be common. Parental
preferences and extra care to one child and neutral behaviour to another child also
aggravate jealousy emotion.
Sigmund Freud in his theory of psychoanalysis put forth the topic of
psychosexual development. In his elaborate analysis, he mentioned how sons are
jealous of their fathers, and daughters are jealous of their mothers during late
phallic
stage of psychosexual development. The unconscious wishes, feelings, and ideas focus
the desire to “possess” the opposite-sexed parent and “eliminate” the same -sexed
parent. This is termed as “oedipus complex ” roughly between the ages of 3 to 5. This
complex is gradually resolved when people become matured.
In school students, who are academically po or possess jealousy toward good
students and rank holders because the latter get more attention from the teachers.
Jealous students do not make good adjustments in schools. Jealousy in adults is
characterized by being fatalistic, having low work -morale and lack of enthusiasm.

Theories of Emotion
The field of emotion has received some theoretical approaches from researchers.
These theories are based on experiments. They all involve both physiological and
cognitive elements. For introductory knowledge, we have discussed two important
theories of emotion, i.e., James-Lange theory and Cannon-Bard theory. There are also
other theories of emotion, such as (a) Activation Theory, (b) Behaviorist theory and (c)
Cognitive-appraisal theory (d) MacLean’s theory of emotion (e) Papez’s theory of emotion
and (f) Singer’s two factor theory of emotion.

James-Lange Theory
C.G. Lange was a Danish physiologist. He outlined a theory of emotion. This theory
was very similar to William James (1890). Thus both are given credit for the theory.
James wrote in his book entitled, “Principles of Psychology ”,
“Our natural way of thinking about these coarser emotions, e.g., grief, fear, rage,
love is that the mental perception of some facts excites the mental affection called
the emotion, and that this latter state of mind gives rise to the bodily expression.
My theory on the contrary is that the bodily changes follow directly the perception
of the existing fact, and that our feeling of the same changes as they occur is the
emotion”.
James again stated, “common sens e says we loose our fortune, are sorry and
weep; we meet a bear, get frightened and run; we are insulted by rival, are angry and
strike. The hypothesis here to be defended says that this order of sequence is incorrect,
that the one mental state is not imme diately induced by the other; that the bodily
manifestations must first be interposed between, and that the most rational statement is
that we feel sorry because we cry, angry because we strike, afraid because we tremble,
and not that we cry, strike, or tr emble because we are sorry, angry, or fearful, as the
case may be. Without the bodily states following as the perception, the latter would be
purely cognitive in form, pale, colorless, devoid of emotional warmth. We might then see
the bear and judge it best to run, receive the insult and deem it right to strike, but we
should not actually feel afraid or angry” (1892).
Lange proposed a similar view and concluded that the vasomotor (bodily) changes
were the emotion. Lange’s theory held that a stimulus object or situation gives rise
immediately to vasomotor changes wherever blood vessels are found. The secondary
changes occurring in the tissues were believed to give rise to the sensations that
constitute the emotion.
Cannon schematized the above neural basis for the James-Lange theory of emotion
(see Figure 7.9). The diagram may be described as follows: an object stimulates one or
more receptors (R). Afferent impulses proceed to the cortex
through path No.1 and the object is perceived. Then efferent impulses immediately
activate muscles, i.e., motor organs and viscera through path No. 2. The activities of
these organs cause the afferent impulses to reach the cortex via path Nos. 3 and 4. The
perception of these changes in muscles and viscera, which follow the original perception
of the external stimulus object, transforms the object simply apprehended into the object
emotionally-felt. According to James, “the feeling of the bodily changes as they oc cur is
the emotion”. Thus James-Lange theory identifies the emotions with the perception of
the organic changes. This can be stated as follows:
Perception of the stimulus object Motor Reaction Visceral Arousal Emotion
This theory was criticized by Cannon showing its limitations. James and Lange did
not portray the several mechanisms of emotion as advance knowledge about
neuroanatomy and neurophysiology were largely unknown during those years.

Cannon-Bard Theory
This theory of emotion is the contribution of American physiologist Walter B.
Cannon. It is often referred to as the “Thalamic theory of emotion” This theory proposes
that the integration of emotional expression is controlled by the thalamus sending
relevant excitation pattern to the
cortex, and at the same time the hypothalamus controls the behaviour. Much of the
support for the theory came later from the work of Bard. His theory is otherwise
known as thalamic theory of emotion.
This theory states that strong emotions make the indi vidual alert and ready
for emergency reactions. Thus, this theory is called “ Emergency Theory of
Emotion.” In essence, the theory postulates that the sympathetic division of the
autonomic nervous system is dominant during emotion. Owing to the activities o f
the sympathetic division, the heart is palpitated, digestion is inhibited, respiration
is deeper and more rapid, blood is chanelised to motor organ from viscera, and
adrenal is poured in to the blood stream.
Cannon and Bard identified the hypothalamus as the main integrating
center in the brain for the control of behavioral reactions in emotion . It was
experimentally observed that when the hypothalamus of the animal is removed,
emotional responses become fragmentary and disintegrated. They also
demonstrated that electrical stimulation of the hypothalamus leads to the full rage
and attack reaction. This rage pattern is called the “sham rage”. Removal of the
cerebral cortex lowers the threshold for rage responses in animals. This shows that
cortex normally exercises inhibiting responses over hypothalamus. It is also
experimentally found that rage responses in decorticated animals are short lived
and disappear when the stimulus is withdrawn. Cannon -Bard‟s thalamic theory can
be best understood from the Figure 7.10.
When the emotion-provoking stimulus excites the receptor, the afferent impulses move
towards the thalamus through path No.1. After reaching thalamus, they may activate thalamic
processes or may go to the cortex through path 1. Here they invoke the conditioned response in
the cortex after which,
cortical excitation may excite thalamic process through release of inhibition in path No. 3.
Because of thin afferent impulses flow in path No. 2, either through direct activation of the
thalamus over path 1 or impulses passing on to the cortex on path 1, they inactivate inhibition
over path 3. This leads to patterned motor responses in the thalamus to be expressed in motor
organs and gland via path No. 2. At the same time an upward discharge in path 4 go the cortex
carrying the pattern just released. Thus the original sensory experience along with perceptual
cortical activities through path No. 4 transform the object simply apprehended to the object
emotionally felt. When the thalamic processes are aroused, emotion is materialized from a
simple sensation. Bard‟s experiments supported Cannon‟s view that emotion involves the
reactivation of the cortex via path 4.
Cannon and Bard held that emotional experiences and the expressive
responses both occur at the same time because of thalamic and hypothalamic
activities, which can be stated as follows:
Visceral Arousal
Perception of the Stimulus Thalamic & Hypothalamic
Arousal Visceral Arousal

KEY TERMS

Motivation Emotion Need

Drive Incentive Instrumental behaviour
Motive Biological Motive Psychological Motive
Social Motive Hypovolemia Homeostasis
Affiliation need Curiosity Exploration
Achievement Motivation Self-actualization Unconscious Motivation
Self-esteem Projective test Flight response
Galvanic skin response Blood pressure Heart rate
Pupillary response Pilomotor response Metabolism
Tremor Eye-blinking Autonomic Nervous
system
Sympathetic System Parasympathetic System Hypothalamus
Thalamus Limbic System Amygdala
Undifferentiated excitement Love
Fear
Anger Jealousy Joy
James-Lange Theory Cannon-Bard Theory
SUMMARY

MOTIVAT ION
1. Motivation refers to states within the organism that drive behaviour
towards some goals. It has three aspects: (a) the driving state, (b) the
behaviour aroused and directed by the driving state, and (c) the goal
towards
which the behaviour is directed.
2. Motives are very powerful tools to explain our behaviour. They are never
observed directly; they are inferred from behaviours . Motives enable us to
make predictions about an individual‟s future actions.
3. Very often, motivation is considered to be cyclical. Drive state is the first
stage of the motivational cycle. The second stage is the behaviour triggered
by the drive state. This instrumental behaviour may lead to a goal, which is
the third stage of the motivational cycle. Reaching the goal completes the
cycle.
4. There are subtle differences between needs, drives, and incentives. Needs
are physiological and environmental imbalances that give rise to drives.
Drives are the tendencies to act in specific ways to reach a goal. Incentive
means the value or effectiveness of the goal as a motive for behavior.
5. There are several types of motives, such as biological (physiological)
motives, social motives, and psychological (personal) motives. The
biological motives consist of physiological needs such as hunger, sex, thirst,
sleep, and need for sensory stimulation, and need for postural changes.
6. The hypothalamus plays a vital role in controlling hunger drive . Different
studies revealed that thirst and drinking result from dehydration of cells called
osmoreceptors in the hypothalamus. The sex drive in human beings as well as in
higher species is generally triggered by sensory stimuli. Further, the expression of
sex motive in higher species depends on learning.
7. Social motives are acquired or learned . Most of these motives stem from the
organized social life. Since social motives depend upon learning, their
strength varies from person to person. These motives can give us some
insight into an individual‟s social behaviour and make up an important part of
the description of personality. The need for affiliation is a motive to be with
other people.
Chapter 8
PROCESSES OF THINKING

This chapter covers : CONTENTS

a) Nature of Thinking and its relation to Introduction
Language
Nature of Thinking
b) Stages of Cognitive Development by Relationship between Thought and
Piaget Language
Stages of Cognitive Development by
c) Problem solving and Decision
Piaget
Making
Sensorimotor Stage
d) Creative Thinking: Nature and Pre-operational Stage
Stages of Creative Thinking
Concrete Operational Stage
After you go through this chapter, Formal Operational Stage
you would be able to: Evaluations of Piaget‟s Theory
 Understand the nature of thinking Problem Solving
and its relationship with language. Nature of Problem Solving Behavior
Stages in Problem Solving
 Know how cognitive development
takes place and describe the stages Methods for Solving Problems
of cognitive development according Factors interfering with Effective
to Piaget. Problem Solving

 Understand how people solve Decision Making

problems and take decisions. Heuristics in Decision Making
Factors influencing judgment and
 Describe the nature of creative decision making
thinking.
Creative Thinking
 Explain the stages through which Nature of Creative Thinking
creative thinking proceeds. Characteristics of Creative People
Stages in Creative Thinking
 Processes of Thinking

Introduction
Thinking abstractly and using language are uniquely human skills. It is true that animals
communicate, but there is no conclusive proof that animals use true language, because their
communications cannot produce new and unique meanings following formal grammar.
The study of thinking has traversed a long way from Wundt‟s study of consciousness
(using introspection) to the modern perspectives on information-processing. All inventions,
discoveries and creations are the products of human thinking and this is the domain that
distinguishes human beings from other animals.
Nature of Thinking
Thinking is very basic to all cognitive activities. What do we do when we think? We mentally
process information to reach a goal. Some information is acquired from the environment and
some information lie in a symbolic form in our long-term memory.
According to Morgan, thinking is manipulation of mental representations of both
information from the environment and the symbols stored in long-term memory. The
mental representation may be a word, a concept or a mental image. Thinking transforms this
representation into a new form for the purpose of reaching a goal – to answer questions, to
make judgments, to solve problems, or to take decisions. Thus, thinking is information
processing that goes on during the period between a stimulus event and the response to it.
Suppose you visit a market place to buy a good television. The salespersons present several
items in your range of choice (stimulus event) and eventually you purchase one of them
(response). Before making the response, you must have weighed the advantages and
disadvantages of different varieties of television. Before purchasing, you were cognitively
processing information (thinking) which started with a stimulus event and concluded with a
response.
The basic features of formal thinking, according to Mayer (1983) are:
1. Thinking is cognitive – it occurs internally in the mind and is inferred from observable
behavior.
2. Thinking consists of manipulation of both information from the environment and symbols
stored in long-term memory.
3. Thinking is mostly organized and directed towards a goal/problem-solution.
Thinking makes use of symbols. The symbols may be images or concepts. Thus, mental
images and concepts are the building blocks of thought.

Building blocks of thought

Images are mind pictures. In thinking, we use mental images instead of actual objects,
experiences or activities. An image is a mental representation of objects and events. If you are
excited about going to Konark on a picnic, you bring into mind the visual images of the Konark
temple and also the images of what you are going to do there on the picnic day. When you give
directions to someone who wants to reach your house, you do that with the help of the visual
images of the roadway that leads to your house.
Concepts constitute the second type of symbol we use in thinking. Concepts are mental
categories for objects, events and situations that share some common features. (e.g., bus, car,
truck and tractor are all vehicles). Concepts are embedded in words and language. Therefore,
thinking and language are closely related.
Relationship between Thought and Language
According to Feldman (1999), language is systematic and meaningful arrangement of symbols.
It is not just used for communication; it is also closely linked to the way we think about and
understand the world. Psychologists cannot deny the influence of language on human cognitive
process such as perception, learning and problem solving. Information is stored in memory in
the form of language. Verbal labels such as „good‟, „polite‟, „rational‟, and „aggressive‟ influence
our perception of people. Sometimes a problem may be worded differently so that the solution
becomes easy. There is thus an intimate connection between language and thinking. Some
psychologists such as Whorf view that language shapes our thoughts, while others such as
Jean Piaget view that thoughts influence the development of language.
Whorf (1956) was of the view that language determines the content of thought. He
proposed what is known as linguistic relativity hypothesis which says that language shapes
and determines our thought. According to this view, people who speak different languages may
perceive the world in different ways because their thinking is shaped by the words and linguistic
categories available to them.
The Eskimos in Alaska have many words for snow (about 23 words or more) which help
them perceive this aspect of the physical world differently from English-speaking people. In Odia
or Hindi, we have different words for describing kinship relationships: mother‟s brother, father‟s
elder-brother, father‟s younger-brother, mother‟s sister‟s husband, father‟s sister‟s husband and
so on. In English, a single word, „uncle‟ describes all these kinship relationships. With so many
categories, an Indian child, compared to an English-speaking child, may find it easier to
differentiate between various kinship relationships and relate to them accordingly. On the other
hand, there are many words
for colors in English language, whereas in some Indian tribal languages, there may be about
two to four words for colors. Accordingly, an English-speaking child would find it easy to
distinguish among colors while it may not be so for an Indian tribal child. Do language
differences matter for how we think and process information about the world? Whorf says that
such language differences influence our thought.
Jean Piaget, a Swiss psychologist viewed that thought precedes language and
determines the development of language. Language does not determine thought; it only
expresses thoughts. A child thinks before he can translate his thinking into language. A child
forms an internal representation of the world even when he has not acquired language. For
example, children observe and imitate the actions of others. They engage in symbolic or make-
believe play in which they make an object stand for others. In animistic thinking, children think
that inanimate objects have life. These are all examples where children think without using
language. As the child grows, and the world is represented internally, language may affect
children‟s range of symbolic thinking, but language is not necessarily the origin of thought.
Piaget believed that the acquisition of language depends on the level of thinking i.e., how the
world is mentally represented. Thus thought is necessary for language to be understood.
Which position is more accurate? The issue is far from resolved. A modified version of
linguistic relativity hypothesis suggests that the structural features in a language may in fact
lead people to think about their physical world in certain way, as in case of Eskimos.
Furthermore, studies reveal that bilingualism (proficiency in communicating in two languages)
and multilingualism (proficiency in more than two languages) facilitates cognitive, linguistic and
academic competence of
children. In short, language seems to play an important role in
shaping certain important aspects of human thinking.
A third view was given by Lev Vygotsky, a Russian
psychologist. He argued that thought and language develop
separately in a child until about two years of age and thereafter they
become interdependent. Before two years (during Piaget‟s sensori-
motor stage), thought is pre-verbal and action-based. At about two
years, when children learn to use language, they can manipulate

their thoughts with the help of language. Both become Jean Piaget
interdependent in that the quality of thinking depends on inner
speech and vice versa. Though both become interdependent, thought can be used without
language as in case of forming visual images or repeating a procedural movement and
language can be used without thought as in case of engaging in routine communications such
as “Good morning! How are you?” When the two functions are brought close together, they can
produce verbal thought and thoughtful speech.
In summary, one can say that both language and thought are intimately connected but it
is difficult to speak of one as the origin of the other. To determine whether language influences
thought or thought influences language may be like determining which came first, the chicken or
the egg.
Stages of Cognitive Development by Piaget
The Swiss Psychologist, Jean Piaget (1970, 1972) took cognitive-developmental approach
which is different from that of the psychometricians to understand human cognition. The
psychometricians were interested in studying individual differences in cognition, but Piaget was
interested in understanding the nature of intellectual development in normal
children. For nearly 50 years, Piaget observed children‟s intellectual development, and
suggested that all children proceed through a series of four stages in a fixed order. He said that
these stages differ not only in the quantity of information acquired at each stage, but also in the
quality of knowledge and understanding as well.
In order to examine how children think, Piaget asked children some interesting
questions, such as “Where do dreams come from”? Or “Has the rock life?” He was interested
not with correct answers but with the way children answer a question, even if their answers
were wrong. This gave him tremendous insight about the nature of children‟s thought
processes, which is very different from that of the adults.
Piaget received his early training in biology and philosophy. During his teenage years,
his grandfather introduced him into an area of philosophy called epistemology, which is
concerned with analysis of various forms of knowledge. It is only natural that his theory of
cognitive development reflects a distinctively biological flavor. He believed that human beings
are active organisms having a network of mental structures and constantly trying to make sense
of their experiences. He consistently observed his own three children, two daughters Jaculine,
and Lucine and the son Laurent. His observations were found to be almost same in cases of all
his children. His meticulous studies were put into a systematic theory, which continued to be
updated until his death in 1980. His careful work inspired a great deal of research on children‟s
cognition and intelligence. Even today, Piaget‟s theory of intelligence provides the most
dominant framework in developmental psychology.
According to Piaget (1952), “Intelligence is a particular instance of biological adaptation.”
For Piaget, intelligence refers to a general mental adaptability. Piaget was basically
 concerned with three questions: (a) What is it that changes with development? (b) How
do cognitive changes take place? (c) What is the most systematic way of ordering the stages of
cognitive development?
What is it that changes with development? According to Piaget, the specific cognitive
structures or schemes change as a function of age. For the infant, the schemes are motor
action patterns. The newborns are equipped with only primitive schemes such as sucking,
looking, and grasping etc., which guide elementary forms of behavior. These sensory motor
action patterns are activated when certain objects are present. For example, when a feeding
bottle is present, the child can look, grasp, or suck. Therefore there is a looking scheme, a
sucking scheme, or a grasping scheme, and so on. As the infant grows, the schemes become
more complex.
As the child advances in age, the “schemes move from an action-based level to a
mental level, and become symbolic - that is, actions can be carried even when the object
is not present. At this stage, the child not just acts on objects, but shows evidence of thinking
before he acts. As will be discussed later, this change marks the transition from the
sensorimotor stage to the preoperational stage.
Piaget believed that all schemes are spontaneously exercised as children have a natural
tendency to use them repeatedly. As the schemes are exercised, they come in contact with new
situations. Gradually, children notice the gap between their existing schemes, and the reality
requirements, and try to reduce this discrepancy. Hence, the schemes are continuously
modified and adapted to the environmental demands. As a result of this modification and
adaptation, cognitive changes take place as the child‟s age increases. Thus, what change with
development are the schemes or the cognitive structures
 of the child.
How cognitive changes take place? To explain how cognitive structures or schemes
change, Piaget identified two important intellectual functions: adaptation and organization.
The basic characteristics of these two intellectual functions remain the same throughout life.
Their nature and functions do not change. That is why they are known as functional
invariants. These functions work together and produce a variety of schemes.
Adaptation is an intellectual process of building mental representations of the world by
interacting with the external world. Adaptation is made up of two complementary processes:
assimilation and accommodation. Piaget borrowed these terms directly from the field of
biological growth. Let us see how these concepts are used in the biological sphere. When we
eat to support our body, we assimilate food and transform it to make it look like ourselves. When
we cannot fully assimilate the new objects, we accommodate to them. For example, when we
take a new food, we must accommodate to its new demands, by adjusting our stomach and
digestion to the special properties of this novel food.
Cognitive adaptation works in much the same way. During assimilation, we interpret the
external world in terms of our existing cognitive structures. For example, when an infant
sucks an artificial nipple, he assimilates the nipple to the scheme of sucking. In
accommodation, we modify the existing mental structures to take account of new
information. The baby who sucks the edge of the blanket is modifying the sucking scheme to fit
a new object. Both assimilation and accommodation work together in every interaction with the
environment. But the balance between these two processes varies
 from one situation to another. When children assimilate more than they accommodate,
cognitive changes do not take place. They remain in a state of cognitive equilibrium. When more
accommodation is necessary, children are in a state of disequilibrium or cognitive discomfort.
They modify their cognitive structures to fit to the new environmental requirements. This back-
and-forth movement between equilibrium and disequilibrium is called equilibration. Each
equilibration produces more complex and more effective schemes as children advance in age.
This is how cognitive changes take place.
Organization is another process, which helps cognitive development. It takes place
internally. Once children form new cognitive structures, they rearrange them and link each other
in a network of cognitive system. Thus organization refers to internal arrangement of
schemes or cognitive structures to form a strong interconnected cognitive system.
According to Piaget, the schemes reach a true state of equilibrium, when they become a part of
a broad network of structures. Thus, cognitive changes take place through processes of
adaptation and organization.
How cognitive development can be ordered? Piaget believed that the cognitive changes take
place in an orderly manner, and follow a sequence. Children proceed through four qualitatively
distinct stages of development: (a) the sensorimotor stage (birth to 2 years); (b) the pre-
operational stage (2 years to 7 years); (c) the concrete operational stage (7 years to 11 years);
and (d) the formal operational stage (11 years and older). These stages differ not only in the
quantity of information, but also in the quality of knowledge and understanding. This sequence
of development is invariant (the stages always emerge in a fixed order), and universal (all
children
 everywhere proceed through these stages). The four successive stages of cognitive
development are described below.
Sensorimotor Stage (Birth to 2 years)
This is the first stage of cognitive development, which begins at birth and continues until
the child is 2-years-old. It is called so, because child‟s understanding of the world is
limited to his sensory and motor organs. He must act on the environment to understand
what it is like. He has little competence in representing the environment through images,
language, and symbols. Through his motor actions, the child gradually learns that his actions
produce effects on the environment. The cognitive development proceeds at such a rapid rate
during these two years that Piaget has divided the sensorimotor stage into six sub-stages. This
is the most complex and most important period of development in which a great deal of
accommodation is required to meet the environmental demands.
The child masters three important capacities during this period: (a) cause-and-effect
relationship, (b) object permanence, and (c) deferred imitation. First, he acquires a basic
understanding of the concept of cause-and-effect. He understands that he can manipulate his
environment to produce interesting effects. Second, he develops the concept of object
permanence that is the ability to understand that objects exist even when they are not visible.
At about one year of age, the child understands that even when a doll is not right there in front
of him, it is somewhere in the home. If he wants, he can find and play with it. Third, he develops
the capacity for deferred imitation- the ability to remember and copy behaviors of others who
are not immediately present. By the end of the sensorimotor period,
 he develops mental representations of the external world that is, he can think with
mental images of absent objects and past events.
Pre-operational Stage (2 Years to 7 Years)
This stage is characterized by emergence of symbolic activity. During this stage, there
is an extraordinary increase in child‟s representational ability - the ability to think using mental
images of people and objects. The child learns to carry out symbolic thinking. Symbolic thinking
is the ability to make one thing represent, or act as a symbol for another thing. When the child
points to his fingers as guns, or uses a matchbox as a telephone receiver, he is demonstrating
symbolic thinking. In the preoperational stage, the child learns not only through his motor
actions, but more so by thinking symbolically and reflecting on his actions.
Child‟s symbolic thinking is reflected in several of his activities such as (a) acquiring and using
language, (b) symbolic or make-believe play, and (c) drawings. Language is symbolic in nature,
because words act as symbols for objects, events, and persons. The language helps the child to
separate thought from action. As a result, thinking becomes more efficient as language helps
the child to deal with the past, present, and future all at once. Through language, children form a
stable, larger, and interconnected image of reality. The second manifestation of symbolic
thinking is witnessed in make-believe play. In the make-believe play, children make an object
stand for another object. They enact familiar activities such as pretending to eat or go to sleep.
The little children wipe out the tears from doll‟s eyes, and make her sleep by singing rhymes.
These are examples, where children‟s sensory-motor actions are turned into internal mental
representations of reality. Third, children‟s drawings are
 another important mode of symbolic thinking. They represent animals, objects, persons,
and events pictorially through drawings. The drawings reflect child‟s mental representations.
While children‟s thinking during this stage is more advanced than that of the
sensorimotor stage, Piaget believes that preoperational children are still immature in several
important aspects. Their thinking is qualitatively inferior to that of the adults. Piaget described
preoperational children in terms of what they cannot, rather than can understand. The
interesting features of children‟s thinking during this period are: (a) egocentric thought, (b)
animistic thinking, (c) centration, (d) irreversibility, and (e) lack of classificatory ability.
Because of egocentric thinking, children cannot take another person‟s perspective.
They see the world only in terms of their perspectives. For example, a 3-year old frequently
hides himself with his face against the wall and hands covering his eyes. Though he is in plain
view of the other persons, he believes that he cannot be seen as he cannot see others.
Egocentric thinking is responsible for animistic thinking - the belief that inanimate objects have
lifelike qualities. Children at this stage imagine that objects like tables, chairs, clouds, moon, etc.
have thoughts, wishes, feelings, and intentions. A 3-year old who bangs his head against a
tabletop complains about the „bad table‟.
Centration is the focusing of attention on one single aspect of a situation, while ignoring other
important features. Because of centration, preoperational children fail to understand the
principle of conservation. Though there are equal amount of juice in a narrower glass, and a
wider glass, the child prefers to drink the juice from the narrower glass as juice in the narrower
glass fills to a greater height. Here the child makes a judgment about the quantity by centering
his attention on the dimension of height only, ignoring the dimension of width.
 Centration is a weakness of preoperational thinking.
Another important illogical feature of preoperational thinking is irreversibility. The
preoperational children cannot reverse their thinking or trace their thought processes in a
backward manner. They may think through a series of steps in solving a problem, but they
cannot go backward mentally returning to the starting point. Because their thinking is centered,
and irreversible, they cannot understand the principle of conservation.
Lastly, preoperational children lack classificatory ability. They have difficulties in
grouping objects into classes and subclasses. Piaget illustrated this with his famous class-
inclusion problem. Children are shown. 15 flowers, most of which are yellow, and only a few are
blue. When asked, “Whether there are more yellow flowers or more flowers?” the preoperational
children confidently respond, “There are more yellow flowers!” This shows their inability to
classify objects hierarchically. They fail to understand that a subclass contains lesser (or at best
equal) number of elements than that of a class.
The children overcome the above limitations, when they pass to the next stage, i.e., the
concrete operational stage, which begins at about 7 years of age. Recent research suggests
that preoperational children are intellectually more competent than what Piaget believed. Piaget
appears to have underestimated the intellectual competence of preoperational children.
Concrete Operational Stage (7 Years to 11 Years)
The concrete operational stage which spans the years from 7 to 11 is a major turning point in
cognitive development, as children at this stage think more like adults than like younger children
at earlier ages. This stage is characterized by logical thought and a loss of egocentric thinking.
The concrete
 operational child is far more logical, flexible, and organized in his cognition. But
his logical mental operations are only applied to concrete objects and events, not to
propositions, which are abstract and hypothetical in nature. During this stage, children acquire a
number of important skills such as (a) conservation, (b) decentration, (c) reversibility, (d)
seriation, and (e) hierarchical classification.
Piaget regarded conservation as the most important achievement of the concrete
operational stage. Conservation refers to an understanding of the fact that physical
characteristics of objects remain the same even when their outward appearance
changes. When a ball of clay is flattened to the shape of a cake, the mass of clay remains the
same, even if the shape of clay changes. This is called conservation of mass. The number of
beads in a string remains the same, whether the string is stretched in the form of a line or rolled
into a circle. The ability to achieve conservation is dependent on two other concepts:
decentration and reversibility. The child can achieve conservation if he decenters his
attention from only one feature of the stimulus situation to take into account a number of
features at the same time. In other words, like a preoperational child, a concrete operational
child does not focus his attention on only one single aspect of the stimulus situation; he takes
into account several important aspects in making a judgment.
Reversibility refers to understanding that as we can think through several steps in a
problem, we can also go backward in our steps to finally return to the starting point. In the
conservation of mass, the child understands that the cake of clay can be again brought back to
form the original ball of clay.
The concrete operational children demonstrate seriation, that is the ability to arrange a set of
objects on the basis of physical characteristics such as height, shape etc. Given 10 sticks
 of varying length, they can arrange the sticks in an order from the shortest stick to the
longest one.
Hierarchical classification means grouping and regrouping objects into classes or
subclasses using more than one attribute. The children at this stage can understand that a
subclass contains lesser or at the most equal number of elements as that of a class to which it
belongs. Thus, given 15 flowers most of which are yellow, and a few are blue, and asked the
question, “Are there more yellow flowers or more flowers?” the child will unhesitatingly answer
that there are more flowers. He can understand that yellow flowers constitute a subclass of
the class of flowers.
Although, concrete operational children demonstrate logical thinking, there is still one
major limitation in their thinking. Their logical thinking is mostly bound by the concrete physical
reality of the world. Their mental operations have not yet attained a formal status in that they
cannot apply their thinking to questions that are abstract and hypothetical in nature.
Formal Operational Stage (11 Years and Older)
In this final stage of cognitive development, children‟s thinking becomes formal, hypothetical,
and abstract like that of adults. They can deal with possibilities and predict future events. Their
thinking is no longer confined to the concrete physical realities. Suppose children are asked a
question of the form, “Cycles are faster than cars, and cars are faster than aeroplanes; which
between the two, aeroplane and cycle, is slower?” A concrete operational child may answer
“Cycle” or may reject the question, or refuse to apply his mental operations to answer the
question, because the information is contrary to his
 real-world knowledge. On the other hand, a formal operational child will evaluate the
logic of the statements to answer the question. This shows the abstract and hypothetical nature
of formal operational child‟s through processes.
The two important characteristics of child‟s thinking during the formal operational stage
are: (a) hypothetico-deductive reasoning and (b) propositional thinking. Hypothetico-deductive
reasoning is a formal operational problem solving strategy. That is, when faced with a problem,
a formal operational thinker can formulate a general theory based on all possible factors and
then deduce specific hypotheses from the general theory for further testing. He can test
hypotheses in an orderly fashion to examine which ones work in the real world. This form of
reasoning begins with possibilities and proceeds to reality. On the other hand, concrete
operational children start with examining reality, and when their examination is not confirmed,
they cannot think of alternatives to solve the problem.
Piaget and Inhelder (1958) have demonstrated how children solve the „pendulum problem‟. The
problem-solver is asked to figure out what determines how fast a pendulum swings. Is it the
length of the string, the weight of the pendulum, or the force with which the pendulum is
pushed? (The correct answer is the length of the string). Concrete operational children
approach the problem in an unsystematic manner. They may simultaneously change two or
more variables (e.g., the length of the string and weight of the pendulum) to examine what
happens. Since, they vary more than one factor at once, they cannot tell which factor is the
critical one. In contrast, formal operational children approach the problem systematically. They
behave as scientists carry out investigations. They vary one factor at a time and observe its
effect on the movement of the pendulum. As a result,
 they are likely to identity that the critical factor is the length of the string. Thus, they carry
simple experiments to rule out competing possibilities. Such kind of thinking is based on
hypothetico-deductive reasoning. This is an important characteristic of formal operational
thought.
A second important characteristic of this stage is propositional thinking. Children can
evaluate the logic of propositions or verbal statements without referring to real-world
circumstances. The statements are evaluated on their own merit even if they are contrary to the
real-world knowledge. Consider the question, “If aeroplanes are called elephants, can elephants
fly?” A concrete operational thinker will answer, “No, elephants cannot fly”, while a formal
operational thinker will answer, “Yes” to the question. A formal operational thinker can say so,
because he is evaluating the logical validity of verbal statements without being influenced by the
concrete real-world knowledge.
Though thinking during the formal operational stage closely approaches adult thinking, yet it
falls short of adult level. While the reasoning of older children may be quite logical, their theories
are not very practical, because they simply do not know enough about life and its possibilities.
Furthermore, there is no guarantee that child after attaining 11 years of age
 will demonstrate hypothetico-deductive reasoning and prepositional thinking as claimed by
Piaget. Even adults sometimes deviate from formal operational thinking. In some cultures, particularly in
less technologically advanced societies, adults do not reach the stage of formal operational thinking.

Evaluation of Piaget’s theory

Piaget‟s theory provides the most important and powerful perspective on children‟s
cognitive development. It is a grand theory in developmental psychology, which has inspired
many researchers all over the world. Tests have been developed, and educational programs for
children have been planned on the basis of Piaget‟s theoretical framework. A number of
researchers have confirmed Piagetian concepts and stages of cognitive development. The
impact of his theory has been so great that any textbook or research reports on cognition cannot
overlook Piaget‟s theory of cognitive development; if they do, their work will be considered
incomplete. All said and done, Piaget‟s theory has not been free from criticisms. Several of his
ideas are now regarded as either incorrect or only partially correct.
The first criticism is against Piaget‟s belief that development proceeds in a stage-like
manner. Some developmental psychologists believe that development is a continuous process,
and cannot be broken down into different stages as Piaget‟s theory suggests. They believe that
development is more quantitative than qualitative in nature, and that the basic nature of the
underlying cognitive processes changes very little with age.
Another major criticism leveled at Piaget is that he has seriously underestimated the cognitive
capacities of infants and young children. In fact, they show more advanced cognitive capacities than
what Piaget believed. It has been shown that children demonstrate many concrete operational skills
such as conservation, seriation, and decentration before 7 years of age. The concept of object
permanence is attained much earlier than what Piaget postulated.
The third major drawback in Piaget’s theory is that many older children, adolescents, college students,
and adults do not show formal operational thinking. The universal nature of Piagetian stages is thus
called into question. The development is
 a lifetime process. All the skills do not emerge at once when the child reaches formal
operational stage at the age of 11 years. In some cultures, almost no one reaches the formal
operational stage.
Fourth, Piaget‟s belief that children must act on their environment to revise their
cognitive structures is too narrow a notion of how learning takes place. Cognitive development
is not always self-generating activity. As noted by Vygotsky, cognitive development is shaped to
a large extent by the socio-cultural practices and experiences. The external social environment
plays a significant role in shaping up and modifying cognitive structures of children. Piaget has
undermined the role of societal context in the development of children‟s cognitions.

Finally, Piaget has overemphasized the aspects of cognition in developing his theory.
There are several other important dimensions of development such as social, emotional,
and moral development, which have not been given due attention by Piaget. The course of
human cognition cannot be completely understood without taking into account other dimensions
of development, which have close linkages with human cognition.
Problem Solving
Almost on a daily basis, we come across situations that require our ability to solve
problems. Our needs and motives are to be satisfied; satisfaction occurs when our goals are
met. But meeting one‟s goals is not easy as many obstacles and interferences come on the
way. Thus the situation is perceived as a problem situation and serious efforts have to be made
to overcome these obstacles in order to attain the goal. Problem solving is a process in
which efforts are to be made to
develop or choose among various responses in order to attain the desired goal.
Take the example of a student who regularly takes a bus to cover a distance of 10 kms.
from his residence to the examination center. In the event of a bus strike on the day of
examination, there arises a problem to be solved. To solve the problem, the student has to
generate a set of responses and finally choose the best among them. Some of the possible
responses may be: hiring a motor-cycle from a friend, covering the distance by own bi-cycle,
taking a lift with someone else, walking out the distance etc. The goal state is „to be present at

the examination center in time‟ and the initial state is „the student being at his residence‟.
Problem is thus a conflict or a difference between the initial state and the goal state. The
problem solving process generates solutions to overcome the difficulties and bridge the gap
between the initial state and the goal state.
According to Skinner, problem solving is a process of overcoming difficulties that
appear to interfere with the attainment of a goal.
According to Woodworth and Marquis, problem solving behavior occurs in novel or
difficult situations which cannot be solved by habitual methods drawn from past
knowledge and experiences.
Nature of Problem Solving Behavior
1. Problem solving behavior arises when the goal is purposeful
 and important for the individual. (It would not take place in the absence of goal.)
2. There must be serious difficulties, obstacles or interferences in the attainment of the
goal. This means that obstacles to goal cannot be overcome by habitual methods and
past knowledge.
3. Problem solving behavior requires deliberate and conscious efforts from the problem-
solver. The problem-solver needs to engage in serious mental work and systematically
follows a set of well-organized steps.
4. Problem solving behavior removes the obstacles and helps the individual reach his
goal and satisfy his needs. Thus problem solving helps the individual grow and
develop.
Stages in Problem Solving
What is the sequence of mental operations involved in solving a problem? Bransford
and Stein spoke of five steps associated with the task of problem solving. They referred to these
steps as „IDEAL‟ thinking.
I = Identifying the problem
D = Defining and representing the problem
E = Exploring possible strategies
A = Acting on the strategies
L = Looking back and evaluating the effects
1. Identifying the problem – We must first recognize that a problem exists which
needs a solution. At this stage, we need to be aware of the goal, the difficulties and
the issues involved. If we do not perceive that a problem exits, obviously no attempt
would be made to find a solution. (e.g., two groups of students in your class are in a
conflicting relationship. They occasionally indulge in fighting which disturbs the
academic climate. You perceive that there is a problem which needs
 and tried out. (e.g., you evaluate the possible solutions on the basis of difficulties in execution,
cost, duration, suitability and such other factors you think are important. From among the
four alternatives given in the previous step, you may decide that taking expert help for
counseling students may be the best option.)
5. Looking back and evaluating the effects – Finally we evaluate the effects of our
actions in solving the problem. We examine if the solution arrived at would work in
similar other situations. Then only the solution would be considered acceptable. Such a
verified solution may then become a useful product to be used for solving other future
problems of similar nature. (e.g., if your solution strategy works well, think about the
steps you have followed for your future reference as well as that of your friends. You as
well as others can use this tried-out procedure to deal with problems of similar nature.)
Methods for Solving Problems
What methods people use to solve problems? The following are the methods people
often use.
a. Trial-and-Error: This is the simplest problem-solving method. Trial and error refers to trying
one solution after another until we find one that works. We use trial and error because we do
not have enough information to adopt a more systematic approach. But such an approach is
not very efficient as it does not offer a guarantee that the correct solution will be found.
Thomas Edison invented the light bulb by trial and error that is by trying out different kinds of
materials for a filament until he found one that worked.
b. Algorithms: Algorithms are rules (step-by-step procedures) for solving certain kinds of
problems. Algorithms will always result in a correct solution, if followed meticulously.
Mathematical formulas are algorithms. When librarians organize books on bookshelves, they
use an algorithm. For example, they may place books in alphabetical order within each
discipline. If you are supposed to meet your friend in a hotel in your city and you have
forgotten the name of the hotel, you may get a list of hotels from the yellow pages and try
calling all the hotels in the city to find if you friend has checked into any of the hotels. The
method will eventually work but would be time-consuming and inefficient. A more effective
approach would be to use heuristics.
c. Heuristics: A heuristic is a „rule of thumb‟ that we use in many problem-solving situations.
Algorithm is a specific rule that will always lead to a solution, but heuristic is a shortcut
method based on previous experiences because it helps us narrow down the possible
solutions to a problem. Heuristics lead to faster solutions compared to algorithms but may
not always lead to correct solution. What we gain in speed is lost in accuracy. Referring to
the previous example, if you want to locate the hotel where your friend might be found, you
might use your past knowledge of where your friend preferred to stay earlier or the level of
cost your friend might be willing to afford. Using such information, you could narrow down
you options to only a few hotels in the city. This would simplify your task of meeting your
friend.
One kind of heuristic is called means-end-analysis in which a person determines the
difference between the current situation and the goal and then tries to reduce that difference
by various means. In finding the road to a city from your town, you may choose various
connecting roadways, and each time you choose a roadway, you analyze the option by
examining how much that choice brings you closer to the destination. Through this, you
close the gap between your town and the destination city. We use means-end-analysis to
find train and bus routes. Another commonly used heuristic is to divide a problem into many
intermediate steps or sub-goals and then to solve each of the intermediate steps to arrive
at the goal.
d. Insight: We do not always follow a step-by-step procedure to solve a problem. Sometimes
the solution comes all on a sudden, which is termed as „insight‟. As you may recall, Kohler‟s
chimpanzee named Sultan solved the stick-and-banana problem by insight. The insightful
solution comes in a flash.
 Here is a problem that can be solved with insight: Preeti and Pinky were born on the same
day of the same month of the same year to the same father and same mother, yet they are
not twins. How is that possible? Think about it before reading the next sentence. The
answer is that both are two of a set of triplets (three children born at the same time). Let us
try another problem: Put a coin in the bottle and then a cork in the opening. How can you get
the coin out of the bottle without pulling out the cork or breaking the bottle? The answer is
very simple: Push the coin into the bottle and then shake out the coin. Insight is not a
magical process. What usually happens is that the problem gets consistently shaped and
reorganized in the mind even when the person is thinking about something else. Most
inventions and discoveries are matters of insightful problem solving.
Factors Interfering with Effective Problem Solving
The difficulty level of the problem or our lack of necessary information and experience do
affect our problem solving behavior. Sometimes, in spite of our best efforts, we fail to solve
problems because of very subtle reasons – we get stuck in certain ways of thinking that act as
barriers to solving problems. Let us consider some of these.
(a) Functional fixedness: It is the tendency to think of an object only in terms of its typical
use. The person‟s mind remains fixed on the functions of a particular object so that he
cannot think of using it in another way. We continue searching for a screwdriver to
tighten a screw even when many objects close at hand such as a knife, a key or a coin
can very well be used for the purpose. There is tendency to think that these objects are
respectively meant for cutting, unlocking and spending.
 Consider the following string problem. Two strings are hanging from a ceiling but are too
far apart to allow a person to hold one and walk to another. On the floor are a book of
matches, a screwdriver and a few pieces of cotton. How could the strings be tied
together? Try to find the solution on your own.
(b) Mental set: Mental set is the tendency of a person to use a problem solving method that
has been tried out earlier. Solutions that have worked in the past tend to be used and
the person overlooks other, more efficient approaches. The mental set obstructs the
problem solver to think of any new rules or strategies. Look at the pattern of dots given
below.
Can you draw four straight lines so that they pass through all the nine dots without lifting
your pencil from the page?
If you face difficulty with the problem, it is probably because you feel that you have to
stay within the lines. The solution involves drawing the lines beyond the boundaries of
dots.
(c) Confirmation Bias: Another barrier to logical thinking is confirmation bias. This is the
tendency to search for evidence that fits one‟s beliefs while ignoring any evidence to the
contrary. It is similar to mental set except that here the mental set is a „belief‟ rather than
a method of solving problems. A person who holds a view against death penalty
probably comes across many articles in newspapers and magazines – some provide
arguments against death penalty and some others argue in favor of death penalty. The
person will remember more information that support his view against death penalty and
much less information that go against his view. This happens because of confirmation
bias which he will also demonstrate in his arguments against death penalty.
Decision Making
Decision making is the process of choosing among available options by evaluating
the pros and cons of each option. Decision-making refers to the process of choosing among
various courses of action or alternatives. It is a part of our everyday life experiences. We have
to take decisions in many occasions – what to eat, what to wear, where to go, whether to go to
college or not and so on.
On the basis of our evaluations, we take decision which means exercising choices. Judgment
about people, ideas and events comes before decision making. Judgment is guided by motives,
values and the emotional and motivational state of the individual. Using our judgment, we create
choices and using our decision making we select the best choice. We take decisions favoring
our judgment.
Decision making operates usually under three situations :
 Decisions under conditions of certainty – They are easy to make as it is known that a
particular choice would lead to a particular outcome.
 Decision making under conditions of uncertainty – The probability of outcomes
associated with each choice is not known. We need to subjectively estimate the
probabilities associated with each choice. The decision maker remains uncertain. Most
of real life decisions involve conditions of uncertainty.
 Decision making under conditions of risk – the decision maker has the knowledge of the
risks associated with each choice. He would not like to make decisions that
 are risky.
Rational decision-making is based on good reasoning. It depends on expected utility,
which is a product of the value of an outcome and the probability of its occurrence.
Throughout our waking state, life presents a continuous series of choices. In decision
making we try to maximize gains. People‟s choice for an alternative is a function of (i) the utility
of the event and (ii) the subjective estimate of the probability that a certain result would occur. In
mathematical terms it can be written as
Choosing the alternative = f (EU X SEP)
Where EU = Expected Utility (Psychological value we attach to an alternative), and SEP =
Subjective Estimate of probability (Probability that a certain result would occur)
The model can be used for predicting decision making behaviors. But in real life situations,
the decision making process is far more complex and people do not reason in a systematic
manner. A rational decision making process requires more cognitive effort which people usually
are not willing to invest. Therefore they make decisions informally on the basis of opinions and
subjective considerations. Therefore they employ a few rules of thumb which are known as
heuristics which are mental short cuts requiring less cognitive effort.
Algorithm is a rule which, if followed guarantees solution to a problem. This is true of
physical sciences and is involved in formal decision-making. For many real life decisions, no
formal rules are available. Then we use heuristics to help us. A heuristic is a rule of thumb or
mental short cut that may lead to a solution. But the quality and the accuracy of the decisions
reached through heuristics may not be very satisfactory. What kind of heuristics we use?
Generally, the following five heuristics are used most frequently.
Heuristics in Decision Making
1. Availability heuristics (What can be recalled is more likely): We judge the
probability of an event by how easily the event can be recalled from memory. The
more readily we can bring events to mind, the frequent they generally are. The
shortcut tends to work fairly
well, but may lead to errors in decisions making. Tversky and Kahneman (1974) presented
participants a list with equal number of names of males and females. Then they asked them
whether the list contained more men‟s or women‟s names. Nearly 80% of the participants
reported that women‟s names appeared more frequently because women named in the list were
more famous. Because of availability heuristics, many people overestimate their chances of
being a victim to a violent crime, facing a plane crash, or winning the lottery. Because these
events are given extensive coverage in the media, people can quickly bring these examples to
mind. They conclude that such outcomes are much more frequent than they actually are.
2. Representativeness heuristics (What is typical is more likely): The more closely an item
(person, idea, event) resembles the most typical examples of some category/concept, the more
likely it is to belong to that category. We carry in mind typical examples of events. When we
come across a new event, we compare it with the most representative example of a class of
concepts/events – the more the resemblance; we judge that it belongs to that class of concepts
or events. If we find our next-door neighbor showing certain personality and behavioral
characteristics, we compare it with the most typical examples of professionals we have in mind
and conclude that he is in such and such kind of profession – may be teacher, a businessman,
a lawyer etc. It is a stereotypical judgment about a person. If we find some typical lawyers to be
dishonest, we would probably reach the same conclusion about another lawyer. This rule of
thumb also leads to error because we may ignore important information such as the base rate
(relative frequency) of various items/ events.
3. Anchoring and Adjustment heuristics (We decide using a reference point as the
anchor) – It is a rule of thumb in which
decision is taken by making adjustments against an anchor (information that is already
available) in the light of various factors. For example, in buying a used car, we start our
negotiation against an anchoring point (the cost quoted by the seller) and make adjustments to
reach the point of decision making. The error is that the initial anchoring point would influence
our adjustments and finally the decision making.
4. Diversification heuristics (We choose more when making simultaneous choices) – When
people have to make simultaneous choices (choose which of the snacks to consume in the next
month), they tend to show more variety (pick more kinds of snacks) than when they make
sequential choices. When asked to make several choices at once, people tend to diversify more
than when making the same type of choice sequentially.

5. Escalation of commitment (We stick to bad decisions taken in the past): People tend to
get increasingly committed to bad decisions taken in the past even when they bring losses. The
initial decision making is primarily based on rational factors. When things go wrong and negative
results occur, psychological factors come into play. Persons taking the initial discussion are less
likely to admit that they made a mistake; instead they justify the decision and also the losses
associated with it. They get trapped in bad decisions to which their commitment increases, and
they may experience a growing need for self-justification to protect their self-image. Escalation
of commitment is reduced if there is decentralized planning or people making bad decisions are
personally held accountable for the decision.
Factors Influencing Judgment and Decision Making
 Information base – The larger the information base, the more correct the decision is likely to
be.
  Intelligence – Higher the intelligence of the individual, the better is the information
processing capacity and therefore greater is the likelihood that the correct decision would be
made.
 Personality characteristics – Several personality and social characteristics such as
individual‟s motivational and emotional state, feeling of security, self-concept, positive
attitude and openness to experience influence the correctness of decisions.
 Cognitive style – Cognitive style refers to the consistent manner in which the individual
observes and thinks about the world around him. The person may be field-independent or
field-dependent; he may be of impulsive or reflective type. Persons with field-independent
and reflective cognitive style are more likely to make correct judgment and reach correct
decisions.
 Heuristics – Several heuristics have been discussed beforehand. They are mental shortcuts
requiring less cognitive effort but often lead to errors in judgment and decision making.
Reliance on a particular heuristics all the time would lead to more errors. But people use
heuristics most often to take real life decisions.
 Framing – Framing is the presentation of information regarding the potential outcomes in
terms of gains or losses. The way the information is presented alters the way the information
is processed and thereby influences the judgment process. When the information is
presented emphasizing potential gains, most people do not want to take risks. When the
emphasis is on potential losses, they are more likely to take risks – they prefer to take risks
and accept probable losses.
Nature of Creative Thinking
Creativity is the ability to use ones‟ intellect to generate novel and productive ideas. It is
a unique talent in a particular field of endeavor. All our inventions and discoveries are the
products of creativity. Guilford views that creative process is any process by which something
new is produced – an idea or an object including a new form of arrangement of old elements.
The new creation must contribute to the solution of some problems.
Guilford proposed two types of thinking: convergent and divergent. Creativity is
closely aligned to divergent thinking. Divergent thinking is the ability to use limited amount of
information to derive many correct solutions to the problem. The person starts up with one point
and comes up with many different ideas based on that point. It is different from convergent
thinking which refers to the ability to synchronize large amount of information to reach one
correct solution to the problem. Convergent thinking primarily produces responses based on
knowledge and logic. Creative thinkers make use of convergent thinking in the beginning stages
but gradually shift to a mode of divergent thinking. Ability to solve problems is a matter of
convergent thinking. IQ tests primarily measure convergent thinking. There are separate tests
for measuring creativity. Certain level of intelligence is necessary to be creative but beyond a
threshold level, creativity does not correlate with intelligence. All highly intelligent people may
not necessarily be creative.
Creativity is defined in many different ways. According to Drevdahl, creativity is the
capacity of a person to produce compositions, products, ideas which are essentially new
or novel and previously unknown to the producer.
For Mednick, creativity is forming new combinations of associative elements in place of
their more common varieties. Papapalia and Olds view creativity as the ability to see things in
new and unusual light, to see problems that no one else may even realize exist, and then to
come up with new, unusual and effective solutions.
For a process or product to be judged creative it must have the following features: (i) it should
be unique and novel, (ii) it should contribute towards the solution of a problem, (iii) it should
have been previously unknown to the producer, (iv) at some point in time it should be
acceptable to the society, and (v) it
 must have been a conscious attempt, not an accidental occurrence.
Guilford has identified five important dimensions/ aspects of creativity.
Fluency – It is the ability to produce a large number of ideas/ responses to the problem within a
time span. The more the ideas a person produces, the higher is his fluency. (Suppose, in
response to a question, “In how many ways can we use a piece of brick?” a person gives 20
correct responses. His fluency score is 20.)
Flexibility – It is the ability to produce different categories of ideas/ responses within a time
span. It indicates variety in thinking. (If the preceding 20 responses fall into 3 different
categories such as for construction purposes, preparing colors and using as a tool, the person‟s
flexibility score is 3.)
Originality – It is the ability to produce rarely novel ideas which are different from others.
Fluency and flexibility are necessary conditions for originality. (If 1 of the preceding 20
responses are given by less than 5% of people, the response is original. His originality score is
1.)
Elaboration – It is the ability to add more details to given information by examining the question
at greater depth. (Given a proverb „a stitch in time saves nine‟, if a person can write a paragraph
explaining the meaning and importance of the message, he shows certain degree of creativity.)
Redefinition – It is the ability to understand concepts and problems and define those in new
ways. (If on the basis of his understanding of the concept of „intelligence‟, a person comes up
with two equally competing definitions, then he shows certain degree of creativity.)
Characteristics of Creative People
On an overall basis, most researchers have pointed out the following characteristics of creative
people.
• They have broad range of knowledge and are good at using mental imagery.
• They like to toy with new concepts and ideas.
• They are flexible and more open to new experiences.
• They are independent in their judgment and decisions.
• They have internal locus of control; their thought processes and behaviors are less
affected by external agents.
• Most often, they are unconventional in their work and styles of behavior.
• Usually they are self-assertive.
• They are more realistic and less dogmatic.
• They usually carry a good sense of humor.
• In most cases, they are emotionally more stable.
• They prefer certain degree of complexity and challenging situations.
• They can take greater risks.
Stages in Creative Thinking
Though there are individual differences in the way creative people think, there is more or
less a definite pattern followed for creative solutions. Long time back in 1926 Graham Wallas
observed that creative solution involves the following four stages.
 Preparation – Thomas Edison remarked, “Success is 98% perspiration and only
 two percent inspiration.” The process of creative thinking begins with the preparation stage in
which a creative thinker spends long hours thinking about the problem and putting
together all the materials needed to solve the problem. He looks at the problem from
different angles and perspectives. A plan of action is formulated and if required, modified
from time to time taking cognizance of new facts and methods. When he finds that the
problem cannot be solved, he puts it aside for some time. This leads him to the second
stage called „Incubation‟.
 Incubation – Here the creative thinker stops thinking consciously on the problem but his
inner thought processes are at work. There is no overt activity. The person can take rest,
relax, sleep or engage in other interesting activities. By doing so, the ideas that were
interfering with the solution of the problem fade away. His experiences during this period
may provide him clues towards the solution of the problem. (Archimedes found the
solution of the problem while he was talking bath). Then comes the stage of illumination or
inspiration.
 Illumination – The thinker gets the „Aha‟ experience or „Eureka‟. There is sudden
appearance of the problem solution which emerges from sudden insight or illumination. In
this stage, the individuals report that they see the first glimpse of a solution. It is difficult to
know what exactly happens during this stage. The insightful solution may or may not be
correct and therefore require further evaluation which takes the thinker to the next stage.
 Verification – In the final stage, the thinker checks whether the solution he has reached is
correct. When it is tested and verified with evidence gathered in support of the idea, a
creative solution is said to occur. After verification, if the problem is not solved, ideas are
refined and fresh attempts are made to solve the problem. The thinker goes back to stage
1 and the process continues.
KEY TERMS
Thinking Make-believe play Means-end-analysis
Language Conservation Insight
Images Decentration Functional fixedness
Concepts Hypothetico-deductive reasoning Mental set
Adaptation Psychometric approach Confirmation bias
Equilibration Schemes Divergent thinking
Egocentric thinking Assimilation Convergent thinking
Irreversibility Organization Creativity
Seriation Animistic thinking Fluency
Class inclusion Centration Flexibility
Object permanence Propositional thinking Originality
Accommodation Problem solving Elaboration
Decision making „IDEAL‟ thinking Redefinition
Trial-and error Trial-and-error Incubation
Algorithms Heuristics Illumination
SUMMARY
1. Thinking is very basic to all cognitive activities. It is the manipulation of mental
representations of both information from the environment and the symbols stored in long-
term memory. The mental images and concepts are the building blocks of thought.
2. Language is closely linked to the way we think about and understand the world. Whorf
says that people who speak different languages may perceive the world in different ways
because their thinking is shaped by the words and linguistic categories available to them.
3. Jean Piaget views that thoughts precede language and determine the development of
language. Vygotsky argued
that thought and language develop separately in a child until about two years of age and
thereafter they become interdependent. In summary, one can say that both language and
thought are intimately connected but it is difficult to speak of one as the origin of the other.
4. Piaget‟s cognitive-developmental approach focuses more on the quali-tative rather than
quantitative aspects of development, and specifies that children‟s thought processes
change with age. Children‟s cognitive structure (scheme) changes with age through
processes of adaptation and organization. Adaptation involves two complementary
processes such as assimilation and accommodation.
5. According to Piaget, children proceed through four successive stages of development to
think like adults. In the sensorimotor stage, infants acquire the basic concepts of cause
and effect. In the preoperational stage, children engage in symbolic thinking, but their
thought processes are limited by egocentric and animistic thinking. In the stage of
con-crete operations, children are capable of logical thought and show un-derstanding of
conservation and reversibility. But their logical thinking is confined only to concrete
physical reality. Finally, in the formal opera-tional stage, older children can show formal
logical thinking, manipulate abstract concepts, and engage in prepositional thinking.
6. Piaget‟s theory has been challenged on several grounds. Piaget has seriously
underestimated the intellectual competence of infants and young children. Cognitive
development does not take place in a stage-like manner as Piaget had postulated. He has
overlooked not only other important dimensions of development, but also the significant
influence of language and social interaction on cognitive development.
7. Problem solving is a process in which efforts are to be made to develop or choose
among various responses in order to attain the desired goal. Problem solving behavior
proceeds through five stages known as „IDEAL‟ thinking: (i) identifying the problem, (ii) defining
and representing the problem, (iii) exploring possible strategies, (iv) acting on the
strategies, and (v) looking back and evaluating the effects.
8. The methods used to solve problems are: trial-and-error (trying one solution after another
to reach goal), algorithms (using a set of rules for problem solution), heuristics (using a
„rule of thumb‟ or short-cut for problem solution) and insight (hitting upon an innovative
solution all on a sudden).
9. Sometimes, in spite of our best efforts, we fail to solve problems because we get stuck in
certain ways of thinking that act as barriers to solving problems. The factors interfering
with effective problem solving are: functional fixedness (using an object only in terms of its
typical use), mental set (getting stuck to a problem solving method used in the past), and
confirmation bias (using evidence that fits one‟s beliefs).
10. Decision making is the process of choosing among available options by evaluating the
pros and cons of each option. Judgment about people, ideas and events comes before
decision making. Using our judgment, we create choices and using our decision making
we select the best choice.
11. In decision making we try to maximize gains. People‟s choice for an alternative is a
function of (i) the utility of the event and (ii) the subjective estimate of the probability that a
certain result would occur. In mathematical terms - Choosing the alternative = f (EU X
SEP), Where EU = Expected Utility (Psychological value we attach to an alternative),
and SEP = Subjective Estimate of probability (Probability that a certain result would occur)
12. A rational decision making process requires more cognitive effort which people usually are
not willing to invest. Therefore they employ a few rules of thumb which are known as
heuristics which are mental short cuts requiring less cognitive effort.
13. Generally people use availability heuristics (what can be recalled is more likely),
representativeness heuristics (what is typical is more likely), anchoring and adjustment
heuristics (we decide using a reference point as the anchor), diversification heuristics (we
choose more when making simultaneous choices) and escalation of commitment (we stick
bad decisions taken in the past).
14. The factors influencing judgment and decision making are: information base, intelligence,
personality and cognitive style of the individual, heuristics and framing of the problem.
15. Creativity is the capacity of a person to produce compositions, products, ideas which are
essentially new or novel and previously unknown to the producer. For a process or product
to be judged creative, it must have the following features: (i) it should be unique and novel,
 (ii) it should contribute towards the solution of a problem, (iii) it should have been
previously unknown to the producer, (iv) at some point in time, it should be acceptable to
the society, and (v) it must have been a conscious attempt, not an accidental occurrence.
Certain level of intelligence is necessary to be creative but beyond a threshold level,
creativity does not correlate with intelligence.
16. The dimensions of creativity are: fluency (producing large number of ideas), flexibility
(producing different categories of ideas), originality (producing rarely novel ideas),
elaboration (adding details to given information) and redefinition (defining problems in new
ways).
17. Creative people are unconventional, curious, open-minded, flexible, realistic, self-assertive
and emotionally stable. They usually carry a good sense of humor, prefer complexity and
challenging situations and have internal locus of control and a broad range of knowledge.
18. Creative thinking involves four stages: preparation (spending long hours in collecting
information and thinking about the problem in depth), incubation (resting in which inner
processes are at work and overt activity is rare), illumination („Aha‟/ „Eureka‟ experience,
sudden insightful solution and feeling of euphoria), and verification (checking correctness
of solution and going back to preparation stage, if solution fails).
QUESTIONS
A. True-False Items
(State whether each of the following statements is True (T) or False (F))
1. Thinking uses contents from memory.
2. Whorf said that language shapes our thought.
3. Piaget said that children can think without language.
4. Insightful solution is guided by heuristics.
5. Mental set facilitates problem solution.
6. Thinking is a cognitive activity.
7. Concepts are symbols.
8. Means-end-analysis is an algorithm.
9. Thinking uses mental image.
10. Heuristics is a short-cut problem solving method.
11. Adaptation involves the process of organization.
12. Cognitive structures are known as schemes, according to Piaget.
13. Assimilation refers to adjustment to the environmental demands.
14. Piaget primarily emphasizes the quantitative characteristics of development.
15. Infants show sensory motor schemes.
Chapter 9
INTELLIGENCE

This chapter covers : CONTENTS

a) Meaning and Nature of Introduction
Intelligence Meaning of Intelligence
Definition of Intelligence
b) Approaches to Understanding In- Assessment of Intelligence
telligence: Early Studies on Intelligence
Intelligence Quotient (IQ)
i) Gardner Approaches to Understanding the Nature
of Intelligence
ii) Sternberg Psychometric Approach
Gardner‟s Theory of Multiple
iii) J.P.Das Intelligences
Information-Processing Approach
c) Factors aff ecting Intelligence Sternberg‟s Triarchic Theory of
Intelligence
After you go through this chapter, Das‟s PASS Model of Intelligence
you would be able to: Cognitive-Developmental Approach
Factors Affecting Intelligence
Hereditary Factor‟s
 Understand the nature of
Environmental Factors
intelligence and history of
Prenatal Environment
intelligence testing. Postnatal Environment
Home environment
 Explain the concept of IQ and Parent-Child interaction
procedures of intellectual Social and environmental deprivation
assessment. Socio-economic Status (SES)
Race and Culture
 Understand the different Sex differences
approaches theoreticians have Personality Disposition
taken in examining the critical Physiological Conditions
components of intelligence. Limitation of IQ Tests
Culture free and Culture fair Tests
 Know the limitations of IQ tests Intelligence Testing in India
and the need for developing Intellectually Gifted Children
culture fair tests. Mentally Retarded Children
New Directions in Intelligence
 Describe the characteristics of Emotional Intelligence
children who occupy the two Practical Intelligence
extremes in the continuum of Spiritual Intelligence
intelligence. Key Terms
Summary
 Acquaint yourself with new Questions
Answers
concepts in
Chapter 9

Intelligence

Introduction
Man is distinctively different from the lower species of animals because of
his ability to control the environment he lives in. The distinction between man and
other animals also springs from his successful adaptation to his environmental
demands. The animals can at best escape to safety, protect their lives, may build
nests as their shelter, can migrate to a distant land, but cannot conquer nature.
The animals hardly can ingeniously adapt to any unfavorable chaotic environment.
On the contrary, man can rec reate the world, create comforts for him with the help
of scientific gadgets, climb the high ranges of mountains, invade the depth of the
seas and air, travel with enormous speed, and can extend the life -span of its
species by inventing remedies for severa l fatal diseases. His intellectual skills
place him as the most superior species in the animal kingdom. Thus, underlying
all human abilities lie the essential attributes of intelligence.
Intelligence is a popular term referring to all forms of man‟s compl ex mental
abilities. Intelligence as a term refers to the ability to understand, act, interpret,
and predict the future, and to achieve and handle relationships, information,
concepts, and abstract symbols. Intelligence is thus a commonly used word to
express universal capacity required for survival and progress beyond the present.
Intelligence is a process of cognition. “ Cognition refers to how we acquire,
store, retrieve, and use knowledge ”
(Matlin, 1996). All the basic psychological processes such as learning, perception,
memory, concept formation, thinking, reasoning, problem solving, decision -making,
and creativity are related to intelligence. Therefore, intelligent behavior includes all
forms of cognitive behavior such as attending, perceiving, learning, memorizing,
thinking and predicting. Intelligence is an abstract concept. It cannot be observed
directly; it can be estimated only through individual‟s performance on tests and real
life situations. Recently, the concept of intelligence has been broadened to include
such terms as “emotional intelligence”, “spiritual intelligence”, “practical
intelligence”, “social intelligence”, “vocational intelligence” and “musical
intelligence”.
This chapter discusses the meaning, definitions, concepts, and practical
uses of intelligence in both the western and Indian cultural context.

Meaning of Intelligence
Individuals differ from one another in both physical and psychological
characteristics. Each man is unique. Me n differ from one another in their color,
height, weight, size, strength, hairstyle, and even in their mode of social
interaction. Varied are also their mental abilities and behavior, i.e., some men are
found to be very alert, witty, sensitive, and quick t o react, whereas others are
average and even are found to be dull. There are outgoing extroverts as well as
quiet, shy, withdrawn, and very passive individuals. Many are social and friendly,
whereas others are exclusively self -centered and inhibited. All t hese are reflections
of their differences in mental abilities. In a classroom set up, a teacher comes
across very bright, intelligent, and creative students as well as students who are
just average or dull or even very dull. The term intelligence
is synonymous with several other concepts such as talent, brilliance, sharpness,
clear-sightedness, smartness, reasoning, judiciousness, rationality, adeptness,
prodigy and man of mark etc.
In our Indian culture, the term intelligence has been conceived and
expressed in various terms such as “ Budhi”, “Manisha”, “Dhi”, “Mati”, “Sambit”,
“Medha”, “Chetana”, “Chaitanya”, “Upalabdhi”, “Pranidhana”, “Prekhya”, “Jnapti”,
and “Prajna”. These terms denote various mental functions associated with the
manifold demonstrations of intelligent understanding and behavior.
What then is intelligence? In one survey, made by Robert J. Sternberg
(1981), a group of people was asked to define what they meant by intelligence.
Their answers indicated three major compon ents of intelligence. First was the
problem-solving ability. People who reason logically and identify more solutions
to problems were seen as intelligent. Second, verbal abilities were thought to
exemplify intelligence. And finally social competence, that is the ability to show
interest in others and interact effectively with people, was viewed as indication of
intelligence.
Intelligence has been explained in various ways. It is conceived as a
complex universal ability to understand the world, to profit fr om past experience
and training, to imagine various possibilities, to surmount difficulties, to protect
oneself when life is physically and psychologically endangered, to be engaged in
abstract and innovative thinking using concepts, symbols, and logical r easoning.
Intelligence is an abstract concept. Individual‟s intelligence is expressed through
his intellectual activities, which can be measured formally or informally. Informal
assessment of one‟s
intellectual activities can be made through some acts, such as simple puzzle
solution, filling up of a gap, answering correctly short but problem -questions,
simple numerical abilities, explaining a concept, and adaptation to a novel
situation.

Defining Intelligence
Intelligence has been defined in several ways. There is not just one
definition of intelligence; there are several of them. A few definitions are given
below for your reference. In all the definitions given below you may notice the
following important chara cteristics of intelligence. First intelligence is a cognitive
process involving rational and abstract thinking . Second, it is goal-directed
and purposeful, which means that all intelligent activities are planned to reach a
self-determined goal. Finally, it involves social competence to help individuals
adjust to their environmental surroundings.
1. Intelligence is the innate general cognitive capacity (Francis Galton,
1884).
2. Intelligence is the ability to think abstractly (Lewis Terman, 1921).
3. Intelligence is what the intelligence tests test (E.G. Boring, 1923).
4. Intelligence is a particular instance of biological adaptation (Jean Piaget, 1952).
5. Intelligence is a person‟s capacity for goal -directed adaptive behavior
(Robert Steinberg, and W illiam Salter, 1982).
David Wechsler gave a commonly accepted definition of
intelligence as follows:
6. Intelligence is the global and aggregate capacity of the individual to
think rationally, to act purposefully, and to deal effectively with the
environment (David Wechsler, 1972).
Assessment of Intelligence
The intelligence of an individual is assessed through
measuring instruments called tests. Psychologists depend on
intelligence tests, as these are very helpful to assess a
person‟s intellectual processes. A test must possess certain
characteristics in orde r to yield meaningful information. A test
has three basic requirements: reliability, validity, and
standardization. If the test does not possess any of these
Sir Francis
requirements, the assessment does not yield meaningful
information.
Reliability. If a test measures something consistently,
then it is considered as reliable. Reliability means how
consistently the person performs on a test. If a person‟s
performance on a test shows wide variations from one occasion
to another, the test is not considered to be reliabl e. For

example, a thermometer is said to be reliable if it records a J. McKeen

value of 98.4 degrees Fahrenheit for the normal body
temperature and a figure above 98.4 degrees for a person suffering from fever, and
does so consistently. If
 a thermometer records 98.4 degrees the first time, and 100.5
degrees the second time for the same body temperature, it is
said to be unreliable. A ruler (scale) is a good physical
measuring instrument for length, because it provides the
same or consistent measurement index repeatedly. Similarly
an intelligence test would be considered reliable, if it
records relatively the same performance level every time
it is administered.

Alfred Binet Validity. A test is said to be valid if it measures

what it intends to measure . An intelligence test will be
valid if it measures intelligence. If a test is valid, it will always be reliable. We
should use valid tests of intelligence in order to make meaningful inferences about
the intelligence status of an individual.
Standardization. Standardization refers to the processes and
procedures of establishing a set of norms for a test . In testing including
intelligence, the investigator has to establish for a particular test a set of uniform
procedure for its administration, the scoring techniques to be used, and the
methods of evaluation and interpretation of the obtained score. Standardization
involves norms. A standardized test is a test that has been subjected to a
sufficiently thorough empirical analysis so that an adequate set of norms has been
developed, and a reasonable assessment of its reliability and validity has been
obtained.
Early Studies on Intelligence
The development of formal tests of intelligence assessment is quite modern.
The formal intelligence tests were developed in the early 1900s. Sir Francis
Galton (1885)
is considered as the father of the mental tests. In 1884, in an International Health
Exhibition at London’s South Kensington Museum, he tested more than 9000 men and
women visitors without their knowledge. The term “test” was not known until then.
Galton measured such characteristics as head size, visual acuity, strength of handgrip,
breathing capacity, reaction time, visual acuity, and memory for visual form. He was a
naturalist and mathematician. He attempted to discover individual differences. He was
keen to know how and why people differ in their abilities, and why some are gifted and
others are below average.

Galton believed that intelligence could be measured by objective tests.

Galton raised many important issues concerning intelligence - the degree to which
it is inherited, how it can be measured, and what are its components. Intelligence
theorists are still studying these issues today.

The American psychologist, J. McKeen Cattell also studied the nature of individual
differences. Like Galton, Cattell believed that sensory, perceptual, and motor processes
constitute the core of intelligence. He developed the label mental test.

Being requested by the French Ministry of Education in 1904, Alfred Binet devised a
method to identify the mentally disabled children from the normal school children. The Ministry
asked him to determine why a number of children were not profiting from the standard school
curriculum, and to develop means to teach these weak children in public schools. Binet and his
disciple Theophil Simon developed an intelligence test as requested. The test was called 1905
scale having 30 different kinds of items. The items ranged from the simple ability of touching one’s nose
or ear to the more complex abilities of defining abstract concepts.
The concept of Mental Age (M.A.) was first developed by Binet. Mental age
is the average age at which normal individuals achieve a particular score on a
measure of
intelligence. Mental age is separate from the Chronological Age (C.A.), which is
the number of years or months since the child is born. Binet is credited with
devising age-appropriate test items so that a number of children‟s responses could
be compared. The items were chosen objectively without being influenced by
differences in their varied environment, impulsive judgment, and rote memory. The
items were based on rational judgment and reasoning.
Normal children of different ages were tested, and then the average score
for each age was determined. Th en each child‟s performance was compared to the
average of all other children of the same age.
Test findings were interpreted in terms of the average age at which the
normal children achieved a particular score. This measure was called the Mental
Age (M.A.). For example, when a child‟s scores on various items of a test add to
the average score of a group of 5-year olds, the child is said to have a mental age
of 5 irrespective of his/her actual chronological age (C.A.). Binet defined
retardation as being two mental age years below the
chronological age. A bright child‟s M.A. will be more than
his/her C.A. A dull child‟s M.A. will fall below his/her C.A.

Intelligence Quotient (IQ)

Intelligence quotient is just a number. It was
devised in 1912 by a German Psychologist, William Stern
(1871-1938). It is an age-related measure of intelligence
level. I.Q. is determined by child‟s mental age divided by
David Wechsler chronological age multiplied by
100.
I.Q. (Intelligence Quotient) = (MA / CA) x 100
The number 100 is used as a multiplier to avoid the decimal point. When the M.A. equals the
C.A., the I.Q. is equal to 100. When the M.A. is less than the C.A., the I.Q. is less than 100. If the M.A. is
above the C.A., the I.Q. becomes more than 100.
The test of intelligence developed by Binet had the following four characteristics. First, the score
on his newly developed test was an assessment of the current performance, and not a measure of the
inherited attributes. Second, his test scores were to be used to identify weak children, who needed
special help, and there should be no stigma attached to them for their weakness. Third, he believed that
intelligence can be influenced by training and opportunity, and he tried to identify the areas in which
special education can benefit the performance of these children. And fourth, he did not develop a
theory of intelligence; he developed his test empirically on the basis of how children’s performances
can be observed.
The test originally developed by Binet was revised several times in his
country and in England. Terman, a Professor at the Stanford University, revised
Binet‟s test, in 1916, which was known as the Stanford-Binet Test of Intelligence .
This test underwent further revisions in 1937, 1960, and 1972. The present
Stanford-Binet Test has a wide variety of verbal and nonverbal items. For example,
for a six-year-old child, the verbal task in the test is to define at least six words,
such as “envelope”, “orange” etc. His/her nonverbal tasks consist of tracing a path
through a maze. An ad ult would be required to define such
 words as “regard”, “disproportionate”, and to explain
several proverbs. The test also consists of subtle
thinking to differentiate between “laziness” and
“idleness”. The Stanford -Binet‟s latest test for adults
have four components such as Verbal reasoning,
Quantitative reasoning, Abstract reasoning, and Short-
Term memory.
Binet‟s measurement of intelligence is found to
approximate a normal distribution. This type of
distribution is symmetrical with a majority of cases falling
Charles Spearman
in the middle of the range of scores and a few scores
falling at the end of the curve. The distribution of
V intelligence quotients is given in Figure 8.1.
S1 The Stanford-Binet test is a popular and most

G widely used test of intelligence. It is considered to be

advantageous compared to that developed by Galton or
S2 Cattell. This is because, contrary to sensory, perceptual,
A and motor processes only, the

Fiture 8.2 : A diagram

representing Spearman’s ‘g’
and ‘s’ factors in
 Stanford-Binet test captures complex mental processes such as
memory, imagery, comprehension, and judgment. The following
table shows the classification of people on the basis of their
IQs.
Table 8.1 :The classification of people on the basis of their IQ
(Interpretation of I.Q. on the Stanford -Binet test)

Raymond B. Cattell IQ Description of Percentage in

IQ level each group

Above 139 Very superior 1
120-139 Superior 11
110-119 High average 18
90-109 Average 46
80-89 Low average 15
70-79 Borderline 6
Below 70 Mentally retarded 3 Louis L.Thurstone

100

The Wechsler Scales. In addition to the Stanford-Binet test, the

Wechsler Scales are most widely used intelligence tests. These scales were
developed by David Wechsler of the Bellevue Hospital in New York. There are
three scales: the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale -Revised (WAIS-R), the
Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children -Revised (W ISC-R), and the Wechsler
Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence (WPPSI). These scales have gone
through successive revisions. Recently, some of these scales were revised in
1981. The Wechsler scales provide an overall IQ score, and also verbal IQ and
non-verbal IQ scores. The separate verbal and non -verbal scores help the tester to
see quickly the areas of mental performance in which the individual is below
average, average, and above average.
The WAIS-R consists of six verbal and five non -verbal subtests. The verbal
subtests are Vocabulary, Comprehension, Arithmetic, Similarities, and Digit Span.
As an example, in Similarities, the person is required to state how two things are
alike. In the subtest of Digit Span, the person is asked to repeat a series of digits
in the same order as presented by the examiner. The non -verbal or the
performance subtests of the WAIS -R include the subtests of Block Design, Digit
Symbol, Picture Arrangement, Picture Completion and Object Assembly. The
WAIS-R is designed for adults over 18 years. The Wechsler Scales are highly
reliable and valid.

Approaches to Understanding the Nature of Intelligence

Psychologists have devoted considerable attention to the understanding of the nature of
intelligence. Is intelligence a single ability or does it consist of multiple abilities? Is it fully inherited or is
it shaped by environmental factors? Should intelligence be conceptualized as abilities or processes? Are
there
qualitatively different stages of intellectual development? Is there one type of intelligence or several
types of intelligences? These and similar issues have been studied by psychologists for developing
different theories of intelligence. There are mainly three groups of theories or three major approaches
to the study of intelligence: (a) psychometric approach, (b) information-processing approach, and (c)
cognitive-developmental approach.
The psychometric approach studies intelligence as an ability, or as an
aggregate of multiple abilities, assesses intelligence in quantitative terms,
and expresses individual‟s performance on a test in the form of scores . The
theories of Charles Spearman, Louis Thurstone, Raymond Cattell, J. P. Guilford,
Arthur Jensen, and Howard Gardn er are examples of the psychometric approach to
the study of intelligence.
The information -processing approach describes the processes people
use in intellectual reasoning and problem solving . The major emphasis of this
approach lies in studying the under lying processes of intelligent behavior. Included
in this approach are the theories of Robert Sternberg, and J. P. Das.
The cognitive-developmental approach emphasizes the functional significance and
development of intelligence. It argues that intellectual development proceeds in the form of
qualitatively distinct developmental stages. Jean Piaget’s theory of intelligence is the most dominant
cognitive-developmental approach to the study of intelligence. The views of different theorists are
discussed below.
Psychometric Approach
Charles Spearman. He advanced Two-factor theory of intelligence in 1927. It was a theory of
trait organization based on the statistical analysis of test scores. Spearman pointed out that all
intellectual activities have a single common factor called the general factor or “g” factor. Again he
advanced a number of specific or “s” factors. Each of the s-factors refers to a specific single activity. He
explored statistically the interrelations among scores obtained by many persons on various tests.
Positive correlation between any two mental functions was attributed to “g” factor. But the specific
factors have low correlations among them.

Operations

Evaluation Production
Convergent
Divergent Production
Memory
Units
Cognition
Classes

Relations

Systems

Transformations

Implications

Visual
Auditory
Symbolic
Semantic
Behaviroal Vocabulary Test
Cognitive operations
Sem antic contents
Figure 8.3 : J. P. Guilford’s model of the Products Units
Structure of Intellect
Spearman‟s model implies that the objectives of psychological testing should be to
measure the amount of each individual‟s „g‟. The g-factor runs through all abilities,
and forms the basis for prediction of the individual‟s performance. It would be futile
to measure specific factor, as each operates in
only a single activity.
In the Figure 8.2, tests 1 and 2 are
correlated with each other, which is shown by
the overlapping shadow area. The shaded area
represents the „g‟ factor, while the white areas
shown separately for each test represent „s‟
factors. Spearman advocated that the „g‟ factor
provides a correct pict ure of intelligence. His
model of two-factor theory paved the way for
application of factor analysis in psychology.
Later, factor analysis was used for discovering
cluster of traits, which produced amazing

multiple factors. Howard Gardener

Raymond B. Cattell. He suggested that
general intelligence can be broken down into two relatively independent
components called fluid intelligence and crystallized intelligence. Fluid
intelligence denotes reasoning, memory and information -processing
capabilities. It is the ability to se e complex relationships and solve problems.
It is measured by the tests of block designs and spatial
visualization. Crystallized intelligence is the knowledge that the person has
already acquired and the ability to access that knowledge . It is measured by
tests of vocabulary, arithmetic, and general information. Research has indicated
that fluid intelligence grows rapidly in early adulthood, while crystallized
intelligence increases across the life span. Both fluid and crystallized intelli gence
are partly inherited and partly learned.
Louis L.Thurstone. Thurstone (1938) suggested that intelligence is a
composite of seven distinct primary mental abilities (PMA). He analyzed the
intercorrelations of a set of 56 mental tests, and identified s even factors, each of
which he called as a primary mental ability. Table 8.2 lists out the seven primary
mental abilities listed out by Thurstone.
Table 8.2 :The Seven Primary Mental Abilities according to L.L. Thurstone.

Ability Brief Description

V. Verbal comprehension The ability of reading comprehension;

grasping meaning of words, concepts, and
ideas; verbal reasoning

N. Numerical abilities The ability to use numbers with speed and

accuracy, to compute answers to problems. It
is the ability to measu re the speed of
computational skills.

S. Spatial Relations The ability to visualize and manipulate patterns and

forms. Visualization of geometric
 relations in space.

P. Perceptual Speed Speed of perceiving details, i.e., the ability to

grasp perceptual details quickly and accurately,
and to determine similarities and differences
between stimuli.

W. Word Fluency Speed of manipulation of single words, i.e., the

ability to use words quickly and fluently in
performing tasks, such as rhyming, solving
anagrams, and doing crossword puzzles, and
naming words.

M. Memory The ability to recall simple material, such as lists

of words, mathematical formulas, and definitions
etc.

I. Inductive Reasoning Logical reasoning ability, i.e., the ability to derive

general rules and principles from the presented
information.
Thurstone considered each of the mental abilities to be independent of the
other, and that each can be assessed separately. He believed th at there is no
single score of an aggregate intelligence. His Primary Mental Abilities Test
(PMA) is widely used.
Arthur Jensen. Jensen (1969) proposed two level -theory of mental abilities, which
sparked a debate on the association
of heredity versus environment with intelligence after his studies got published in the
“Harvard Educational Review” in 1969. He demonstrated clear -cut genetic differences in
the average intelligence of races and social classes. Jensen suggested that two genetically
based levels of intelligence exist. In other words, intelligence consists of two levels of
abilities. The Level I ability is associative learning, which consists of Short-Term Memory
(STM), rote learning, attention, and simple associative skills. The Level II is called
cognitive

learning, which consists of abstract thinking, symbolic thought,

conceptual learning, and the use of language in problem solving. He
argued that Level I ability, i.e., associative learning is equally
distributed across all racial and national groups, but on the contrary,
Level II, i.e., cognitive learning is concentrated more in the middle
class Anglo-American populations than in the lower class

Robert Sternberg
black populations. According to him, genetic differences in intelligence exist among
people coming from different races, nationalities, and social classes.
Jensen conducted studies of intelligence comparing identical and fraternal
twins. Identical twins have identical genetic dispositions for which their IQs are
assumed to be similar. Fraternal twins like ordinary siblings are genetically less
similar, which results in the assumption that their IQs are less similar. Jensen
found support for his views in these f indings. Studies with identical twins produced
an average correlation of .86, whereas studies of ordinary siblings produced an
average correlation of .47. Jensen on the basis of his studies believed that genetic
factors are more important than environmenta l factors for one‟s intelligence.
J. P. Guilford. J.P. Guilford (1967) advanced a model of intelligence based
on factor analysis. He tried to make logical explanations of the factors involved in
mental functions. In his “Structure of Intellect Model ”, all mental abilities are
conceptualized within a three -dimensional framework. In other words, there are
three features of intellectual tasks: the content, or the type of information; the
product, or the form in which the information is represented; and the operation, or
type of mental activity performed. The Structure of Intellect Model shown in Figure
8.3 indicates five types of contents (visual, auditory, symbolic, semantic,
behavioral); five kinds of operations (cognition, memory, divergent production,
convergent production, evaluation); and six varieties of operations (units, classes,
relations, systems, transformations, implications). Each task performed by an
individual can be identified according to a particular type of content, product, and
operation involved. Since there are
five types of contents, five different operations, and six different kinds of products,
there are altogether 150 (5X5X6) separate kinds of mental abilities. For example, a
test of vocabulary assesses one‟s ability for cognition of units with semantic
content, while learning a form of dance requires memory for behavioral contents.
In Guilford‟s model, the convergent and divergent thinking are considered to
be centrally involved in creativity and intelligence. In addition to other operations,
creative abilities involve divergent operations. On the contrary, in convergent
thinking, the production of single correct response is related to estimate
intelligence
Gardner‟s Theory of Multiple Intelligences
Howard Gardener (1983) proposed a somewhat different theory of
intelligence. For him, intelligence consists of numerous abilities, each of which is
equally important. In other words, Gardner believes that we have multiple
intelligences, each relatively independent of the others. After studying many
talented persons, who have shown exceptional abilities in their respective areas,
Gardner came to the conclusion that we possess eight types of intelligence, each
relatively independent of the others. The utility and values of each type of
intelligence is culturally determin ed in the sense that individual‟s intelligent
performances are determined according to high desirability, usefulness, and
demands of the society. One type of intelligence may be valued in a particular
culture, whereas it may be of little consequence in ano ther culture. Gardner
identifies the following eight intelligences:
1. Linguistic Intelligence (skills involved in the production and use of
language). This refers to one‟s language fluency, and flexibility. A person who is
articulate, and can create lingu istic images would be regarded as having more of
 linguistic intelligence. The persons strong in
this component of intelligence are
Rabindranath Tagore, W illiam Shakespeare,
T.S. Eliot, and poets and writers. At the age
of 10, T.S. Eliot created a magazine called
„Fireside‟ to which he was the sole
contributor. It is only during three days in a
winter vacation, he could create eight
complete issues of the magazine.
2. Logical-mathematical Intelligence
(skills in scientific thinking and problem
solving). This refers to one‟s ability to think
logically and critically, which is necessary for
scientific inventions and discoveries. It is
very much required for academic
J. P. Das achievement and success in school. The
scientists, scholars, and Nobel-prize winners
have more of logical-mathematical intelligence. The persons who are st rong in this
area are Albert Einstein, Archimedes, Madam Curie, C. V. Raman, Hargobind
Khuranna, and Amartya Sen.
3. Spatial Intelligence (skills involved in spatial configurations such as those
used by artists and architects). This skill involves navigation in space and seas
without instruments, use of mental images, spatial configuration, architecture and
art creation, and piloting aero planes. Leonard da Vinci, Michael Angelo, painters,
architects, and interior decorators are strong in this component of intelligence.
4. Musical Intelligence (skills in tasks involving music). It is related to the
production and creation of music, and music sensibilities. Beethoven,
Yehudi_Menhuin, Indian violinist Jubin
Mehta, singers M.Subhalaxmi, and Lata Mangeshkar, sitarist Rabishankar, and
tabla player Zakir Hussain are some of the examples.
5. Bodily-Kinesthetic Intelligence (skills used in the construction of products
or displays using the whole body or portions o f it). This intelligence consists of the
use of whole body or various portions of it for display or in the construction of
products, or in problem solving. Athletes, dancers, actors, sportsmen showing
acrobatics and surgeons demonstrate such abilities. The Olympic gold medallist,
Jesse Owen‟s (1936), the football players like Pele and Maradona, Cricketers like
Bradman and Tendulkar, dancers like Birju Maharaj, and Sanyukta Panigrahi
demonstrate high bodily-kinesthetic intelligence.
6. Interpersonal Intelligence (skills in interacting with people by being
sensitive to their moods, temperaments, and motives). This is the skill of
understanding oneself and others, and placing oneself in a comfortable relationship
with others. Persons having strong interpersonal intelligence can understand the
perspectives of others easily, can establish good relationship with people, and help
others develop insight into their problems. The psychologists, counselors, social
workers, and reformers possess high interpersonal intell igence. Freud, Anne
Sullivan, Mother Theresa, Vinoba Bhave are some of the examples.
7. Intrapersonal Intelligence (skills involved in knowing and understanding
oneself, one‟s feelings, and emotions). This refers to one‟s knowledge of the
internal aspects of oneself and sensitiveness to one‟s strengths and weaknesses.
Persons strong in this component have high degree of self -awareness, and have
finer sensibilities regarding their identity, human
existence, and the meaning of life.
They are less disturbed by external
events. The religious leaders and
philosophers are strong in this
component of intelligence.
Ramakrishna Paramhansa,
Vivekananda, Aurobindo, and Victor
Frankle are some of the examples.
8. Naturalistic Intelligence
(sensitivity to aspects of the natural
world). This refers to one‟s awareness
of his/her relationship with the natural
world including flora and fauna.
Persons high on this tend to
appreciate the beauty of nature and
discover themselves with reference to
the subtle aspects of nature. They can
discriminate among the subtle features
of the natural world. Bird watchers,
hunters, farmers, botanists, zoologists
and tourists are high on this aspect of intelligence.
Gardner believes that these eight human attributes are
necessary for successful adaptation and survival. Of these
seven abilities, the first two
abilities are promoted more by the western society, and the other attributes are
nurtured more by other societie s. For example, people living on small island society avoid
quarrel among themselves and try to cultivate interpersonal relationship for healthy
adaptation. Gardner also suggests that these separate intelligences do not operate in
isolation. Normally, any activity encompasses several kinds of intelligence working
together.
His model has led to a number of advances in our understanding of the nature of
intelligence. First of all, subjects must be observed in a variety of situations for making
an inference about their intelligence status. Second, test makers should develop
intelligence test items in which more than one answer can be correct, proving
opportunities for the subjects to demonstrate their creative thinking. According to
Gardner’s model, different kinds of intelligence may produce different but equally valid
responses to the same question.

Information-Processing Approach
The most recent contribution to the understanding of intelligence comes from the
work of cognitive psychologists. The cognitive psychologists apply information -processing
approach to understand many aspects of human behavior including intelligence. They
believe that the way people receive information, store them in memory, and use strategies to solve
problems provides a more accurate measure of intelligence. Thus, cognitive psychologists do not focus
on the structure of intelligence, but on the processes underlying intelligent behavior. In other words,
they examine processes involved in an intelligent activity. The theories of Robert Sternberg, and J. P. Das
are the two information-processing approaches that are discussed in this chapter.
Sternberg‟s Triarchic Theory of Intelligence
Robert Sternberg of the Yale University, USA is one of the most prominent
among the new generation of cognitive psychologists. Sternberg (1982) asked
people to identify the characteristics of an intelligent person. The most frequently
given answers indicated the following: (a) He reasons
logically and well; (b) He reads widely; (c) He keeps an open
mind; (d) He reads with high comprehension. On the basis of
his observation, and experimental research, Sternber g
(1986) formulated the triarchic theory of intelligence.
He theorized that intelligent behavior consists of three
Jean Piaget major components. Each component is a basic unit of
information processing. According to him, such components
consist of activities to acquire or store information, to
develop problem-solving strategies, and to use strategies
according to a plan to solve problems, and monitor one‟s progress. The three basic
and major components of intelligence are: (1) Componential intelligence (analysis
of information to solve problems); (2) Experiential intelligence (using prior
knowledge and information in problem solving and creating new ideas); and (3)
Contextual intelligence (using intelligence to adapt to environmental demands:
practical intelligence).
Componential Intelligence. This is the knowledge-acquisition component
for learning new facts. This is reflected in the I.Q scores obtained through test
administration, and grades obtained by school students. Intelligent behavior of a
person consists of three information -processing components, such as (a) learning
how to do things,
(b) planning what things to do and how to do them, and (c) actually doing things.
This is the performance component of intelligent behavior. People of such
intelligence perform excellently in standard tests and in display ing rational
behavior.
Experiential Intelligence. This component of intelligence focuses on
experience. It is involved in using the past experience creatively to solve
novel problems. Thus, experiential intelligence is reflected in creative
performance. For example, scientists use their experiences to develop novel
scientific theories. Artists draw mass attention by drawing commonplace things in
extraordinary ways. It focuses on how a person‟s past experience affects
intelligence and how those experiences are utilized in problem-solving behavior. It
consists of the ability to integrate different experiences in a unique and original
way. Persons who are high in this component quickly find out what information is
crucial in a given situation, and how the info rmation is to be used to reach the
target. This is the kind of intelligence shown by many scientific genius and
inventors such as Einstein, Newton, Freud, C.V. Raman, and J. C. Bose.
Contextual Intelligence. This component of intelligence as put forth by
Sternberg involves practical intelligence, i.e., the practical management of day -
to-day life affairs like how to get rid of trouble, how to face the environmental
demands, and how to get along with the society . The contextual aspect is
composed of (a) adaptation to present environment (b) selection of a relatively
favorable environment instead of the existing one, and (c) modifying the present
environment to fit to one‟s skills, needs, and values. Contextual intelligence is what
people sometimes
call street smartness or business sense. Persons high in this component
exercise greater influence in controlling their environment, and therefore, turn out
to be successful. The standard IQ tests do not tap contextual and experiential
intelligences.
Evaluation of Sternberg‟s Theory. Sternberg believes that this kind of
practical intelligence is the tacit knowledge. It consists of all of the important
information about practical reality of the world about which one is taught neither in
schools nor in colleges. According to him, tacit knowledge is more important for
success than the obvious “bookish” knowledge. The test developed by Sternberg
measures tacit knowledge of the individual - how he/she responds to dilemmas and
problem-solving circumstances in areas like business, science, and politics. The
test also measures sensitivity to the non -verbal cues. Sternberg‟s test tries to
evaluate person‟s ability to decode nonverbal cues such as the looking behavior in
personal interaction, facial expres sions, the body postures, body awareness,
physical proximity, and appearance.
Recent researchers have focused more on Sternberg‟s contextual
aspect of intelligence . They have put emphasis on practical intelligence, which is
related to overall success in l iving rather than intellectual and academic
performance. Sternberg believes that such intelligence is generally predictive of
success in a chosen field no matter whether it is tailoring, business or medicine
etc. Career success requires a type of intellige nce, which is very different from that
which is required in academic success. But practical intelligence is learned mainly
through observation and modeling.
Sternberg has also expanded his theory to the field of
personality. He speaks of mental self-government in describing personality dispositions
of individuals. The three types of intelligence must be considered along with the
intellectual styles i.e., the ways these intelligences are used in solving the problems of
everyday life. It is yet to be seen that Sternberg’s views regarding intelligence are
confirmed by future research. Yet it must be admitted that Sternberg provides a clearly
promising perspective in the field of cognition to understand the varied nature of
intelligent behavior.

Das’s PASS Model of Intelligence

The PASS model is a model of cognitive processing known as Planning, Attention,
Simultaneous and Successive processing. Based on Luria’s analyses (Luria, 1973, 1980) of
human brain structures and cognitive psychological research (Broadbent, 1958, Simon,
1981), Das and Naglieri (1994) proposed the PASS cognitive processing model as a
modern theory of intelligence. According to Das, intelligence is information processing
that is dynamic in nature . It is not a static structure like ability.
According to Luria, human cognitive processes involve three functional systems or
units that work in harmony. The participation of all the three functional units is
“necessary for any type of mental activity” (Luria, 1973). The PASS model of intelligence
has a strong neurological foundation. At the same time, it focuses on the cognitive
processing components rather than their specific neurological locations. The three
functional units are as follows:
First Functional Unit. It is responsible for cortical arousal and attention. It is
associated with the activities of the brain stem and the lower part of the cerebral
cortex.
Second Functional Unit. It analyzes, codes, and stores information using
simultaneous and successive processes. Simultaneous processing is associated
with the parietal and occipital lobes , whereas successive processing is
associated with the frontal-temporal lobes.
Third Functional Unit. It is important for planning, self-monitoring, and
structuring of cognitive activities. It is broadly located in the frontal lobes, the
front portion of our brain.
We receive information through our sensory organs such as eyes, ears,
nose, skin, tongue, and internal organs. When the information is analyzed, the
central processing becomes active. The four components of the central processing
mechanisms are: Planning (P), Attention (A), Simultaneous processing (S), and
Successive Processing (S). All these four constitute the PASS processes. The
PASS model of intelligence is presented in Figure 8.5. These four processes
operate on the existing knowledge base, which is the result of past learning,
emotions, and motivations. In other words, the four processes become active within
the context of an individual‟s knowledge base. Das says, “ It is as if the PASS
processes are floating on a sea of knowledge.” It is like a boat floating on water;
without water, the boat will sink. The three units toget her are responsible for
attention, simultaneous and successive processing, and planning. These processes
are discussed in detail below.
Attention. According to the first functional system, human cognitive
processing starts from the proper wakefulness cond ition which prepares the
individual to receive and process information. This involves maintaining an
appropriate level of arousal, which is followed by effective performance, i.e.,
attention. Attention is focusing one‟s consciousness on a stimulus . It is a
complex cognitive activity.
We attend to information through any of our eight receptors (ears, eyes,
skin, muscle and joints, internal organs, tongue, nasal buds and cochlea of the
inner ear). We attend to sensory stimuli one after another over time or several
stimuli occurring together at the same time. For example, auditory information
comes simultaneously.
This leads to information processing. Attention is voluntarily controlled. Following
an appropriate state of cortical arousal and wakefulness, there may be either
selective attention or divided attention. In selective attention, the subject
focuses or acts on a single relevant stimulus, and ignores the irrelevant stimuli;
attention on one stimulus takes place. However voluntary discrimination of stimuli
or selective attention is an important activity of the first unit of the PASS system of
intelligence.
Simultaneous and Successive Processes. The second functional unit is
related to processing and retaining information received from the external world. In
the second functional system, two types of information processing take place:
simultaneous processing and successive processing.
Simultaneous processing involves integration of stimuli into
harmonious groups. It is quasi -spatial in nature and organizes information
into a meaningful composite pattern . Through simultaneous processing, the
person recognizes that a number of stimuli share a common characteristic. Here
elements are interrelated in various ways. Each element is perceived as having a
relationship with others in a network system as exemplified in the simultaneous
processing path diagram given in Fig ure 8.6. Successive processing refers to the
processing of information in a serial order. It integrates the stimuli into a particular
series forming a chain -like progression. The important distinction between the two
coding processes lies in whether or not the system is totally surveyable at a given
point in time. The successive processing path diagram is given in Figure 8.7.
Planning. The third unit described by the PASS model deals with planning.
It allows the person to form plans of
action, implement the plans to reach a target, and verify the effectiveness of
plans. The PASS model provides a special space for planning in the execution of
intellectual activities. Planning is required when a person makes decisions about
how to solve a problem (e.g., how to write an essay, how to solve an arithmetic
problem, how to carry out a business, how to renew contact with a lost friend etc.)
Planning functions are carried out in association with attention, and
simultaneous and successive processe s. Planning is required when a person
decides what to attend to, and what to ignore; and to use either of the
simultaneous or successive processes as and when required. Planning defines the
very essence of intelligence. In fact intelligence may be viewed a s carrying out
strategic planning with an end in view.
Planning as well as other PASS processes operates on a knowledge base.
When the individual makes a systematic approach to solve a problem, he searches
his base of knowledge. None of the cognitive proc esses would help us if we did not
have the knowledge base. In other words, the knowledge base is the foundation
of information on which all cognitive processes operate . The stored up
knowledge is nothing but person‟s stock of experiences, which is acquired formally
(e.g., by reading, writing, and experimenting) or informally from his environment.
With the feedback from the past knowledge base, the individual develops an initial
plan of action and then examines the plan if it is appropriate and reasonable. I f the
initial plan is acceptable, the plan is implemented. In case it is rejected because of
its weaknesses, a new and better plan is made. Finally, when the plan is put into
action, decisions are made to modify it as per requirements in order to achieve
effectiveness in problem solving.
All the PASS processes are dynamic and interactive in nature . Yet, each has its own
distinctive functions. All processes are not equally involved in the performance on a task.
One process may be more related to some but not to others. For example, there is close
relationship between the first and third functional units, because planning requires
proper state of arousal leading to their focusing of attention. Similarly planning is related
to coding because it can operate only when the information is coded simultaneously or
successively.
On the basis of the PASS theory, Das and Naglieri (1994) have developed a battery
of tests known as the Cognitive Assessment System (CAS) to measure the four PASS
processes. The PASS tests consist of verbal and nonverbal tests presented visually and /or
orally using varieties of modalities.
The PASS theory of intelligence has demonstrated how Luria’s conceptualization of
human brain structures and functions can be used to operation alize intelligence. The
model has been empirically validated across various subgroups and cultures. Wills (1989)
evaluates the PASS model as providing a strong theoretical basis for psycho -educational
assessment in cognitive literature.

Cognitive-Developmental Approach
The Swiss Psychologist, Jean Piaget (1970, 1972) took a different approach from that of the
psychometricians to understand human cognition. The psychometricians were interested in studying
individual differences in cognition, but Piaget was interested in understanding the nature of intellectual
development in normal children. For nearly 50 years, Piaget observed children’s intellectual
development, and suggested that all children proceed through a series of four stages in a fixed order. He
said that these stages differ not only
in the quantity of information acquired at each stage, but also in the quality of knowledge and
understanding as well.
Cognition refers to all psychological processes used in acquiring knowledge
from one‟s environment. It includes learning, memory, perception, thinking,
reasoning, decision-making, and problem solving. Piaget‟s work provides insight
into the age-related cognitive activities from early childhood to adolescence. Piaget
who initially in 1920s worked in Alfred Binet‟s laboratory to help standardize the
early IQ tests came to believe that the standardized intelligence tests ignore the
development of important qua litative aspects of children‟s thought processes .
Piaget‟s theory of intelligence provides the most dominant framework in
developmental psychology. According to Piaget (1952), “Intelligence is a particular
instance of biological adaptation.” For Piaget, intelligence refers to a general mental
adaptability. Piaget was basically concerned with three questions: (a) What is it that changes
with development? (b) How do cognitive changes take place? and (c) What is the most
systematic way of ordering the stages of cognitive development?
Please refer to Piaget‟s theory which has been described in detail in Chapter 8 under
the head “ Stages of Cognitive Development by Piaget”
Factors Affecting Intelligence
We notice a wide variety of individual differences in people‟s intellectual
abilities. Some are more intelligent than others. The differences are so much so
that while some change the course of human civilization through their intellectual
innovations, a f ew others even find it difficult to master a problem on simple
addition. Why are there individual differences? What are the factors influencing
people‟s
intelligence? The individual differences that exist among all of us are the products
of two general and broad factors: hereditary, and environmental.

Hereditary factors are based on the genetic make up of the individual

that influences growth and development throughout life . The offspring inherits
the genetic characteristics from his parents. The environmental factors consist of
the influence of parents, family, friends, schooling, society, culture, and all other
experiences to which the child is exposed right from the moment of conception.
The question of whether heredity or environment is im portant in determining
intellectual capacities is known as the nature-nurture debate. In this context,
nature refers to hereditary factors, and nurture to environmental influences.
The nature-nurture controversy has philosophical roots. In the 1600s, John
Locke, English philosopher, argued that the mind of a newborn is a blank slate, a
tabula rasa on which the environment writes his life history. Locke believed that
environment acts as the sole determinant of development. On the contrary, the
French philosopher, J. J. Rousseau suggested in the 1700s that people‟s natural
characteristics (i.e., genetic factors) mostly influence the developmental process
subject to the corrupting influe nces of the environment.
The nature-nurture question has been vehemently debated for decades. At
present, psychologists agree that both nature and nurture interact to produce
specific developmental patterns and competence. The question has now changed
from which (heredity or environment) influences behavior to how and to what extent
heredity and environment shape the developmental process. No body is born
without a genetic make up, or no one grows up free from environmental
influences. Both heredity and environment are important, and it is unwise to determine
their relative influence. Even then, the debate concerning their relative influence
remains still active with different theorists emphasizing either the role of heredity or the
role of environment (Scarr, 1996). These factors are discussed below in detail.

Hereditary Factors
Heredity refers to genetically transmitted characteristics from one generation to
the next. We inherit genetic code from parents. Because of genetic code, a fertilized
human egg never grows into a dog or a mouse or any other animal. Person’s genetic
heritage is called genotype. The genotype expresses itself in observable appearance and
behavior, which is called phenotype. The phenotype includes height, weight, eye color,
and psychological characteristics such as intelligence, personality and creativity. The
genetic code provides the base on which phenotype grows and manifests. How can we
know that human intelligence has a genetic basis? To do so, we have to infer the
underlying genotypes from the observable phenotypic behavior.
A strategy to differentiate genotypes from phenotypes is to examine the
similarities between the intelligence level of children, and their parents and relatives.
Francis Galton (1885) was of the view t hat intelligence is largely inherited, and it runs in
families. Researchers have found that parents with high IQs tend to have children with
high IQs, and parents with low IQs have children with relatively low IQs (Crooks and
Stein, 1995). Correlations between IQs of brothers, sisters, children and their parents,
and their distant relatives indicate that intelligence has a strong hereditary component
(Kagan and Havemann, 1976). The correlation between the IQs of one
child and another person selected at random would tend to be zero, while among
the related individuals, the correlations would be relatively high. Correlation
coefficient provides a measure of the strength of relationship between two
variables, and is bound by limits from -1.00 to +1.00. The higher is the correlation
coefficient, the higher is the strength of relationship.
In more recent times, Arthur Jensen (1969) raised a hostile controversy
when he argued that intelligence is primarily inherited. He examined several
studies on intelligence, many of which involved comparisons of identical and
fraternal twins. Jensen found support in these studies for his argument in favor of
the genetic influence on intelligence. He claimed that clear-cut genetic
differences are present in the average intelligence of races, nationalities, and
social classes. He stated that blacks have lower genetic intelligence than whites,
and that is why they do not perform as well as whites on intelligence tests. He and
others have placed the importance of heredity‟s influence on intelligence at about
80 percent, leaving only 20 percent to be manipulated by the environment. He
believed that environmental manipulations can at best reduce group differences in
intelligence, but cannot abolish i t altogether. But Jensen‟s views have been
severely criticized, and he has been labeled as a racist.
Psychologists have drawn evidence from a number of studies to examine the
relative influence of hereditary and environmental factors on intelligence. The two
kinds of studies discussed below are: (a) studies of twin children, and (b) studies
involving adopted Children.
Twin studies. Twins are of two types: identical twins and fraternal twins.
Identical twins originate from a single
fertilized egg and „share the same genetic code. The fraternal twins arise from two
different eggs fertilized by two different sperm cells. While identical twins show a
100 percent genetic overlap, the fraternal twins have 50 percent genetic
similarity, which is no greater than that between ordinary siblings . If identical
twins turn out to be more similar in their intelligence as compared to fraternal
twins, the evidence for the hereditary factors would be strong. Table 8.3 reports the
average correlation coefficien ts between the IQs of children having different
degrees of genetic similarity. An insightful analysis of the correlations presented in
Table 8.3 will clarify several points regarding the relative role of heredity and
environment in shaping individual‟s int elligence.
Table 8. 3 : Correlation coefficients between IQ scores of individuals with
different genetic and environmental similarities

Relationship Median Correlation

Identical twins reared together .86

Identical twins reared apart .72
Fraternal twins reared together .60
Siblings reared together .47
Siblings reared apart .24
Relationship Median Correlation

Parent and child living together .42

Parent and child separated by adoption .31
Genetically unrelated children reared together .25
Genetically unrelated foster parents and foster child .15
The correlation between the IQs of identical twins reared together is .86, which is
substantially higher than the correlation of fraternal twins reared together (.60).
Furthermore, identical twins rear ed apart in different environments show a high
degree of similarity (.72) in their intelligence as compared to the fraternal twins
reared together (.60). The finding that identical twins raised in different
environments are similar in their intellectual ab ilities than fraternal twins reared in
the same environment suggests a strong genetic influence on intelligence.
However, the role of the environment cannot be ruled out, because the correlation
drops from .86 to .72 as the environment changes for the iden tical twins.
Adoption studies. Another line of evidence comes from the studies on
adopted children. In one study (Horn, 1983), the correlation between the IQs of
children and their biological mothers (whom they had never seen) was .28, which
was much higher than a correlation of .15 between their IQs and their adoptive
mothers. Other studies have also shown that children‟s intelligence is more similar
to their biological parents than to their adoptive parents (Scarr and Carter -
Saltzman, 1983). This pattern of similarity persists into adolescence. Those
favoring an environmental position argue that children of poor and under -educated
parents, when adopted into family of high socio -economic status, exhibit very large
increase in their IQ scores. But the findi ngs showed that when the socioeconomic
status of both biological and adoptive parents is equal, the IQs of adopted children
do not rise; instead, it is found to be more similar to their biological parents. All
these findings lend support to the hereditary influence on intelligence.
Environmental Factors
Heredity alone cannot account for all the individual differences in intelligence.
Environment also has a role to play. Environment consists of a wide range of stimulations
that the child is subjected to. He lives and grows in his environment. It provides h im the
necessary input and experiential base for intellectual development. Enrichment or
deficiency of the environment would obviously produce differences in his abilities.
The data in Table 8.3 can be used to support environment’s role. Though fraternal
twins and siblings share the same genetic similarity (the genetic overlap in both cases is
50 percent), the correlation between the IQs of fraternal twins is a bit higher than

Figure 8.8 : A sample item from the Raven’s Progressive Matrices Test
that for ordinary siblings (.60 versus .47). This is because environmental
opportunities and experiences are more similar for fraternal twins than for ordinary
siblings. When researchers have manipulated child‟s environment by providing him
extra intellectual input, they have observed a remarkable improvement (up to 30 IQ
points) in the IQ scores of children. Hence, the role of environment cannot be
underestimated. Furthermore, we can change the environment of the child, not his
genetic make up. Thus, irrespect ive of genetic make up, adults should carefully
monitor child‟s environment to help him perform at the optimal efficiency level.
Environment starts showing its actions right from the moment of child‟s
conception. Both the prenatal environment (when the baby/fetus is in mother‟s
womb), and the postnatal environment (after the child is born) influence the
intellectual capabilities of the child.
Prenatal Environment
The prenatal stage is extremely important as a fertilized egg is shaped to the
form of a human being during this period. Rapid development takes place in major
organs and brain cells. If things go wrong during this period, the effects are nearly
irreversible or are very difficult to correct. The major prenatal environmental
influences are: (a) mother‟s nutrition, (b) mother‟s emotional state, (c) illness of the
mother, (d) mother‟s use of drugs, and (e) birth complications.
An undernourished mother cannot provide adequate nutrition to the growing
baby. As a result, the baby is likely to be underwe ight, and more susceptible to
diseases. Lack of nutrition would have an adverse impact on the mental
development of the child. Mothers who are anxious and tense are also likely to
deliver infants who would be irritable and
show problems in sleeping and eating.

Maternal diseases like rubella, syphilis, AIDS, diabetes, and high blood
pressure may produce permanent adverse effects on the baby. The brain cells of
the baby would either be damaged or not grow properly. The intellectu al
development may be arrested. The consequences may be devastating to such an
extent that later environmental enrichment programs for the child may be totally
ineffective.
Drugs taken by mothers can have tragic effects on the unborn child. Alcohol and
nicotine are very dangerous for pregnant mothers. The unborn baby may develop fetal
alcohol syndrome, which is a condition of retarded physical and mental growth. The
children of such mothers may show permanent physical and mental impairment. If the
baby suffers from birth complications such as lack of oxygen at the time of birth, he may
suffer permanent brain damage. He would be born, as a mentally retarded child about
whom very little can be done. Due attention to ensuring a healthy prenatal environment
is necessary for any child to have a fuller development of his intellectual capabilities.
Postnatal Environment

When we speak of environmental determinants of intelligence, we ordinarily

mean the environment the child faces after he is born. Environment cons ists of a
heterogeneous array of stimulations ranging from home experiences to the ecology
of the natural habitat. Enriched environment accelerates cognitive development,
while impoverished environment produces just the opposite effect.
Home environment
Home is the first learning institution for the child during his early years of
development. Needless to mention
that it exercises tremendous influence on child‟s understanding of the external
world, and his conceptions of success and failure. The home provides an identity
for the child, builds his self -concept, and prepares him to face the world. The home
environment consists of all the mental and behavioral transactions taking place
among the family members. The environment can be stressful or supportive for the
child. A supportive and warm home environment that encourages exploration,
curiosity, and self -reliance leads to higher intellectual competence in children
(Kelly & Worell, 1977). In unsupportive home environments, where the family
members punish or reject the child, or parents are extremely authoritarian and
impose a set of rigid rules and regulations on the chi ld, child‟s intellectual
competence becomes low. A restrictive home atmosphere inhibits early exploration
and curiosity in children, and creates high anxiety in the child as a result of which
his natural potentials fail to grow to the optimal level. The ho me environment also
influences child‟s emotions, motivations and beliefs, which are closely linked with
intellectual competence.
Parent-Child interaction
Parents are the first teachers for the child. The nature of mental and
behavioral transactions between the parents and the child has a critical influence
on his intellectual competence. Children‟s intellectual development is faster when
parents provide emotional security, make the family environment more supportive,
praise the child‟s achievement, allow i ndependence, and support the intellectual
achievement of children. On the contrary, with stressful family conditions and
protective parents encouraging dependence in children, the
 Table 8.4: Levels of mentally retarded and their characteristics
Types Mild Moderate Severe / Profound
Range of IQ 55-69 40-54 25-39 / below 25

Self-care Can f eed and dress; Erratic self -care. Unable to take care of
can go to toilet But can learn toilet himself /herself .
independently training, how to Others‟ help needed
wear dresses to f eed and dress,
has adaptation and toilet activities.
difficulties. Failure to understand
and express oneself ,
makes def ective
sound.

Speech and Simple way of Talking problem. Neither understands

way of communication, Language is poor, nor can express.
communication knows rudimentary imperf ect Makes def ective
language, can communication. sound.
understand and
express need.

Learning Can be taught with W ith special care Unable to learn.

special care learning of maximum
maximum up to up to Class 1 or 2.
Classes 3 to 6.

Social Activities Mild and docile, can Is f riendly; depends Incapable social lif e.
communicate socially f ull others. Is a misfit
with f riends and no f or get-together.
adjustment problem.

Vocation Can learn to do W ith continuous Cannot do any work.

unskilled job, assi stance can do
manual labour. a f ew simple errand.

Marital condition Marries and get Do not go f or Does not marry

parenthood wedding at all
child‟s intellectual development suffers.
Both cultural and sex differences in intellectual abilities result from parental
values and expectations for children‟s achievement. A study by Harold Stevenson
revealed that Chinese and Japanese children in the United States show
exceptional ability in mathematics, because their parents emphasize achievement
orientation in children during their early formative periods of development. Parental
expectations for boys and girls differ and are reflecte d in their achievements.
Parents consider mathematics more important for boys than girls. There are many
studies to suggest that girls outshine boys in language skills, whereas boys show
superior performance in mathematical and spatial tests.
The mother is more important than the father in determining the intellectual
level of the home environment, because she spends more time with children. When
the mother is the better-educated parent, the intellectual competence of the college
going and university students is higher than those having father as the better -
educated parent. In a study (Kagan & Moss, 1962), it was shown that high
achievement in boys was associated with high maternal reinforcement and
encouragement during the first three years of life. It sho uld, however, be kept in
mind that although parent -child interaction is an important determinant of
achievement in children, other factors such as social class, education and social
opportunities set important limits on children‟s attainment.

Social and environmental deprivation

If the environmental opportunities and stimulations are low, children show
poor cognitive performance. The most
frequently noted study was the one conducted by Skeels (1966) involving 25
children reared up in orphanages with very little stimulation. At about 18 months of
age, 13 of these children were transferred to another setting, where older retarded
women took care of them. After about 2 years, these children gaine d 28 IQ points.
The other 12 children, who stayed back in the unstimulating orphanage, exhibited a
26-point drop in their IQs. The two groups of children also showed different
patterns of adjustment and personality characteristics as adults. A follow -up study
after 20 years revealed that the 13 children removed from the orphanage had
normal intellectual functioning and social adjustment. The intellectual condition of
those 12 children who were in the orphanages was very poor. Studies show that
longer the children remain in impoverished environment, the more depressed their
IQs would be (Asher, 1935). For example, with the introduction of schools, roads
and radios in a community in the USA in 1930s, the average IQ of individuals
increased by 10 points (Wheele r, 1942).
In another study J. Hunt (1982) investigated the effects of enrichment on 11
children in Iranian orphanage, who were developmentally and emotionally retarded.
They were rescued, and put into special enriched environmental program by Hunt
who arranged specially trained caretakers for them. They provided these infants
special attention, played verbal games with them, and responded to their
difficulties, problems, and wants. The effect was striking in that all displayed large
improvement in their language skill, and social interactions with people and events,
and began behaving intelligently. The Project Head Start in the year 1965 in USA
provided compensatory education on social skill, and special intellectual training.
The program was initially effective in raising the IQs of children coming from the
disadvantaged homes in slum areas.
Studies conducted by Dash and Das (1984, 1989) reveal that opportunities
for education such as schooling significantly influences children‟s cognitive
capacities. In a study in rural India, they have shown that schooled children show
superior performance on a variety of intellectual tasks compared to their
unschooled age-mates. Schooling improves children‟s abilities to memorize,
reason, and classify using a variet y of principles. Many of the intellectual
processes either develop slowly or do not develop at all in children, who do not
attend schools. School provides an enriched social environment for children, and
allows their thought processes to grow free from the concrete physical and social
contexts. Similar findings have been obtained in African countries by Scribner and
Cole (1979).
Are the adverse effects of impoverished environments reversible? Can
children suffering the ill effects of social deprivation inc rease their IQs, when
raised later in stimulating
environmental conditions? Some argue that the adverse effects operate on a
relatively permanent basis. But other researchers have shown that early intellectual
retardation can be overcome by providing adequate enriched environmental
experiences (Kagan, 1972).
Socioeconomic status (SES)

Children of the upper socioeconomic strata of the society are exposed to

more intellectual stimulation, get better social opportunities, and are nurtured with
better nutrition. All these are believed to influence their intellectual devel opment in
a positive direction. The index of socioeconomic status (SES) is based on parental
education, occupation, and income. The higher the socioeconomic status of the
parents, the higher is the average IQ of children. The children of low
socioeconomic status score approximately 10 to 15 IQ points below the middle -
class and higher-class children (Hall and Kaye, 1980). These differences are
present by the first grade and are sustained throughout the school years. Parental
occupation is closely related to the IQ level of children (Harrell and Harrell, 1945).
The intellective support provided to children at home differs from one SES to
another. Moreover, children from varying SES levels bring different attitudes and
cognitive styles to the problem-solving situation, which affect their performance
(Yando, Seitz and Zigler, 1979).
In Odisha, Jachuck and Mohanty (1974) found that children of high SES
performed significantly better than children from low SES on a variety of
intellectual tasks. Even older children from the low SES performed poorly than the
younger children of high SES. For low SES children, they ob served progressive
retardation in intellectual skills. Rath, Dash and Dash (1979) reported the adverse
effects of social class on intellectual
reasoning. These findings have been supported by a number of studies conducted
in the Indian subcontinent.
Race and culture
Many studies have noted racial and cultural differences in performance on
standard intelligence tests (Jensen, 1969; Kennedy, 1966). Jensen (1969)
observed clear differences in the cognitive competence of whites and blacks. The
study conducted by Lesser, Fifer, and Clark (1965) investigated the verbal ability,
reasoning, number facility, and space conceptualization of children from ethnic
groups: Jewish, Chinese, Puerto Rican and black. They found that racial
membership significantly influenced both the pattern and level of intellectual
competence. In fact, racial differences were more prominent than the SES
differences. Culture refers to a system of beliefs, attitudes, and values that are
passed from one generation to the nex t.

In Indian context, there are prominent subcultures defined by caste groups,

and traditional parental occupations. The socialization practices in these
subcultures are different. Studies have been conducted in rural Odisha comparing
children of different caste groups. Rath, Dash, and Dash (1979) compared Brahmin
(high caste), Harijan (low caste), and Adivasi (tribal children having different
ethnicity) children in Odisha on cognitive test performance. The Harijan children
scored the lowest among the three groups and the Brahmins scored the highest.
The Brahmins have a highly verbal articulate culture compared to the other groups.
Other studies conducted in this region (Das and Singha, 1974; Jachuck and
Mohanty, 1974) have reported significant differences in the cognitive level of
children differing by caste, culture, and SES.
It may be unfair to compare the performance level of
children from different cultures, as the skills required for successful adaptation in
different cultures vary a great deal. The skills tapped by the standard cognitive
tests are those that are demanded in more technologically advanced cultures and
higher SES groups. As a result, the tests are biased in favor of their competence,
and it is no wonder that we find inferior performance of lower caste children on
these tests. The appropriateness of the test items has to be considered in any
investigation comparing the p erformance of children from various cultural and
social groups.
Sex differences
The overall IQ scores of boys and girls are very similar. There is some
evidence that sex differences exist for particular kinds of cognitive abilities. Review
of a number of studies has shown that females are superior in language skills,
verbal fluency, and reading, while males are superior in mathematical reasoning
and spatial abilities (Oetzel, 1966). While neither sex is superior, the two sexes
show different patterns of in tellectual abilities. These findings have been supported
by several researchers. Some argue that intellectual differences between sexes
reflect different child -rearing practices and socio -cultural training. The parents and
the society train boys and girls differently in terms of what to expect from them. It
is known that intelligence is related to personality characteristics. Boys are
socialized in a way so as to promote self -reliance and competence, which are
positively correlated with intelligence. On the other hand, the traits are discouraged
in girls so much so that high intelligence is often considered a masculine quality.
The sex differences also partly result from the fact that many items in
standardized intelligence tests are biased in favor of the male population. Hence
sex differences are the
products of the test itself. Researchers differ in their convictions regarding sex
differences. A group of researchers argue that sex differences are reflections of
constitutional and genetic differences between males and females. The most
reasonable conclusion is that the differential abilities are the products of some
combination of genetic and environmental factors.
Personality dispositions
There is some evidence to suggest that changes in IQ are related to child‟s
general pattern of adjustment and personality. In a longitudinal study (Sontag,
Baker, and Nelson, 1958), 140 children were tested at intervals between 2 and 12
years of age. The 35 children, whose IQs increased remarkably, were found to
have personality traits of assertiveness, independence, self -initiation, and
competitiveness. On the contrary, the 35 children who showed a declining trend
were found to lack these traits. If the personality traits were not socially
acceptable, the advantages would be minimized. For example, children who show
temper tantrums have been found to display drops in their IQs (Peskin, 1964).
Good intellectual functioning requires the ability to harness one‟s emotions and
utilize them in a constructive manner.
Physiological conditions
The physiological conditions such as nutr ition, health, drugs, disease, and
physical injury affect the cognitive competence of the child. Healthy body gives a
healthy mind. The mental development is associated with biochemical processes
and hormones within the body. The biological processes withi n the body provide a
necessary but not sufficient condition for intellectual development. Poor health and
susceptibility to diseases would retard the growth of brain
cells, and consequently the intellectual skills. Physical injury to the brain during
early childhood years is likely to result in minimal brain damage thus seriously
restricting the development of intellectual faculty. Similarly, intoxicating drugs and
alcohol consumption would adversely affect the biological processes and the
development of brain cells. Thus, the internal physiological conditions are critical
for the expression of intelligent behavior.

Limitations of I.Q. Tests

Psychological tests, especially intelligence tests are widely used tools. The
effectiveness of a tool depends on the skill, scientific knowledge, and competence
of its users. A long stick can be used to help a disabled person walk across the
street or for assault on fellowmen. Similarly, psychological tests can either be used
or misused. Ability tests can help a teacher divide children into groups sharing
almost equal level of ability, or can be used to label some children as dull and
incompetent. Poor performance on an intelligence test may attach a stigma to
the child, inviting teacher and parental discrimination . Discriminatory practices
initiated on the basis of intelligence test performance are unethical and should be
abandoned. On the other hand, tests should be used to know the strengths and
weaknesses of the child, and to draw up his cognitive profile with an intention to
help him through appropriate remedial programs.
The IQ tests tap only a part of human‟s overall competence . There are
many more skills to be assessed, such as competence in social situations,
creativity, and close positive relationship. Intelligence or high IQ is not necessarily
the ultimate human value. It only predicts school -related success, not the life
success. Therefore, it is impossible to
separate intelligence from scholastic achievement. As a schoolboy, Robert
Sternberg, who is known for his triarchic theory of intelligence, did very poorly on
intelligence tests. Sternberg, now a Professor of Psychology at the Ya le University
believes that intelligence is more than what IQ tests measure (Sternberg, 1985,
1987). Sternberg‟s three -part theory of intelligence suggests that the traditional
intelligence tests have three major limitations: (a) the IQ tests fail to measu re
creative insight, (b) they ignore the practical side of intelligence, and (c) since IQ
tests are limited to a fixed time schedule, they wrongly equate intelligence with
speed.
The intelligence tests are biased in favor of the middle -class and
higher-class populations. They underestimate the intellectual potentialities of
children belonging to minority groups and other cultures. That is why, African -
Americans tend to score about 15 points lower on IQ tests than the white
Americans (Brody & Brody , 1976). Language and the nature of the test items create
problems in estimating intelligence. The test -developers have failed to separate
what children have already learnt from what their abilities are to acquire new
knowledge (Sternberg, 1985).
Miller-Jones (1989) pointed out that answers to some intelligence test
items seems to have been arbitrarily decided . For example, a 4-6 year old child
taking 1973 edition of the Stanford -Binet Intelligence scale was asked, “What a
house is made of?” His answer was “A house is built of walls.” But according to the
test developer, the correct answer was “The house is made of wood, bricks and
stone”. The child‟s answer was relatively correct, but he failed to earn a score on
the test. When scores obtained in IQ tests are thought to give a fixed
and unchanging indicator of an individual‟s intelligence, it brings misjudgment.
Similar difficulties occur when an intelligence test is used as the sole indicator of
whether a child is placed in a specia l education program or in a class meant for
gifted children.
Psychologists have pointed out that intelligence tests are less predictive of
creative abilities that lead to scientific discoveries and inventions. It provides less
meaningful information for the actual planning of educational instruction . At
best, the IQ tests provide an AQ or Academic Quotient predictive of academic
achievement (Kagan, Havemann, and Ernest, 1976).
In spite of its limitations, IQ tests provide important information about the
individuals, when used judiciously by trained and expert investigators. The
alternatives to intelligence testing are not yet promising. The test should be done
repeatedly and its results should be used along with information collected from
other sources.

Culture-free and Culture-fair Tests

Most intelligence tests, particularly those having language elements,
have a cultural component in them. Some tests are language -free tests. The test
administrator uses gestures, demonstrations, or signs to elicit subjec ts‟ responses.
For example, items requiring subjects to trace mazes, find the missing portion in
the picture or pattern, choose the right shapes for the right holes etc. have less
language elements. Anastasi (1988) provides an example: a group of Asian
immigrant children in Israel were asked to name the missing part of a face. The
face was having no mouth. The Asian children instead told that the face was
without a body. They were not accustomed to consider a picture of a face without a
mouth. Therefore it is almost an impossibility to design a culture -free test
devoid of all culture-related content. Instead, psychologists have tried to
develop tests that can be considered culture-fair, or culture-reduced, where the
influence of cultural elements is reduced.
Culture-fair tests were developed to reduce cultural bias. There are two
types of culture-fair tests. The first type contains the items that are assumed to be
known to individuals from all socio -economic and ethnic backgrounds. For
instance, a child might be asked, “How a bi rd and a dog are different?” Here the
experimenter assumes that all children have the knowledge of dogs and birds. The
second kind of culture-fair tests do not have any verbal items. A sample of Raven‟s
Progressive Matrices (RPM) test is an example. It is regarded as a culture -fair test
of intelligence. But it is noticed that educated individuals obtain higher scores on
the RPM than the less educated people.
Another test, which is considered to be culture -fair, is SOMPA, i.e., System
of Multicultural Plura listic Assessment. (Mercer and Lewis, 1978). It is meant for 5
to 11 year-old children belonging to low-income families. It covers information on
four different areas of child‟s environment, such as (a) verbal and non -verbal
intelligence in the traditional mould of W ISC-R, (b) parent‟s interview about social
and economic background, (c) evaluation of an adaptive behavior -inventory on
social adjustment to school to be completed by parents, and (d) physical health
examined by medical tests.
The Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children (K -ABC) developed by
Kaufman (1983) is another culture -fair test meant for children from two to twelve
and half years of age. This test has taken into account representative samples of
minority, and handicapped children. It focus es less on language
than the Stanford-Binet, and its achievement portion includes problems on
arithmetic and reading. But like other culture -fair tests, it has its limitations also.
Constructing a truly culture -fair intelligence test has been difficult. There are
a number of reasons. For example, people of Papua New Guinea have the ability to
remember names of about 10,000 to 20,000 clans. On the other hand, people of
Carolina Islands can sail in the sea by the stars without any instru ments of
navigation. Thus, a culture -fair test is difficult to construct taking in to account all
possible cultural and ethnic variations across the world.

Intelligence Testing in India

Das (1998) in his book “Working Mind” has reviewed the short history of
intelligence testing in India. S. M. Mohsin is one of the pioneers of intelligence
testing in India. He constructed an intelligence test in Hindi in the 1930s. In 1966,
Long and Mehta prepared a mental measurement handbook listing out 103 tests of
intelligence developed in various Indian languages. The handbook was critical of
most of the Indian tests because they did not confirm to the standard procedures of
test preparation. The Bhatia test is more popular in India. Kurian (1986) and Kurian
and Sharma (1988) have laid down theoretical views on intelligence in terms of
cognitive processes. Their theoretical review suggests that intellectual
development may show considerable flexibility and modifiability. Pershad (1987)
has mentioned about the relationshi p between general intelligence and school
achievement. He used WAIS -R, and remarked that the arithmetic subtest should
not be timed for the Indian population, particularly for the aged. He emphasized
that power, instead of speed of mental operations, shoul d be the major criterion for
judging intelligent behavior.
Intellectually Gifted Children
Giftedness is characterized by an extraordinary ability not evident in the
majority of people. It is a term used to refer to an individual with special talents.
Gifted are those individuals who are well above average intelligence. The
traditional definition consists of children having an IQ score of 130 or higher
(Horowitz & O‟Biriess, 1986). The definition of “giftedness” includes superior
general intellect, and superiority in a particular area such as mathematics, music,
chess, painting, writing, creating etc. Experts view the gifted as occupying the top
end of the continuum of intelligence (Humphreys, Zigler, and Farber, 1985).
Sternberg and Davidson (1984) pointed out that gifted children process
information efficiently especially in tasks which need in sight. Gardener (1983)
believed that people can be gifted in one or more of the eight separate
intelligences, such as music, dance, intrapersonal, interpersonal, linguistic, logical -
mathematical, and spatial. Studies revealed that the gifted are found to b e more
mature and have fewer emotional problems than others (Janos, and Robinson,
1985). In another investigation, researchers asked adult individuals with
exceptional talents about the cause of their giftedness (Bloom, 1983). The
individuals who excelled in Olympics, concert music, research on mathematics and
neurology answered that their exceptional accomplishments were nourished by
special environmental support, excellent teaching by noted teachers, motivational
encouragement, and extensive support and e ncouragement from their parents.
Mentally Retarded Children
Mental retardation lies at the bottom extreme of intelligence. It is currently
termed as “mentally challenged”.
Mental retardation refers to a sub -average level of intelligence which is manifested
in about two or more areas of performance such as self -care, home living, social
skills, learning safety and health, self -direction and work. About one to three
percent of the population is found to be mentally retarded. The current
conceptualization of mental retardation is “the intelligence test performance two
or more standard deviations below the mean having limitations in adaptive
functioning such as failure to cope wi th the common tasks of daily living
appropriate to one‟s age and situation ”. People categorized as mentally retarded
can range from those who can be taught to work and do simple errands with little
special attention to those who cannot dress themselves, an d cannot be trained.
The later category must receive institutional treatment for their lifetime.
Mentally retarded with minor deficits are classified as mild retarded. Their
IQ scores range from 55 to 69 and they constitute 80 percent of total retarded
population. They can take simple jobs involving gross manual labor. Other levels of
retardation are termed as moderately retarded (IQs from 40 to 54), severely
retarded (IQs from 25 to 39), and profoundly retarded (IQs below 25).
Below is given the table of classification of mental retardation along with
their abilities of adaptation which includes capacity for self -care, speech and
communication, learning, social interact ion, vocational abilities and possibilities of
marriage.
New Directions in Intelligence
Emotional Intelligence
In the nineties (1990), the concept of emotional intelligence came to the fore by
Salovey and Mayer. According to Salovey, our current mood influences our self -
consciousness. They found that persons experiencing either pleasure or sorrow are prone
to be inward looking than persons in a neutral mood. The person’s mood induces him/her
to be desirous of understanding his /her own emotions and feelings.
People who are in a good mood report fewer symptoms and consider themselves
as psychologically healthier than people who are in a bad mood. (Salovey and Birnbaun,
1989). The emotional arousal and the cognitive states go tog ether. The researchers have
attempted to study emotion with accompanying cognitive states in guiding one’s social
intelligence expressed in thinking and attention. The following characteristics of
emotional intelligence have been identified by Salovey and Birnbaun: (a) reinforcement
of one’s cognitive activities by his emotional condition, (b) arousal, attention,
perception, and emotional expression, (c) self analysis of emotional input and its
utilization in cognitive action, and (d) control of one’s emotion intellectually.

Practical Intelligence
A high IQ score does not always guarantee success in life if it is without any
practical intelligence. Mentions have been made about Sternberg’s contextual
intelligence, which consists of practical knowledge applied to solving day -to-day life
problems. For example, practical intelligence is involved in getting along with people, in
replacing a fuse wire, repairing a constantl y flowing tap and so on. Sternberg calls such
practical knowledge “tacit knowledge”. Tacit knowledge includes all the useful and need -
based information about getting along in the real world that are not taught in schools or
colleges.

Sternberg cites the example of Celia, who was a graduate student. Celia was
street-smart. She knew how to manipulate the environment. Her score in traditional tests
were not very high, but she could succeed in almost every social context. The use of
practical intelligence is seen in the fields of politics, business, social communication, and
science. Sternberg has devised tests, which are designed to overcome the limitations of
traditional IQ tests. Successful persons whose IQ scores are rather low perform
competently on these tests.

Spiritual Intelligence
Spiritual Intelligence is a recent concept in the area of intelligence. After Dandh
Zoharand lan Marshall’s book “Spiritual Intelligence” got published in 2000, the concept
of spiritual intelligence came to the fore. It is a lso called spiritual quotient. It is related
to higher values, and meaningful existence in larger holistic context. Possibly, Budha,
Christ, Shankaracharya, Vivekandnda, Gandhi, Sivananda, Sri Aurobindo, Mother Theresa,
The Mother, Raman Maharshi, Acharya Rajanish, Maharshi Mahesh Jogi, Swamai
Satyananda, Sri Sai Baba, Amritanadmayee Maa and Sri Asharam Bapu have high spiritual
intelligence. Meditation helps in achieving spiritual intelligence.
 Zohar and Marshall have identified the following characteristi cs with people
having spiritual intelligence. Spiritual intelligence is associated with a greater degree of
self-awareness. It enables one to bear with tenacity and overcome suffering and pain.
Spiritual intelligence expands one’s ever -growing vision and sense of value. Persons
having high spiritual quotient (SQ) often encourage and energize others and become a
source of constant inspiration. They always delve deep into the matters and actions in
order to find the real reason behind the events. They develop the capacity to regulate
their own consciousness by overcoming their own stress and physical ailments such as
tension, high blood pressure etc. without medical assistance.
 Key Terms

Abstract thinking Intelligence test Intelligence

Mental age Intelligence Quotient Chronological age
Reliability Standardization Validity
Stanford-Binet Test Information-processing approach Psychometric approach
‘g’ factor Fluid intelligence ‘s’ factor
Crystallized intelligence Associative learning Primary Mental Abilities
Cognitive learning Multiple intelligences Structure of Intellect model
Linguistic intelligence Spatial intelligence Logical-mathematical
intelligence
Musical intelligence Interpersonal intelligence Bodily-kinesthetic intelligence
Intrapersonal intelligence Componential intelligence Triarchic theory
Experiential intelligence Practical intelligence Contextual intelligence
Mental self-government Planning PASS model
Attention Successive processing Simultaneous processing
Cognitive Assessment Object permanence Schemes
System
Adaptation Accommodation Assimilation
Equilibration Make-believe play Organization
Egocentric thinking Conservation Animistic thinking
Irreversibility Decentration Centration
Seriation Hypothetico-deductive reasoning Prepositional thinking
Class inclusion Tabula rasa Nature-nurture debate
Genotype Prenatal development Phenotype
Postnatal development Culture-fair tests Raven’s Progressive Matrices
Gifted children Mentally retarded children Emotional intelligence
Spiritual intelligence
 SUMMARY

1. Intelligence is a complex capacity to profit from experiences and training, to adapt

successfully to new situations, and to think abstractly using symbols and concepts.
The operational definition of intelligence is that intelligence is what intelligence
tests test.

2. Intelligence is not directly observable; it is assessed through tests. In order to be

useful, a test must be reliable, valid, and standardized.

3. Alfred Binet began objective intelligence testing in France in the 1900s. He

proposed the concept of Mental Age. Stern proposed the concept of IQ. One’s
intelligence is indicated by IQ, which is determined by child’s mental age divided by
the chronological age multiplied by 100.

4. The important tests of intelligence are Stanford-Binet, and the Wechsler Scales
(WISC-R, WAIS-R, WPPSI). IQ is normally distributed in the population with a mean
of 100.

5. Three major approaches to the study of intelligence are: (a) psychometric

approach, (b) information-processing approach, and (c) cognitive-developmental
approach.

6. The psychometric approach studies intelligence as an ability measured by standard

tests. The theories of Spearman, Cattell, Thurstone, Jensen, Guildford, and Gardner
exemplify psychometric approach to the study of intelligence. Spearman viewed
intelligence as consisting of a general factor or ‘g’ factor, and several specific
factors or ‘s’ factors. Thurstone proposed that human intelligence is an integration
of seven primary mental abilities (PMA). Cattell broke down intelligence into two
relatively independent components: fluid intelligence (reasoning) and crystallized
intelligence (knowledge).

7. Jensen thought of intelligence as consisting of two levels of abilities: Level I ability

(associative learning), and Level II ability (cognitive learning). The Structure of
Intellect model by Guilford holds the view that intelligence has three dimensions:
content (type of information), product (form of representation), and operation
 (type of mental activity). According to Guilford, there are 150 separate activities
involved in intelligence.

8. Gardner developed a theory of multiple intelligences. On the basis of his

observation, he concluded that there are eight types of intelligence such as
linguistic, logical-mathematical, spatial, musical, bodily-kinesthetic, interpersonal,
intrapersonal, and natural.

9. The information processing approach focuses on the processes underlying

intelligent behavior. Sternberg’s triarchic theory postulates that intelligence has
three major components: componential intelligence (analysis of information),
experiential intelligence (using previous knowledge), and contextual intelligence
(adapting to practical life situation).

10. The PASS model, another information-processing approach developed by Das,

understands intelligence in terms of planning, attention, and simultaneous and
successive processes. The intellectual activity begins with attention, and passes
through stages of coding to the process of planning. Planning defines the essence
of intelligence. Das’s theory has resulted in the Cognitive Assessment System, now
used for measuring the PASS processes.

11. Piaget’s cognitive-developmental approach focuses more on the qualitative rather

than quantitative aspects of development, and specifies that children’s thought
processes change with age. Children’s cognitive structure (scheme) changes with
age through processes of adaptation and organization. Adaptation involves two
complementary processes such as assimilation and accommodation.

12. According to Piaget, children proceed through four successive stages of

development to think like adults. In the sensorimotor stage, infants acquire the
basic concepts of cause and effect. In the preoperational stage, children engage in
symbolic thinking, but their thought processes are limited by egocentric and
animistic thinking. In the stage of concrete operations, children are capable of
logical thought and show understanding of conservation and reversibility. But their
logical thinking is confined only to concrete physical reality. Finally, in the formal
 operational stage, older children can show formal logical thinking, manipulate
abstract concepts, and engage in prepositional thinking.

13. Piaget’s theory has been challenged on several grounds. Piaget has seriously
underestimated the intellectual competence of infants and young children.
Cognitive development does not take place in a stage-like manner as Piaget had
postulated. He has overlooked not only other important dimensions of
development, but also the significant influence of language and social interaction
on cognitive development.

14. The wide variety of individual differences in intelligence is brought about by

hereditary and environmental factors. The genetic heritage is called genotype, and
its expression in behavioral terms is called phenotype.

15. Those favoring a hereditary position draw their evidence from studies of twins and
adopted children. Jensen believes that genetic influence accounts for 80 percent of
variations in intelligence leaving only 20 percent to be manipulated by the
environment.

16. Both prenatal and postnatal environmental variations contribute to intellectual

development. The major prenatal influences are mother’s nutrition, emotional
state, illness, and use of drugs, and birth complications.

17. The postnatal environment includes factors related to home environment, parent-
child interaction, social and environmental deprivation, SES, race and culture, sex,
personality dispositions, and physiological conditions of the child.

18. The IQ testing should be done by trained experts with the help of established tests.
In spite of their usefulness, IQ tests have several limitations. They provide an index
of intellectual product, not the underlying processes. Unless used properly, IQ tests
may encourage labeling and discrimination. The stigma attached to a low-IQ child
may lower his self-concept, inhibiting further developmental processes. IQ tests at
best predict school-related success but fail to measure creative insight and life
success. They produce a fixed and static measure of behavior.
19. Though it is difficult to fully eliminate cultural bias in intelligence tests, it is possible
to make it culture-fair. Some culture-fair intelligence tests are Raven’s Progressive
Matrices, SOMPA, and Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children. The IQ score
should be used along with observation of individual’s daily life activities to make
better predictions about his future achievement.

20. Mohsin is one of the pioneers of intelligence testing in India. Several Indian
researchers have laid down theoretical views on intelligence, but most of the
Indian intelligence tests do not confirm to the standard procedures of test
preparation.

21. The intellectually gifted children have an IQ score of more than 130. They show
superior performance on a variety of intellectual tasks, and are emotionally more
mature. They occupy the top end of the intelligence continuum.

22. Mental retardation refers to sub-average intellectual functioning and poor social
adaptive behavior. There are four categories of mentally retarded children: mild,
moderate, severe, and profound.

23. The field of intelligence has recently expanded to include concepts such as
emotional intelligence, practical intelligence, and spiritual intelligence. These new
dimensions point to different areas of individual’s competence and when judged
along with traditional IQ measures would provide a composite picture of
individual’s overall life competence.
 QUESTIONS

A. True-False Items

(State whether each of the following statements is True (T) or False (F))

1. Intelligence is a cognitive process.

2. IQ is a measure of emotional intelligence.

3. Intelligence implies abstract thinking.

4. A reliable test measures what it intends to measure.

5. Galton is regarded as the father of mental tests

6. Binet developed the concept of IQ.

7. A bright child’s chronological age is higher than his mental age.

8. A person with an IQ of100 is intellectually superior.

9. People with high intelligence are generally socially withdrawn.

10. Mentally retarded children have an IQ below 70.

11. When CA and MA are same, IQ is 100.

12. Psychometric approach examines the processes underlying intelligence.

13. Sternberg’s theory exemplifies the information-processing approach.

14. Spearman proposed the theory of multiple intelligences.

15. Fluid intelligence denotes reasoning capacity.

16. Associative learning is Level II ability

17. Scientists have high logical-mathematical intelligence.

18. Singers have higher spatial intelligence.

19. Jensen proposed the Structure of Intellect Model.

20. Crystallized intelligence refers to the acquired knowledge base.

21. Interpersonal intelligence is required to understand oneself.

22. R. N. Tagore was high on spatial intelligence.

23. Contextual intelligence is regarded as practical intelligence.

24. Planning is regulated by the frontal lobe.

25. Sternberg proposed triarchic theory of intelligence.

26. Das views intelligence as a static behavior.

27. Practical intelligence is learned through observation and modeling.

28. The PASS processes do not require a knowledge base

29. Planning is different from intelligence.

30. Componential intelligence refers to the knowledge acquisition component.

31. Contextual intelligence is known as street smartness.

32. Coding is not essential for planning to take place.

33. Simultaneous process is a coding process.

34. Cortical arousal is a brain stem function.

35. Sternberg developed the Cognitive Assessment System.

36. Experiential intelligence is called practical intelligence.

37. Adaptation involves the process of organization.

38. Cognitive structures are known as schemes, according to Piaget.

39. Assimilation refers to adjustment to the environmental demands.

40. Piaget emphasizes the quantitative characteristics of development.

41. Infants show sensorimotor schemes.

42. Object permanence is attained during the sensorimotor stage.

43. Concrete operational children are fully illogical.

44. Preoperational children attain the concept of conservation.

45. Prepositional thinking is shown during the formal operational stage.

46. According to Piaget, intelligence is a particular instance of biological adaptation.

47. Cognitive changes take place through process of adaptation.

48. For Piaget, sequence of development is invariant.

49. The sensorimotor stage extends up to 3 years.

50. Symbolic activity emerges during the preoperational stage.

51. Concrete operational children show egocentric thinking.

52. Concrete operational thinking is irreversible.

53. Piaget has underestimated the intellectual capacities of young children.

54. The nature-nurture debate refers to prenatal and postnatal influences.

55. Locke believed that the mind of a newborn is a tabula rasa. ,

56. Rousseau favored environmental influence on intellectual development.

57. Jensen argued in favor of genetic influence on intelligence.

58. Schooling frees children’s thought processes from concrete social contexts.

59. Males are usually superior to females in verbal and language skills.

60. Genotype is shaped by phenotype.

61. Individual’s intellectual expression is a phenotype.

62. According to Jensen 80 percent of intelligence has a genetic basis.

63. Males are superior to females in spatial abilities.

64. Supportive home environment promotes self-reliance.

65. Mothers are more important than fathers in determining the intellectual level of
the home environment.

66. Fetal alcohol syndrome is related to mother’s malnutrition.

67. Personality dispositions are not related to intellectual development.

68. IQ tests measure emotional intelligence.

69. Raven’s Progressive Matrices Test is a culture-fair test of intelligence.

70. Bhatia test of intelligence is mostly popular in India.

71. Gifted children are emotionally more mature.

72. Mentally retarded children have an IQ of less than 70.

73. IQ tests may lead to stigma and discrimination.

74. It is almost impossible to develop a culture-free test of intelligence.

B. Multiple Choice Items

(Choose the correct alternative from the bracket to fill up the blanks or answer
the question)

1. Intelligence primarily consists of....... (motivational disposition, cognitive skills,

emotional expressions, feelings).

2. ........ is regarded as the father of mental tests. (Stern, Binet, Gallon, Cattell).

3. When CA is equal to MA, the IQ is ..:..... (100, 90, 120, none of these).

4. ....…. introduced the concept of mental age (Binet, Wechsler, Stern, Galton).

5. The average IQ of the population is ...... (80, 90, 100, 110).

6. ....... is not an important characteristic of a psychological test (reliability, validity,

length, standardization).

7. ....... regarded intelligence as an innate general cognitive capacity (Galton,

Spearman, Wechsler, Gardner).

8. ....... devised the concept of IQ (Binet, Stern, Galton, Guilford).

9. Those below an IQ of...... are considered mentally retarded (85, 70, 95,110).

10. The theory of multiple intelligence was proposed by.….... (Gardner, Spearman,
Jensen, Das).

11. Architects have high...….intelligence (interpersonal, musical, spatial, linguistic).

12. The structure of intellect model was proposed by ..….. (Jensen, Sternberg,
Guilford, Gardner).

13. Two-factor theory of intelligence was given by ...... (Spearman, Sternberg,

Thurstone, Cattell).

14. Person’s acquired knowledge base refers to ..…... (Level II ability, divergent
thinking, fluid intelligence, crystallized intelligence).

15. The PASS model was given by........ (Sternberg, Gardner, Das, Jensen).

16. ..…... developed triarchic theory of intelligence (Sternberg, Das, Piaget, Cattell)

17. Coding of information is associated with …..... (brain stem, lower part of cerebral
cortex, frontal-temporal lobes, spinal cord).

18. ....... intelligence is known as practical intelligence (componential, contextual,

experiential, crystallized).

19. Analyzing information to solve problems is ....... intelligence (com- ponential,

contextual, experiential, practical).

20. ....... refers to focusing one’s consciousness on a stimulus (coding, attention,

planning, successive processing).

21. ....... intelligence does not constitute a major component of Sternberg’s theory on
intelligence (componential, practical, fluid, experiential).

22. Successful adaptation to one’s environment reflects….... intelligence (contextual,

experiential, spatial, intrapersonal).

23. Integrating stimuli into meaningful patterns involves ..…... processes (successive,
attentional, planning, simultaneous).

24. ........ developed Cognitive Assessment System (Piaget, Sternberg, Gardner, Das).

25. If a test yields the same results consistently, it can be called as ....... (reliable,
valid, standardized, norm-referenced).

26. The cognitive-developmental approach to the study of intelligence owes its origin
to ..... (Sternberg, Piaget, Guilford, Das).
27. What changes with age, according to Piaget, is called ....... (scheme, principle,
conservation, adaptation).

28. Interpreting the external world through existing cognitive structures is called …....
(assimilation, accommodation, organization, equilibration).

29. ...…... refers to the balancing process between assimilation and accommodation
(adaptation, organization, conservation, equilibration).

30. ........ stage comes just before the formal operational stage (preoperational,
concrete operational, sensorimotor, none of these).

31. ........ is a characteristic of concrete operational child’s thinking (propositional

thinking, hypothetico-deductive reasoning, decentration, irreversibility).

32. Egocentric thinking is a characteristic of a ....... child (sensorimotor,

preoperational, concrete operational, formal operational)

33. Focusing attention on a single aspect of stimulus situation is called .....

(centration, deceleration, reversibility, seriation).

34. Class-inclusion problems are mastered during the ..... stage (sen-sorimotor,
concrete operational, preoperational, formal operational).

35. Retracing steps in thinking shows ........ (decentration, conservation, seriation,

reversibility).

36. Child acquires the concept of conservation during the ....... stage (formal
operational, sensorimotor, preoperational, concrete operational).

37. The correlation between the IQs of the identical twins reared together is ......
(.72, .86 .65, .76).

38. ….... favors a strong genetic influence on intelligence (Jensen, Skeels, Scarr,
Locke)

39. Person’s genetic heritage is called …..... (phenotype, genotype, intelligence,

prenatal).

40. ….... believed that intelligence runs in families (Jensen, Locke, Freud, Galton).
41. Child’s intellectual skills are facilitated if the parents are….... (supportive,
disciplined, authoritarian, restrictive).

42. According to .….... 80 percent of intelligence is inherited (Guilford, Galton,

Jensen, Binet).

43. .…... was a pioneer of intelligence testing in India (Bhatia, Sharma, Das, Mohsin).

44. ….... is regarded as a culture-fair test of intelligence (WAIS-R, Stanford-Binet,

Raven’s Progressive Matrices, WISC-R).

C. Short-Answer Questions

(Write the answer to each question in 5 sentences).

1. What is intelligence?

2. State some basic characteristics of intelligent persons.

3. What is reliability?

4. State the basic requirements of a psychological test.

5. Explain the concept of mental age.

6. What was the contribution of Wechsler to intelligence testing?

7. What is psychometric approach?

8. Name the seven primary mental abilities, according to Thurstone.

9. What is interpersonal intelligence?

10. What is the structure of intellect model?

11. Name Gardner’s eight types of intelligence.

12. What is intra-personal intelligence?

13. What is Spearman’s contribution to the field of intelligence?

14. Distinguish fluid from crystallized intelligence.

15. Distinguish Level I from Level II ability.

16. What is information-processing approach?

17. State the three major components of intelligence according to Sternberg.

18. What is practical intelligence?

19. What is planning?

20. Distinguish simultaneous from successive processing.

21. What is experiential intelligence?

22. What is componential intelligence?

23. Who is an intelligent person according to Sternberg?

24. What is tacit knowledge?

25. State the PASS processes.

26. What is contextual intelligence?

27. Is coding required for planning?

28. What are the four stages of development, according to Piaget?

29. Explain the concept of scheme.

30. Explain the process of adaptation.

31. What is equilibration?

32. What are called functional invariants?

33. Distinguish between assimilation and accommodation.

34. Why is cognitive organization important?

35. State two major accomplishments of sensorimotor children.

36. What is conservation?

37. State two important characteristics of preoperational thinking.

38. Explain the concept of centration.

39. Explain the concept of irreversibility.

40. What is formal operational thinking?

41. Mention two major criticisms against Piaget’s theory.

42. What is propositional thinking?

43. Distinguish phenotype from genotype.

44. What is nature-nurture debate?

45. What are Jensen’s views regarding determinants of intelligence?

46. What are prenatal influences on child’s intellectual development?

47. Mention four important environmental determinants of intelligence.

48. Do boys differ from girls in intelligence?

49. Are personality dispositions related to intelligence?

50. What is emotional intelligence?

51. Who are intellectually gifted?

52. Who are mentally retarded children?

53. How many categories of mentally retarded children are there?

54. Mention two limitations of IQ tests.

55. Is Raven’s Progressive Matrices Test a culture-fair test of intelligence?

D. Essay-Type Questions

(Write long answers)

1. Define intelligence and briefly discuss different approaches to the study of

intelligence.

2. What is intelligence? Discuss Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences.

3. Critically examine Sternberg’s triarchic theory of intelligence.

4. Explain in detail Das’s PASS theory of intelligence.

5. What is intelligence? Discuss the factors affecting intelligence.

6. Discuss Piagetian conception and theory of intelligence.

7. Critically examine whether or not intelligence is determined by hereditary or

environmental factors.

8. Elucidate different theoretical positions regarding whether intelligence is unitary

or multifaceted.

9. Discuss the nature-nurture controversy in intelligence.

ANSWERS

A. True-False Items

1. T 2. F 3. T 4. F 5. T 6. F 7. F 8. F
9. F 10. T 11. T 12. F 13. T 14. F 15. T 16. F
17. T 18. F 19. F 20. T 21. F 22. F 23. T 24. T
25. T 26. F 27. T 28. F 29. F 30. T 31. T 32. F
33. T 34. T 35. F 36. F 37. F 38. T 39. F 40. F
41. T 42. T 43. F 44. F 45. T 46. T 47. T 48. T
49. F 50. T 51. F 52. F 53. T 54. F 55. T 56. F
57. T 58. T 59. F 60. F 61. T 62. T 63. T 64. T
65. T 66. F 67. F 68. F 69. T 70. T 71. T 72. T
73. T 74. T
 B. Multiple Choice Items

1. cognitive skills 2. Galton 3. 100 4. Binet 5. 100

6. length 7. Galton 8. Stern 9. 70 10. Gardner
11. spatial 12. Guilford 13. Spearman 14. crystallized 15. Das
intelligence
16. Sternberg 17. fronto- 18. contextual 19. componential 20. attention
temporal
lobes
21. fluid 22. contextual 23. simultaneo 24. Das 25. reliable
us
26. Piaget 27. Scheme 28. assimilation 29. equilibration 30. concrete
operational
31. decentration 32. preoperation 33. centration 34. concrete 35. reversibility
al operational
36. concrete 37. .86 38. Jensen 39. genotype 40. Galton
operational
41. supportive 42. Jensen 43. Mohsin 44. Raven’s
Progressive
Matrices