Neurophysiological and Evolutionary Theories of Learning Essay

In the study of learning, learning theories are categorized into paradigms or schools of thought based on viewpoints shared by scientists that provide a framework for research. Three of the major paradigms of learning theories include the cognitive paradigm, the neurophysiological paradigm and the evolutionary paradigm. The first paradigm is referred to as cognitive because theorists place their emphasis on the cognitive nature of learning. According to Hergenhahn and Olson (2005), the second paradigm is called neurophysiological because it attempts to isolate the mental and physiological correlates of things such as learning, perception, thinking and intelligence. The third paradigm is termed evolutionary because theorists attempt to explain learning processes based on an organism’s evolutionary history. DiscussionThere are several theorists whose ideas are predominately cognitive. Theses theorists include the Gestalt psychologists Kurt Lewin and Kurt Koffka, as well as Jean Piaget, Edward Chace Tolman, and Albert Bandura. Wertheimer, Kohler and Lewin were founders of the Gestalt movement. According to Hergenhahn and Olson (2005), Gestalt theorists believed that â€Å"we experience the world in meaningful wholes and do not see isolated stimuli but stimuli gathered together into meaningful configurations† (p. 264). Kurt Lewin proposed a field theory of human motivation. He believed that behavior and cognitive processes are determined by various psychological facts that a person is consciously experiencing. The psychological facts are interdependent and any change in one can affect all the others, therefore influencing our behavior. Kurt Koffka, another Gestaltist falling under the cognitive paradigm defined the law of Pragnanz in Gestalt Theory. The law of Pragnanz states that, â€Å"all mental events tend toward completeness, simplicity, and meaningfulness† (Hergenhahn and Olson, 2005, p. 473). Followers of Gestalt theory used this law as a guiding principle when studying learning. Another cognitive theorist was Jean Piaget. Jean Piaget contributed several theories including intelligence, schemata, assimilation and accommodation, and interiorization. According to his theory of intelligence, â€Å"intelligence  is any act that creates optimal conditions for the organism’s survival under the existing circumstances† (Hergenhahn and Olson, 2005 p. 295). Intelligence effects how one adapts to the ever-changing environment. In Piaget’s schemata theory a person’s schema is a cognitive structure that allows a person to act and respond to the environment. A schema can be either overt or covert behavior. The theory of assimilation explains how a person can respond to the environment using existing cognitive structures. The theory of accommodation explains how an organism adapts to the environment by modifying cognitive structures. Piaget’s concept of interiorization is described by Hergenhahn and Olson (2005) as â€Å"the gradual decreased dependence on the physical environment and the increased utilization of cognitive structures† (p. 299). Through this process, organisms can respond to more complex situations by thinking about them. Edward Chace Tolman’s ideas were also predominately cognitive. He believed that organisms develop a mental picture of the environment which he referred to as a cognitive map. The cognitive map develops when mental expectations are confirmed by experience. When an organism is faced with a problem, it utilizes the cognitive map and chooses the best solution requiring the least amount of work according to Tolman’s principle of least effort that will result in satisfaction. Albert Bandura, another cognitive theorist suggested that behavior is learned through observation. He theorized that learning is influenced by four processes. The first process, the attentional process, involves the observer attending to the model. The second process is called the retentional process. This process involves the observer retaining the information gained from the observation by storing it cognitively. The third process is the behavioral production process which requires the learner to have the physical capabilities or behavioral abilities to perform what is learned. The final process, the motivational process provides incentives that motivate the learner to actually perform what has been learned. Bandura also theorized that people’s behavior is also determined by reciprocal determinism. Hergenhahn and Olson (2005) summarize Bandura’s concept of reciprocal determinism by stating that, â€Å"behavior, the environment, and  people (and their beliefs) all interact† (p. 349). Falling under the neurophysiological paradigm is the theorist Donald Olding Hebb. Some of his theories included that of restricted environments, enriched environments, cell assemblies, phase sequences, and sensory deprivation. In Hebb’s theory of restricted environments, Hergenhahn and Olson (2005), explain that if an environment lacks stimulation or experience, it can have a negative impact on the growth and development of nervous system. A restrictive environment can disrupt normal intellectual and perceptual development. In contrast, an enriched environment full of stimulation and experience can enhance development. Hebb also believed that â€Å"each environmental object we experience stimulates a complex pattern of neurons called cell assemblies† (Hergenhahn and Olson, 2005, p. 379). The cell assemblies provide the basis of a thought. When cell assemblies become interconnected they form phase sequences. Phase sequences allow us to have streams of thoughts. According to Hergenhahn and Olson (2005), â€Å"Hebb concluded in his theories that â€Å"not only is sensory information necessary for proper neurophysiological development, but it is also necessary for the maintenance of normal functioning† (p. 384). When an organisms experience sensory deprivation, severe cognitive disorientation, stress and fear can occur. Hebb believed that the environment had a direct effect on mental and physiological processes which influenced behavior and learning. The final paradigm is the evolutionary paradigm. Attempting to explain the learning process using evolutionary principles was the theorist Robert C. Bolles. Hergenhahn and Olson (2005) state that Bolles believed that â€Å"learning involved the development of expectancies† (p. 425). Expectancies are when an organism learns that one event leads to another. Bolles believed that organisms had innate predispositions for behavior and that motivation restricts response flexibility. Hergenhahn and Olson (2005) explain that an organism’s natural reaction in a situation may make it difficult to learn a new response. Using the niche argument, â€Å"Bolles argued that an understanding of learning must be accompanied by an understanding of the evolutionary history of the organism† (Hergenhahn and Olson, (2005), p. 427). According this argument, organisms have to learn certain behaviors that they are  predispositioned for and not learn others depending on their niche and how they fit in the big picture. This can determine whether the organism is successful or not in adapting to its environment. Conclusion Although learning theorist in the various paradigms have attempted to explain learning and its processes, many questions are still unanswered. One of these questions is how does learning vary as a function of maturation? If learning occurs differently in different stages it would be beneficial to conduct research on how maturation affects the learning process. The information yielded from such research could be very beneficial in regards to education. Another unanswered question is how does learning vary as a function of species? If some organisms have the biological ability to learn certain behaviors and some do not, how can research involving different species be beneficial? If psychologists want to learn more about the learning process in humans, they should study humans rather than making generalizations across species. Other questions that remain unanswered involve learning and personality characteristics, learning as a function of the total environment, learning and associations, as well as learning and instinctive behavior. It is imperative that more research be conducted in an attempt to answer these questions about learning to give people a greater comprehension of learning. The more knowledge we have about the learning process and what affects it, the better we will be at making learning successful. References: Hergenhahn, B.R., & Olson, M. (2005). An Introduction to Theories of Learning. New Jersey: Pearson Education Inc.

DFA’s investment portfolio Essay

Identify the sources of value DFA is providing its investors DFA creates different value to its customers. For Registered Investment Advisor, the value was the educative access to top researchers who were developing innovative theories and empirical analyses. For high-net-worth individuals, it is low management fee as the services are provided through RIA. For other investors, the value is high performance of portfolio it manages. The sources of values DFA managed to create come from: – Close relationship with prominent academics, who also have stake in DFA. The academic research has played crucial role in the performance of DFA’s investment portfolio and brought substantial return to its customers over a long period of time. – Reputation of the DFA in small cap market help the firm reduce transaction cost, pick and choose the right stock to invest, contributing to positive return for its customers. 8. What are some of the trading costs associated with small, value stocks? How does DFA manage these potential trading frictions? Given the fact that small and value stocks have lower liquidity compared to large and growth stock, transaction of small and value stock is more difficult. There are some trading costs associated with them: – When investment fund wants to buy small and value stocks in open market, their price will go up very quickly. This increase in price will negatively affect the next purchase of the same stock of the investment fund. DFA instead of going to the market and bid for stock, it absorbs the selling demand from the others. By taking a large part of stock, it can even obtain a discount on the stock purchase. – Once the investment fund owns an amount of a certain stock, the future sales of stock to the market may pose some pressure on the price of stock. DFA when buying stock from seller would try to make sure that it take the whole position of th e seller so that it avoids the scenario when the seller sells the other part to the market and the price of stock goes down immediately after DFA buys it. – Same applied when the fund tries to sell its stock. If investment fund sells a large block of stock, the price of stock will be pushed down. To avoid this transaction cost DFA normally offers small amounts of stock to the market each day. It takes more time to sell out but the price of stock will be maintained. 12. Likewise, throughout the 1990s, growth stocks outperformed value stocks. Hence, should DFA reconsider its current strategy? What if growth continues to outperform value over the next five years. Would your answer change?  Again, how would you explain the poor performance of the fund to your clients? Although the growth stock outperformed value stocks in 1990s thanks to the high-tech boom, DFA should not reconsider its current strategy because of the following reasons: -Looking at a long period of time (from 1926 to 2004), despite some up and down, value stock still outperform growth stock (Tim’s calculation) -DFA’s philosophy of investment has been based upon market efficient. And according to market efficient theories, the higher return of growth stock given the lower level of risk compared to value stock will go away as people start to chase growth stock. Switching to growth stock will not help DFA to make sustainable return. Even though the growth stock continues to outperform for the next five years, our answer would not change. The growth stock cannot outperform the value stock for too long because it has lower level of risk. Value stock will soon bounce back in terms of return soon. 14. What future strategies would you recommend DFA pursue? Make a specific recommendation, and justify it. Should they abandon/modify/maintain their current size and value strategies? Should they explore other interesting anomalies and adopt similar strategies?

The Currency of Kenya Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Currency of Kenya - Essay Example An emerging market is those countries that have their cost of labor, either direct or indirect, low as compared to other countries cost of labor. This means that emerging markets have cheaper labor compared to wealthier nations. The wealthier nations have their labor cost high; hence investment in the wealthier countries is expensive. When wealthier nation invests in the emerging market, they spend less in their expense on the labor. They move fast to take advantage of the readily available cheaper source of labor. They invest in these emerging markets, capitalizing on their profits because they will spend a little amount of foreign currency on the labor. The emerging markets provide cheaper readily available labor, hence wealthier nations move quickly and invest in the emerging markets (Commission). The currency of Kenya exists as Kenyan shilling. Kenya offers to investment opportunities to the US government. Kenyan economy is moving to an open economy from a closed one. This ensures a stronger and a more stable economic prowess. An Exchange reform ensures a stable economy. When the US invests in Kenya, the Kenyan Shilling will be stable hence growing the economy to a greater height, hence attracting more investment. Sound political and economic environments attract investors. Foreign donations by the World Bank, IMF, and other world organization increase the confidence of other nations investing in Kenya (Commission). The spread return: this is the total amount the investor is expecting to get a profit from the investment. Investors risks by investing in foreign countries. Investors will invest more in a country when they ascertain more returns than when they invest in their country.

Market Entry Strategy from Ireland into the Germanic Cluster Essay

Market Entry Strategy from Ireland into the Germanic Cluster - Essay Example In 2005, DVD unit sales became so dominant, resulting to the remarkable decline in VHS sales. In Germany, there was 9.5% increase in DVD sales in the same year (European Video: The Industry Overview. 2008). Film Production Industry: In 2007, the German film industry was optimistic to have a better year as far as movie exhibit and distribution is concerned. In a report from the Federal Film Board (FFA) in Berlin, the market share of German movies remained at 19.5% over the past three years (Germany Film Industry Upbeat Again. 2007). On the other hand, distribution of blockbuster hits such as Harry Potter and Spiderman III contributed much to the industry, garnering 6.6M and 3.1M respectively. In home entertainment, the sales and rentals of video cassettes and DVDs reached 669-million-euro level during the first half of 2007. Germany’s Economic Condition: The tax policies in Germany allow foreign film production companies to enjoy huge profits, thus investors are able to write off the entire cost of producing a project. Profits come in the form of huge tax savings, and all the investors have to do is to find a German national to sell the rights of the film to. This is perfectly legal and is widely being done between Hollywood producers and local investors. The best way to enter the German Market at this point is through Licensing. Through this strategy, Tyrone productions will essentially allow a local company to use the properties of the Licensor in producing its products. These products are usually intangible such as trademarks, patents and production techniques. The licensee pays a fee in exchange for the rights to use the intangible property and possibly for technical assistance. Licensing requires little investment on the part of the licensor, thus it guarantees more profits for Tyrone in the distributorship of its DVDs. Furthermore, this scheme would enable Tyrone to take