Unlimited Associative Learning as a Null Hypothesis
Accepted version
Peer-reviewed
Repository URI
Repository DOI
Change log
Authors
Halina, Marta https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3482-4281
Abstract
jats:titleAbstract</jats:title>jats:pA common strategy in comparative cognition is to require that one reject associative learning as an explanation for behavior before concluding that an organism is capable of causal reasoning. In this paper, I argue that standard causal-reasoning tasks can be explained by a powerful form of associative learning: unlimited associative learning (UAL). The lesson, however, is not that researchers should conduct more studies to reject UAL, but that they should instead focus on 1) enriching the cognitive hypothesis space and 2) testing a broader range of information processing patterns—errors, biases and limits, rather than successful problem solving alone.</jats:p>
Description
Keywords
5003 Philosophy, 50 Philosophy and Religious Studies, 5002 History and Philosophy Of Specific Fields, Behavioral and Social Science, Basic Behavioral and Social Science, Mental Health, Mental health
Journal Title
PHILOSOPHY OF SCIENCE
Conference Name
Journal ISSN
0031-8248
1539-767X
1539-767X
Volume Title
Publisher
Cambridge University Press (CUP)