Contiguity Theory

8/19/2019 Contiguity Theory

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Edwin GuthrieEdwin Guthrie

ContiguityContiguity

TheoryTheory

Prepared By ShuhudhaRizwan


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"a combination of stimuli which"a combination of stimuli whichhas accompanied a movementhas accompanied a movement

will on its recurrence tend to bewill on its recurrence tend to be

followed by that movement".followed by that movement".––Guthrie (Guthrie (1952)1952)


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According to contiguityAccording to contiguity

theory:theory:

all learning is based on a stimulus-responseall learning is based on a stimulus-responseassociationassociation

each stimulus-response combination produceseach stimulus-response combination producesa small movement.a small movement.

these movements make up an actthese movements make up an act a learned behavior is a series o movements.a learned behavior is a series o movements.

it takes time or the movements to developit takes time or the movements to developinto an act.into an act.

behavior involves repetition o movementsbehavior involves repetition o movements


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ccordin! to conti!uity theoryccordin! to conti!uity theorywhat is learned are movementswhat is learned are movements

not behaviorsnot behaviors


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#ovement $ %earnin!#ovement $ %earnin! !earnt movements!earnt movements are minuteare minute

responses made by the muscles andresponses made by the muscles and

are based on stimulus responseare based on stimulus response

associations.associations.

A learned behaviorA learned behavior "act# is based on"act# is based on

a number o learnt movements puta number o learnt movements put

together.together.


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Guthrie&s 'perimentGuthrie&s 'periment


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$he %uthrie&s e'periment tells us that an $he %uthrie&s e'periment tells us that an

animal learns an association between aanimal learns an association between a

stimulus and a behavioral act ater onlystimulus and a behavioral act ater onlyone e'perience.one e'perience.

(umerous trials are not duplications) but(umerous trials are not duplications) butlearning to respond to similar stimuluslearning to respond to similar stimulus

comple'es. *nly ater we orm severalcomple'es. *nly ater we orm several

associations can the behaviour be learnt.associations can the behaviour be learnt.

hat do we learn fromhat do we learn from

Guthrie*s eperiment+Guthrie*s eperiment+


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+hat about orgetting,+hat about orgetting,

,onti!uity theory,onti!uity theory implies thatimplies that

orgetting occurs when one habitorgetting occurs when one habit

prevents another due to some strongerprevents another due to some strongerstimuli.stimuli.

%uthrie stated that orgetting is due to%uthrie stated that orgetting is due tointererence because the stimuliintererence because the stimuli

become associated with new responsesbecome associated with new responses


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-rinciples of conti!uity-rinciples of conti!uity

theorytheory n order or conditioning to occur) the organismn order or conditioning to occur) the organism

must actively respond "i.e.) do things#.must actively respond "i.e.) do things#.

Since learning involves the conditioning o specicSince learning involves the conditioning o specicmovements) instruction must present verymovements) instruction must present very

specic tasks.specic tasks.

/'posure to many variations in stimulus patterns/'posure to many variations in stimulus patternsis desirable in order to produce a generalizedis desirable in order to produce a generalizedresponse.response.

$he last response in a learning situation should be $he last response in a learning situation should becorrect since it is the one that will be associated.correct since it is the one that will be associated.


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'ducational'ducationalmplicationsmplications

0+e learn only what0+e learn only what

we ourselves do0we ourselves do0


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Problems with 1ontiguityProblems with 1ontiguity

$heory $heory

learning is immediate and one-trial) learning is immediate and one-trial)

why are learning curves gradual,why are learning curves gradual,

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Contiguity Theory