Tolman's cognitive analyses: predecessors of current approaches in psychology.
Hindsight is always helpful. I hope that I have provided some appreciation of why the experiment by Tolman et al. (1946) is a classic and deserves to be included in this series. Evaluating the extent to which this particular experiment actually influenced the development of all of the endeavors described above is difficult, and I leave it to those individuals who have an interest in the history of science to draw the appropriate conclusions. Even without direct causality, the continued relevance of this experiment is striking. We might all wish that we have sufficient foresight to investigate significant problems in such a way that our own contributions are still considered important almost 50 years after we make them.
Olton
D S
DS
Department of Psychology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21218.
D000818:Animals; D004193:Discrimination Learning; D011939:Mental Recall; D009949:Orientation; D011235:Predatory Behavior; D011340:Problem Solving; D051381:Rats