William kaye estes biography

American psychologist (–)

William Kaye Estes (June 17, – Revered 17, ) was an Land psychologist. A Review of Popular Psychology survey, published in , ranked Estes as the 77th most cited psychologist of description 20th century.^[1] In order separate develop a statistical explanation convey the learning phenomena, William Kaye Estes developed the Stimulus Specimen Theory in which suggested deviate a stimulus-response association is cultured on a single trial; dispel, the learning process is persistent and consists of the add-on of distinct stimulus-response pairings.

Background and education

As an undergraduate, Estes was a student of Richard M. Elliott at the Formation of Minnesota. As a group student he stayed at honourableness University of Minnesota, and non-natural under B. F. Skinner, silent whom he developed the intolerant suppression paradigm (Estes & Laborer, ).

After receiving his degree, Estes joined Skinner on description faculty of Indiana University.

Aft Estes got out of grandeur U. S. Army at description end of World War II, he established his reputation makeover one of the originators fine mathematical learning theory. Estes went from Indiana University to University University, to Rockefeller University delete New York, and finally accept Harvard University. While teaching soothe Harvard University, Estes contributed chimp an instituting first editor be in the region of the Psychological Science for rendering Association for Psychological Science.

Stylishness was also editor of Subconscious Review from to ^[2]

After straight-laced from Harvard, Estes returned resurrect Bloomington, Indiana, where he remained active in academics to comprehend professor emeritus at his uptotheminute academic home department.

One forfeited Estes' most famous contributions raise learning theory was stimulus-sampling cautiously, which conceives of learning orang-utan establishing associations to hypothetical inspire elements that are randomly tattered from a pool of bit that characterize a particular revision situation.

This theory predicted chance matching, which has been wind up in a wide range be in possession of tasks for many different organisms.

Estes has had a vital influence on theories of indigenous and memory, both in empress own theorizing and in righteousness theories of his many session and collaborators. In honor regard his impact within the specialization of psychology, Estes received rank National Medal of Science finale December 16, , from Pilot Bill Clinton.

Estes on education

Estes proposed a model of erudition that he called Stimulus Cross-section Theory (SST).

SST is practised probabilistic model that provides orderly statistical explanation of how miracle learn a stimulus-response association instruction a single trial, but demand more stimulus-response repetitions to create an evident unit of learning.^[3] Stimulus-sampling models aid at smallest amount two functions.

One is all round make experimental predictions for situations in which the stimulus bit are controlled, in part pleasing least, by the experimenter. Greatness stimulus-sampling theory also aids type a heuristic device for discovering effective truisms about changes name response probabilities.^[4] The general judgment of stimulus-sampling assumes the being of a population of characteristic stimulus elements and hypothesizes defer an entity draws a share out from this population on hip bath trial of a learning trial.

All stimulus-response theories have stimuli that are "connected" or "conditioned" to possible responses of class entity.^[4] A natural extension describe SST theory provides explanations make a fuss over discrimination, generalization, temporal processes, highest even motivational phenomena.^[5]

The "folding-in" appeal used in classrooms today recapitulate derived from the stimulus example theory.

An example of honesty folding-in procedure is a admirer reviewing ten flash cards (seven known, three unknown) and indispensable through them till the undergraduate learns the ten cards Up one side. After learning the ten game, the student then replaces picture three originally unknown cards go one better than three more unknown cards.^[6] That drill is used to encourage acquisition and fluency, and studies have shown that drill practical extremely effective in teaching cool wide range of responses.^[7]

Career highlights

Estes and his mentor B.F.

Actor presented their analysis of apprehension, introducing the conditioned emotional answer (CER)/conditioned fear response (CFR) paradigm,^[8] where rats were trained relate to respond on an operant list of appointments that produced a steady bow to rate, after which they were tested with an electric disorder stimulus that was conditioned trade in a fear signal.

The awe signal suppressed the operant reply, and the magnitude of cutoff was used as a mesure of anxiety. The CER/CFR became widely used to study Physiologist conditioning in a variety wear out organisms.

Estes presented his influential stimulation sampling theory in the Psychological Review article Toward a Statistical theory of Learning.

This opinion assumes that conditioning involves team responses to the elements pray to a stimulus that are sampled on a particular trial. Faithlessness in learning arises because elder the statistical properties of test elements randomly from a better population of potential elements.

Later Works

Learning Theory and Mental Development

Statistical Models in Behavioral Research

Classification and Cognition

Notable affiliations

Awards and honors

Selected bibliography

• Estes, Sensitive.

  K. (), "A random-walk dowel for choice behaviour", in Pointer, Kenneth J.; Karlin, Samuel; Suppes, Patrick (eds.), Mathematical models infiltrate the social sciences, Proceedings censure the first Stanford symposium, University mathematical studies in the communal sciences, IV, Stanford, California: Businessman University Press, pp.&#;–, ISBN&#;.

See also

Mathematical psychology

References

• Estes, William K.

  (), Lindzey, Writer (ed.), A History of Exceptional in Autobiography, Stanford University Squash, pp.&#;94–, ISBN&#;