maze report 2.docx - Psychological Practicum Experiment #2:...

Psychological Practicum
Experiment #2:
Transfer of learning
Submitted to: Miss Naseem Irfan
Submitted By: Summaiya Abdullah
Date of submission
Institute of professional psychology
Bahria University
Karachi.

Introduction:
Definition of Maze:
According to N., Sam M.S, “It is a task wherein players must discover a path through increasingly tougher
labyrinths without getting trapped in blind alleys.
According to the APA Dictionary of Psychology, "A system of crossing routes and blind alleys that must
be negotiated from an entry to an exit." Mazes of many varieties are utilized in research with both human
and nonhuman animals.
According to Richard G. M. Morris, a British neurologist, “a maze is a device designed to assess spatial
learning in nonhuman animals, consisting of a water-filled tank with a platform buried beneath the water.”
Definitions of Learning:
1) According to Washburne, J. N. Learning is described as "an improvement in problem-solving skill
gained through experience," i.e., an increase in the accomplishment of goals in the face of
difficulties acquired through experience.
2) According to B.F skinner ,” learning is a process of ‘conditioning’ in an environment of
stimulus, reward, and punishment.”
3)
“
A change in human disposition or capability that persists over a period of time and is not
simply ascribable to processes of growth.”
—
From The Conditions of Learning by Robert Gagne
Definition of transfer of learning:
According to Crow and Crow: “The carryover of habits of thinking, feelings or working of
knowledge or skills from one learning areas to another is usually referred to as Transfer of
learning”
According to Sorenson: “Transfer is referring to the transfer of knowledge, training and habits
acquired in one situation to another situation”
According to Judd: “Transfer is a form of generalization”
According to Guthrie: “Transfer may be defined as a process of extending and applying
behavior”
Types of transfer of learning:
Positive Transfer : When something previously learned improves performance or learning in a new
context, it is considered to be positive transfer. For example, knowing how to type can help you learn how
to type on a computer.
Negative Transfer : When prior knowledge impedes, blocks, or interferes with performance or learning in
a new setting. It's referred to as negative transfer. For example, having learnt to pronounce 'but' correctly,
what occurs later on when a similar sort of spelling 'put' when this item sprouted up has a detrimental

impact on the youngsters. Or The pronunciation of one's native tongue becomes an impediment to the
pronunciation of the English language.
Zero Transfer : It is considered to be zero transfer when learning of one activity neither aids nor hinders
with learning of new task.