Question

Which psychologist proposed the concept of a cognitive map ?

• A. Albert Bandura
• B. Bruner
• C. Terman
• D. Tolman

Answer 1

Answer:

D. Tolman

Edward C. Tolman

• Concept Origins: The term cognitive map was introduced by American psychologist Edward C. Tolman in his 1948 paper, "Cognitive maps in rats and men."

• Theoretical Basis: Tolman proposed this concept to challenge the dominant behaviorist view of B.F. Skinner and Clark Hull, who argued that learning was merely a sequence of stimulus-response associations.

• Latent Learning: The theory was supported by his famous experiments with rats in a maze, which demonstrated that subjects could develop an internal representation of their environment without explicit reinforcement. This phenomenon is known as latent learning.

• Key Distinction: Unlike simple associative learning, a cognitive map implies that an organism develops a mental model or a flexible 'map' of spatial relationships within a physical environment.

• Significance: This research marked a critical turning point in psychology, serving as a foundational pillar for the Cognitive Revolution, which shifted the focus from observable behavior to internal mental processes.