OBSERVATION OF BEHAVIOR, INFERENCE OF FUNCTION, AND THE STUDY OF LEARNING

Before the present century, the primary means of studying animals was observation of the form and effects of their behavior combined with pr esumption of their intent. In the present century, ethologists continu ed to emphasize observation of form and replaced presumption of intent with the study of proximate function and evolution. In contrast, most learning psychologists minimized both observation of form and presump tion of intent by defining behavior in terms of simple environmental e ffects and establishing intent by deprivation operations. We discuss a dvantages of the use of observation in the study of learning, examine arguments that it is unnecessary, irrelevant, and unscientific, and co nsider some practical considerations in using observation. We conclude that observation of the form of behavior and concern with its ecologi cal function should be an important part of the arsenal of techniques used to study learning.