Article Title :
Aptness of a Purposive Behaviourist and an Academic Activist-Tolman

Author Name :
Lalit Kumar

Keyword :
Purposive Behaviourism, Academic Activist, Field Theorist, Sign Learning, Place Learning, Latent Learning, Intervening variables

Publisher :
Politic India Publication

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Abstract :
After Kurt Lewin, Tolman is the second important field theorist. His nature of work is different from Lewin as his primary orientation was behaviourism. He was not close to Gestalt school of thought; rather he was having association with behaviourist like John B. Watson. He was influenced by Watson, but he was not his follower. He prepared a bridge between behaviourism and cognitivism. He is being considered as the father of Purposive Behaviourism. Lewin has not developed a learning theory, but Sign Learning Theory of Tolman strengthens the concept of Cognitive Field Theory and glorifies and represents Lewins initiation. His work and theory are relevant today as well. The world remembers him as a Purposive Behaviourist and an Academic Activist. He forwarded Sign Learning Theory by experimenting and concluding that cognitive structure is being made by the individual in the process of learning. His passion for academic freedom was so towering that the academic world still recalls him as a fighter of Academic Autonomy. His aptness, utility, and relevance as a psychologist and academician is unchallenged due to his concepts like sign learning; Independent, dependent, and intervening variables; purposive behaviourism, etc. His saying that learning is a change in cognitive structure is still valid and useful. His concept of latent learning justifies learning is not due to reinforcement. His learning related concepts like cathexis, equivalence belief, field expectations, field cognition modes, drive discrimination, motor pattern, etc. make him different from other psychologists. His brilliance and uniqueness are praiseworthy. His place learning experiments, reward expectancy experiments, and latent learning experiments make him a universal educationist and a versatile psychologist. Despite some limitations he is aptly useful today and will remain useful further for his unique and excellent works.