Learning Theory by James V. McConnell
QR code
"Learning Theory" by James V. McConnell is a science fiction novel written during the late 1950s. The book explores themes of psychology and behaviorism through a unique narrative that examines concepts of learning, an important topic in the field of psychology. The protagonist, a psychologist, finds himself unwittingly studying his own behavior after being abducted and placed in a series of experimental tests reminiscent of the Skinner Box. The story unfolds as
the main character grapples with his identity and circumstances after being taken aboard an alien spaceship. He realizes that he has become a subject in an experiment designed by an alien psychologist, where he must navigate various learning tasks—including pressing levers for food and solving mazes—while dealing with the psychological implications of his situation. As he experiences the trials imposed by his captor, he reflects on the nature of learning and behavior, ultimately trying to thwart the alien’s expectations by manipulating the results of his own performance. The novel challenges the reader to consider the ethical dimensions of experimentation and the limits of scientific understanding in the realm of behavior. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
Download for free
For your e-reader or reading app — Kindle, Kobo, Apple Books, Calibre etc.
Kindle → Use Send-to-Kindle
Kobo, Nook etc → Transfer via USB
Phone, tablet or computer → Open in a reading app
Other formats & older devices
There may be more files related to this item.
About this eBook
| Author | McConnell, James V., 1925-1990 |
|---|---|
| Illustrator | Finlay, Virgil, 1914-1971 |
| Title | Learning Theory |
| Series Title | Produced from Worlds of If Science Fiction, December 1957 |
| Credits |
Produced by Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at www.pgdp.net |
| Reading Level | Reading ease score: 70.3 (7th grade). Fairly easy to read. |
| Language | English |
| LoC Class | PS: Language and Literatures: American and Canadian literature |
| Subject | Science fiction |
| Subject | Short stories |
| Subject | Psychological fiction |
| Subject | Diary fiction |
| Subject | Human-alien encounters -- Fiction |
| Subject | College teachers -- Fiction |
| Subject | Experiments -- Fiction |
| Subject | Psychologists -- Fiction |
| Category | Text |
| eBook-No. | 60434 |
| Release Date | Oct 5, 2019 |
| Last Update | Oct 17, 2024 |
| Copyright | Public domain in the USA. |
| Downloads | 337 downloads in the last 30 days. |
Project Gutenberg eBooks are always free!