Investigações sobre o papel da generalização funcional em uma situação de resolução súbita de problemas (insight) em Rattus norvegicus

Abstract

Learning psychology was characterized by the debate of if learning is a gradual or a sudden process. While associassionists defended the first proposal, gestaltist stated the existence of abrupt learning situations. Among the main authors to defend this possibility was Wolfgang Köhler. This author work has been pointed out as evidence of learning as a sudden process. Although these works are relevant for showing the existence of situations when sudden learning occurs, it has been questioned frequently about his conclusions about why this kind of behavior phenomena occurs. Among many of the criticism made, the most debated one is the lack of history control of his experimental subjects, nevertheless the disregard of the role of that history over data obtained. Studies that investigated this role (Epstein et al., 1984 and Epstein & Medalie 1983, 1985) show that the typical insight response could be the result of previously learned repertoire combined. Epsteins works were important in showing that insight would be the combination of repertoires in appropriated situations through a process known as Functional Generalization. The present study aims to investigate if Functional Generalization is really responsible for repertoires interconexion that results into task resolution in a considered sudden way. To achieve that, Epsteins experiments were replicated, using rats as subjects. The results show that Functional Generalization seems to be a necessary requirement, but not enough to sudden problem resolution in a way considered as insight.