Introduction to Learning and Behavior

Russ Powell earned his Ph.D. in psychology under the mentorship of notable behavior analysts Dr. Frank Epling and Dr. David Pierce at the University of Alberta. As a long-standing faculty member at MacEwan University, Dr. Powell has taught classes in learning and behavior for more than 30 years using a variety of behaviorally inspired formats. He has published and conducted research in a wide range of areas, including operant conditioning, social psychology, sleep and dreams (especially nightmares) and self-regulation. He has also researched the history of psychology and helped identify the individual believed to have been Little Albert, the famous infant in whom Watson and Rayner (1920) attempted to condition a phobia of furry animals (Powell, Digdon, Harris, and Smithson, 2014). Lynne Honey -- a self-described "evolutionary behaviorist" -- completed a Ph.D. in experimental psychology in Jeff Galef's lab at McMaster University, studying the role of social learning on alcohol consumption in rats. She has published a number of papers on this topic and considers social learning to be one of the most powerful adaptations available to our species and others. Dr. Honey joined the department of psychology at MacEwan University in 2003 because of its focus on teaching and student engagement. She currently conducts research on human social behavior in an evolutionary context, focusing on the influence of personality traits on social behaviors. She also studies the effectiveness of various teaching methods, and she has been recognized with several awards for innovation and excellence in teaching. Diane Symbaluk received her Ph.D. in sociology from the University of Alberta in 1997, with a specialization in criminology and social psychology. She joined MacEwan University in 1996 to pursue her joint passion for teaching and research mentorship. Her publications include textbooks, journal articles and more than 40 pedagogical resources such as study guides, test banks, instructor manuals and online resources. Dr. Symbaluk's contributions to student success through teaching and educational leadership have been recognized with distinguished teaching awards and a 3M National Teaching Fellowship.