ABSTRACT
One cannot help but question the significance of psychology’s contribution to the development of effective instructional procedures. On the one hand, psychology has been very influential in the field of education. In the last 25 years almost every major innovation in education—programmed textbooks, behavioral objectives, ungraded schools, individually prescribed instruction, computer managed and assisted instruction, token economies, and tailored testing to name a few—can be traced to psychology. In many cases these innovations have not been due to psychologists primarily identified with education, but rather to laboratory scientists whose research has suggested new approaches to instruction. Psychology can be proud of that record of accomplishment. But upon closer examination, it is evident that these accomplishments are not as closely linked to psychological research as many might believe. Psychology has suggested new approaches to education, but these suggestions have not led to sustained research programs that have the promise of producing a truly effective theory of instruction. Rather, psychology seems to provide the stimulus for innovation, but innovation that has not in turn led to a deeper understanding of the learning process.
