Meets with F738. This course deals with learning, memory, and other
issues pertaining to the performance by individuals and groups of
various folkloric phenomena. Topics covered in this course typically
appear under such titles as "How People Learn," "Learning by the
People," etc.  Among the topics to be explored are:

	I.  Aspects of learning; learning 'unstructured' materials:
affective components, emotions and sentiments.

	II. The process of communication; transmission; form and
learning:  the capacity to formulate, coding and decoding, to teach
and to learn.

	III. Variables in the learning of lore:  issues of
structure, 'impressiveness,' subjects' age, gender, mental set, etc.

	IV. Context and Learning: independent and dependent variables
in learning.  Social factors; the social role, the norm.

	V.  Effect and social learning.

	VI. The cybernetics model, feedback theory:  mere knowledge
of results; processing of information; perceptual-motor skills;
learning and performance; kinesics and craftsmanship in traditional
culture.

	VII. Factors involved in the process
of  "recalling"/"remembering."  Performance as a constituent
of "learning process."

Text books:
	Hasan El-Shamy. "Folkloric Behavior: A Theory [and Field Case
Analysis] for the Study of the Dynamics of Traditional Culture";
Indiana University, 1967.

	Hasan El-Shamy. Folk Traditions of the Arab World: a Guide to
Motif Classification, 2 vols., (Indiana University Press, 1995).

	Other selected works in folklore and related disciplines.

Exams: 2--take home

Papers:  One term paper emphasizing research,

Fulfills a COAS Social and Historical Studies