Course Note
Learning:
A relatively permanent change in behavior that occurs as a result of a person’s interaction with the environment.
The definition has several points that are:
1. Learning involves changes.
2. The change must be relatively permanent.
3. The change must be based on some form of practice or experience.
Theories of learning:
1. Classical Conditioning:
Classical Conditioning states that behavior is learned by repetitive association between a stimulus and a response. The elements present in this theory are:
a. Unconditional Stimulus like food which causes react in certain way.
b. Unconditional Responses take place when the unconditional stimulus is presented.
c. Conditional Stimulus-the object that does not initially brings about the desired response.
d. Conditioned Stimulus – a particular behavior that the organism learns to produce.
Ivan Pavlov’s demonstrations:
Ivan Pavlov demonstrated the classical conditioning process. When Pavlov presented a piece of meat to the dog in the experiment, Pavlov noticed a great deal of salivation. He termed the food as an unconditioned stimulus and the salivation an unconditioned response. When the dog saw the meat, it salivated. On the other hand, when Pavlov merely rang a bell, the dog did not salivate. Pavlov subsequently introduced the sound of a bell each time the meat was given to the dog. The dog eventually learned to salivate in response to the ringing of the-bell-even when there was no meat. Pavlov had conditioned the dog to respond to a learned stimulus. Thorndike called this the "law of exercise" which states that behavior can be learned by repetitive association between a stimulus and a response.
2. Operant Conditioning:
An operant is defined as a behavior that produces effects. Operant conditioning, basically a product of Skinnerian psychology, suggests that individuals emit responses that are either not rewarded or are punished. Operant conditioning is a voluntary behavior and it is
A relatively permanent change in behavior that occurs as a result of a person’s interaction with the environment.
The definition has several points that are:
1. Learning involves changes.
2. The change must be relatively permanent.
3. The change must be based on some form of practice or experience.
Theories of learning:
1. Classical Conditioning:
Classical Conditioning states that behavior is learned by repetitive association between a stimulus and a response. The elements present in this theory are:
a. Unconditional Stimulus like food which causes react in certain way.
b. Unconditional Responses take place when the unconditional stimulus is presented.
c. Conditional Stimulus-the object that does not initially brings about the desired response.
d. Conditioned Stimulus – a particular behavior that the organism learns to produce.
Ivan Pavlov’s demonstrations:
Ivan Pavlov demonstrated the classical conditioning process. When Pavlov presented a piece of meat to the dog in the experiment, Pavlov noticed a great deal of salivation. He termed the food as an unconditioned stimulus and the salivation an unconditioned response. When the dog saw the meat, it salivated. On the other hand, when Pavlov merely rang a bell, the dog did not salivate. Pavlov subsequently introduced the sound of a bell each time the meat was given to the dog. The dog eventually learned to salivate in response to the ringing of the-bell-even when there was no meat. Pavlov had conditioned the dog to respond to a learned stimulus. Thorndike called this the "law of exercise" which states that behavior can be learned by repetitive association between a stimulus and a response.
2. Operant Conditioning:
An operant is defined as a behavior that produces effects. Operant conditioning, basically a product of Skinnerian psychology, suggests that individuals emit responses that are either not rewarded or are punished. Operant conditioning is a voluntary behavior and it is