Review Questions Learning is any relatively permanent change in behaviour or behavioural potential produced by experience or practice. It is an inferred process and differs from performance which is the observed behaviour/response/action. The main types of learning are: classical and operant conditioning, observational learning, cognitive learning, verbal learning, concept learning, and skill learning. Pavlov first investigated classical conditioning in the course of studies on digestion in dogs.
In this kind of learning an organism comes to associate stimuli. A neutral stimulus (CS) that signals an unconditioned stimulus (US) begins to produce a response (CR) that anticipates and prepares the organism for US. Skinner first investigated operant or instrumental conditioning (OC). An operant is any response voluntarily emitted by an organism.
OC is a type of learning in which response is strengthened if followed by reinforcement. A reinforcer can be any event that increases the frequency of preceding response. Thus, the consequence of a response is crucial. The rate of OC is influenced by the type, number, schedule, and delay of reinforcement.
Observational learning is also known as imitation, modeling and social learning. We acquire knowledge by observing a model’s behaviour. The performance depends on whether the model’s behaviour is rewarded or punished. In verbal learning words get associated with one another on the basis of structural, phonetic, and semantic similarity and contrast.
They are often organised in clusters. In experimental studies, paired-associates learning, serial learning, and free recall methods are used. Meaningfulness of material, and subjective organisation influence learning. It may be incidental also.
Concept is a category. It involves a set of features connected with a rule or instruction. A concept can be natural or artificial. Artificial concepts are well-defined while natural concepts are usually ill-defined.
Experimental studies of well-defined concepts have been undertaken through selection and reception procedures. The natural concepts have fuzzy boundaries. Skill refers to the ability to carry out complex tasks smoothly and efficiently. They are learned by practice and exercise.
The skilled performance is the organisation of S-R chain into large response patterns. It passes through cognitive, associative, and autonomous phases. Effect of prior learning on new learning is called transfer of learning. It may be general (e.g., warm-up) or specific.
It depends on similarity of S-R associations in the two learning tasks. Factors facilitating learning include motivation and preparedness of the organism. Learning style refers to the way in which each learner begins to concentrate on, process, and retain new and difficult information. Learning disabilities (e.g., reading, writing) restrict learning in people.
They are hyperactive, lack sense of time, and eye-hand coordination, etc. The principles of learning are applied in organisations, treatment of maladjustive reactions, child rearing, and school learning.