Learning

Q: Write a note on the theories of learning.

           

Definition of Learning:

            Learning is a process we do all the time. We observe our sorroundings, experience the situation and gain knowledge and that knowledge change our behavior. Change in behavior indicate that learning has taken place. A generally accepted definition of learning is “ Learning is any relatively permanent change in behavior that occur as a result of experience”.

Theories of Learning:

            Following are the two theories to explain the process of learning.

1)      Classical conditioning.

2)       Social learning.

1) Classical conditioning:

            A conditioned response is learned by associating a conditioned stimulus (neutral) with an unconditioned stimulus (compelling), whereby the neutral stimulus becomes a conditioned response. It is a type of conditioning in which an individual responds to some stimulus that would not ordinarily produce such a response.

Experiment:

            Classical conditioning grew out of experiments to teach dogs to salivate in response to the ringing of a bell, conducted in the early 1900s by Russian physiologist Ivan Pavlov. A simple surgical procedure allowed pavlov to measure accurately the amount of saliva secreted by a dog. When Pavlov presented the dog with a piece of meat, the dog displayed a noticeable increase in salivation. When Pavlov withheld the presentation of meat and merely rang a bell, the dog did not salivate. Then Pavlov proceeded to link the meat and the ringing of the bell. After repeatedly hearing the bell before getting food, the dog began salivate as soon as the bell rang. After a while, the dog would salivate merely at the sound of the bell, even if no food was offered. In this experiment we can review the key concepts of classical conditioning.

            The meat was an unconditioned stimulus, it invariably caused the dog to react in a speacific way. The reaction that took place whenever the uncoditioned stimulus occurred was called the inconditioed response. The bell was an artificial stimulus, or what we call the conditioned stimulus. Although it was originally neutral, after the bell was paired with the meat, it eventually produced a response when presented alone.

2) Social Learning:

            The learning that occurs by observation and direct experience is called social learning. Social learning theory is an extension of operant conditioning. The influence of the model is central to the social learning theory.

Process in Social Learning:

1) Attentional Processes:

            People learn from a model only when they recognize and pay attention to its critical features. We tend to be most influenced by models that are attractive, repeatedly available, important to us, or similar to us in our estimation.

2) Retention Processes:

            A model’s influence will depend on how well the individual remembers the model’s action after model is no longer readily available.

3) Motor Reproduction Processes:

            After a person has seen a new behavior by observing the model, the watching must be converted to doing. This process then demonstrates that the individual can perform the modeled activities.

4) Reinforcement Processes:

            Individual will be motivated to exhibit the modeled behavior if positive incentives or rewards are provided. Behavior that are positively reinforced will given more attention, learned better, and performed more often