BAHS 112: Psychology of Learning

The Psychology of Learning

• Learning involves how humans and animals acquire knowledge and skills through interaction with their environment.
• Different scholars provide various definitions, highlighting its complexity and multi-faceted nature.
• Commonly accepted definitions emphasize that learning leads to relatively permanent changes in knowledge or behavior due to experience.

Attributes of Learning

• Process Over Time: Learning is not a singular event; it involves a series of interactions and experiences.
• Long-Term Change: Changes resulting from learning are enduring, unlike temporary changes from external factors like drugs or fatigue.
• Knowledge Change: The primary focus of learning is on the transformation of knowledge structures, not just observable behavior.
• Experience as Catalyst: Learning necessitates prior experience, which acts as the catalyst for behavioral changes.
• Hidden Processes: The learning process is often internal and not directly observable; behavior changes reflect this internal learning.
• Behavioral Outcomes Vary: Learning can lead to changes that are either desirable or undesirable, impacting overall behavior.

Relevance of Learning

• Essential for acquiring life skills, knowledge, and effective social interaction.
• Supports adaptation to environments and contributes to overall well-being and emotional maturity.

Domains of Learning

• Psychomotor Domain: Involves physical skills such as walking and talking.
• Cognitive Domain: Encompasses the ability to acquire, retain, and organize information for problem-solving.
• Affective Domain: Relates to the development of attitudes, values, and feelings.

Types of Learning

• Classical Conditioning (CC):

  • Discovered by Pavlov, involving the association of stimuli.
  • Involves a Neutral Stimulus (NS) becoming a Conditioned Stimulus (CS) after being paired with an Unconditioned Stimulus (UCS).
  • Key processes include extinction (loss of association), spontaneous recovery (reemergence of association), and learning by association.
  • Common applications include advertising, where positive emotions are associated with products.

• Operant Conditioning:

  • A neo-Behaviorist theory where behavior is shaped by expected consequences.
  • Learning is active; individuals operate in their environment to influence their outcomes.
  • Known as instrumental learning, as individuals actively engage in the learning process.
  • Practical applications include reward systems in parenting and workplaces, motivating desired behaviors through incentives.

Application of Learning Theories

• Classical Conditioning Examples:

  • Advertising exploits children's association between play (UCS) and toys (CS) for consumer behavior.
  • Fear responses can arise from negative experiences, such as a traumatic dog encounter resulting in a phobia.

• Operant Conditioning Examples:

  • Reward structure where parents incentivize children to complete chores.
  • Workplaces using bonuses to reward employees, influencing task completion behavior.

These insights form the foundation of understanding the psychology of learning within allied health sciences and beyond.

This quiz covers key concepts in the Psychology of Learning relevant to allied health sciences. You will explore the definition of learning, its attributes, and its importance in both human and animal lives. Additionally, various types of learning and their applications will be discussed.