Introduction to Learning and Behavior

Questions and Answers

What is learning?

A relatively permanent change in behavior or behavior potentiality that results from experience.

Which of the following are measures of learning? (Select all that apply)

Performing a completely new behavior (correct)

Changing the frequency of an existing behavior (correct)

Changing the color of a behavior

Changing the intensity of an existing behavior (correct)

What are the four predominant learning styles?

Visual, Auditory, Read/Write, Kinaesthetic (correct)

Visual, Tactical, Rhetorical, Kinesthetic

Linguistic, Interpersonal, Intrapersonal, Digital

Logical, Social, Musical, Naturalistic

What did Plato believe about learning?

He believed that learning is a process of reflection to discover knowledge that already exists within the soul. Signup and view all the answers

What did Aristotle propose about knowledge?

Aristotle believed that knowledge is acquired through experience and the association of these experiences. Signup and view all the answers

Rene Descartes proposed the idea of mind-body dualism.

True Signup and view all the answers

John Locke proposed that we are born with a mind like a ______.

blank slate Signup and view all the answers

Who is known as the father of psychology?

Wilhelm Wundt Signup and view all the answers

What does behaviorism propose about psychology?

Behaviorism asserts that psychology must focus only on studying observable behaviors. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Introduction to Learning and Behavior

Definition of Learning: A permanent change in behavior resulting from experience, not due to temporary physical states like illness or fatigue.
Innate Behaviors: Behaviors such as reflexes that are inborn and emerge during maturation are not classified as learned.

Measures of Learning

Forming new behaviors.
Adjusting the frequency or speed of existing behaviors.
Modifying the intensity or complexity of existing behaviors.
Reacting differently to specific stimuli.

Types of Learning

Simple Learning
Associative Learning
Complex Learning

Learning Styles

Different approaches to understanding and retaining new information.
Predominant learning styles include:
- Visual
- Auditory
- Read/Write
- Kinaesthetic

Historical Antecedents of Learning

Plato: Believed knowledge is inborn and learning involves reflection to access existing knowledge.
Aristotle: Argued that knowledge is gained through experience; formulated four laws of association:
- Law of Similarity
- Law of Contrast
- Law of Contiguity
- Law of Frequency
Rene Descartes: Introduced mind-body dualism; the mind induces voluntary actions while the body performs reflexive responses.
British Empiricists: Asserted all knowledge originates from experience; John Locke described the mind as a blank slate (tabula rasa).
Structuralism: Studies the structure of the mind via introspection; led by Wilhelm Wundt and Eward Titchener. Wundt is known as the father of psychology.
Functionalism: Proposed focusing on the adaptive functions of the mind, inspired by Darwin's work on natural selection; established by William James.

Behaviorism

Emphasizes studying observable behaviors to ensure psychology is a science.
John B. Watson: Recognized as the father of behaviorism.
Schools of Thought:
- Methodological Behaviorism (Watson): Advocates for observing behavior directly; introduces S-R theory (Stimulus-Response connection).
- Neobehaviorism (Clark Hull): Incorporates intervening variables to explain behaviors.

Description

Explore the fundamentals of learning and behavior in this quiz. Understand definitions, types of learning, and various learning styles, along with historical perspectives from philosophers like Plato and Aristotle. Test your knowledge on how learning influences behavior and the innate behaviors that shape our experiences.