Psychology Chapter 6.3: Learning Types

Study Notes

Latent Learning

Latent learning refers to knowledge acquired without immediate reinforcement or recognition.
It becomes apparent only when necessary, revealing previously hidden information.
Example: Leanne navigates to room 131 despite never visiting, indicating she subconsciously learned the building layout.

Examples of Latent Learning

Isabel finds her friend at 7-11 without prior experience in the store, showcasing latent knowledge of the location.
A child can drive to school using the same route daily, demonstrating learned behavior even without personal driving experience.

Observational Learning

Observational learning involves acquiring new behaviors through the observation of others.
It does not require reinforcement, allowing individuals to learn both good and bad behaviors.
This learning method emphasizes the impact of role models in shaping actions.

Examples of Observational Learning

Common behaviors such as driving, eating, and speaking are learned through imitation.
Infants replicate actions they observe, illustrated by videos of babies mimicking adults (e.g., sneezing or dancing).
Negative behaviors, like aggression, are also learned, as demonstrated in the Bobo Doll Experiment.

Albert Bandura's Bobo Doll Experiment

Conducted by psychologist Albert Bandura with 72 children aged 3-6 to study mimicking behavior.
One group of children observed a woman exhibiting aggression towards a Bobo doll, while the control group saw no aggression.
Findings revealed that children exposed to aggressive behavior were more inclined to display similar aggression, supporting theories of observational learning.

Description

Explore the concepts of latent and observational learning in this flashcard quiz. Delve into how learning can occur without reinforcement and how it manifests in real-life scenarios. Perfect for psychology students looking to strengthen their understanding of these key theories.