- Published: October 4, 2022
- Updated: October 4, 2022
- University / College: University of California, Irvine
- Level: Masters
- Language: English
- Downloads: 10
Learning of the of the Learning is the complete process of obtaining information and data, updating previous information obtained at an earlier point in time and using these bits and pieces of information to make decisions and obtain more information. Various theorists have figured out different ways of learning, the three most popular ways of learning are recognized as cognitive learning, operant and classical conditioning. This method of learning was identified by Ivan Pavlov, according to him, if repeated pairing of conditioned stimuli is done with unconditioned stimuli, a conditioned response (Myers, 2011, p. 76). He stated that an unconditioned stimuli results leads to an unconditioned response. For example: When ever somebody shoots a gun, people start panicking. In this example panic is the unconditioned response to gunshot which is unconditioned stimuli. If this action is repeated again and again people will start believing that whenever a gun is used, it will shoot a bullet. Due to this even if gun is surprisingly used and bullet is not fired, people will start believing that the gun will be fired and they will panic. Panicking on the sight of a gun without shooting the gun is called conditioned response and the sight of a gun becomes a conditioned stimuli. Another way of learning is operant conditioning proposed by B. F. Skinner. According to him we can make people repeat a particular behavior or a behavior is learned and exhibited when reinforcement takes place (Hock, 2009, p. 156). He stated that if a person is offered a positive stimulus for a particular behavior right after that behavior is conducted, the person will repeat the behavior and if a negative stimulus is removed as soon as a behavior is conducted, the response will less likely occur again and will become extinct in future. Another part of this form of learning is punishment. Skinner states that if we want to decrease a certain behavior, we can use positive punishment and negative punishment. Positive punishment is removal of something positive from the environment so a behavior is not exhibited again and negative punishment refers to addition of something negative to the environment in order to make a particular behavior extinct. Both the operant and classical conditioning ways of learning require cognitive learning ability. This means that if learning has to take place then an individual should have the mental ability to understand a connection between the unconditioned stimuli and the unconditioned response and the conditioned stimuli and the conditioned response (Feldman, 2011, p. 187).
Operant conditioning is better way of learning than classical conditioning because in operant conditioning any stimulus can be used as punishment or reward to make a particular behavior extinct or cause reproduction of any behavior. While on the other hand, in classical conditioning only one stimulus is used to conduct learning, thus this can cause issues as the same stimulus or some other stimulus that is a replica of the conditioned stimulus will result in the same response. Classical conditioning appears to be very interesting as through classical conditioning unrelated stimulus can be used to conduct learning.
References:
Feldman, R. S. (2008). Essentials of understanding psychology. Boston: McGraw-Hill.
Hock, R. R. (2009). Forty studies that changed psychology: Explorations into the history of psychological research. Upper Saddle River, N. J: Pearson/Prentice Hall.
Myers, D. G. (2011). Exploring psychology: Eighth edition in modules. New York, NY: Worth Publishers.