An unconditioned stimulus (US) is something that naturally triggers a reflexive response without prior learning or conditioning. For example, the smell of food causing hunger or a loud noise causing a startle response. Unlike aconditioned stimulus(CS), you do not have to learn to respond to the unconditioned stimulus; rather, the response occurs automatically.Examples of unconditioned stimulus Unlike aconditioned stimulus(CS), you do not have to learn to respond to the unconditioned stimulus; rather, the response occurs automatically....

On This Page:ToggleSynaptic TransmissionHow Neurons Sum Up SignalsPostsynaptic PotentialsNeurotransmitter ReuptakeSynaptic Plasticity On This Page:Toggle On This Page: A synapse is the junction wheretwo neurons communicate without physically touching. It consists of: Chemical messengers calledneurotransmittersbridge this gap to transmit signals between neurons. Terminal buttonsat the ends of neurons contain vesicles filled withneurotransmitters. When an electrical signal (action potential) reaches these terminals, it triggers the release of these chemical messengers. The neurotransmitters cross thesynaptic cleftand bind to receptors on the receiving neuron....

On This Page:ToggleHow Does It Work?TypesDifferent From Punishment?Negative vs. Positive ReinforcementIn the classroomEffectiveness On This Page:Toggle On This Page: Key Takeaways How Does It Work? Negative reinforcement refers to the process of removing an unpleasant stimulus after the desired behavior is displayed in order to increase the likelihood of that behavior being repeated. Skinner argued that learning is an active process. When humans and animals act on and in their environment, consequences follow these behaviors....

On This Page:ToggleSocial Learning TheoryObservational LearningExamplesCritical Evaluation On This Page:Toggle On This Page: social cognitive theory What is Social Learning Theory? SLT is often described as the ‘bridge’ between traditional learning theory (behaviorism)and the cognitive approach. This is because it focuses on how mental (cognitive) factors are involved in learning. Unlike Skinner, Bandura (1977) believes humans are activeinformation processorsand think about the relationship between their behavior and its consequences. Assumptions Social learning theory considers how both environmental and cognitive factors interact to influence human learning and behavior....

Aversion therapy is a behavioral therapy technique to reduce unwanted behavior. It pairs the stimulus that can cause deviant behavior (such as an alcoholic drink or cigarette) with some unpleasant (aversive) stimulus, such as an electric shock or nausea-inducing drug.With repeated presentations, the two stimuli become associated, and the person develops an aversion towards the stimuli which initially caused the deviant behavior.Aversion therapy is based onclassical conditioning. According to learning theory, two stimuli become associated when they frequently occur together (pairing)....

During the 1960s, Albert Bandura conducted a series of experiments onobservational learning, collectively known as the Bobo doll experiments. Two of the experiments are described below: Aim Sample Bandura, Ross, and Ross (1961) tested 36 boys and 36 girls from the Stanford University Nursery School aged between 3 to 6 years old. It was then possible to match the children in each group so that they had similar levels of aggression in their everyday behavior....

On This Page:TogglePrinciples of BehaviorismBehaviorist TheoryApplicationsIssues & DebatesStrengthsWeaknessesHistorical Timeline On This Page:Toggle On This Page: Behaviorism, also known as behavioral learning theory, is a theoretical perspective in psychology that emphasizes the role of learning and observable behaviors in understanding human and animal actions.Behaviorism is a theory of learning that states all behaviors are learned through conditioned interaction with the environment. Thus, behavior is simply a response to environmental stimuli.The behaviorist theory is only concerned with observable stimulus-response behaviors, as they can be studied in a systematic and observable manner....

On This Page:ToggleWhat is Bloom’s Taxonomy?Cognitive DomainAffective DomainPsychomotor DomainRevised TaxonomyBloom’s Taxonomy VerbsCritical EvaluationFAQs On This Page:Toggle On This Page: Bloom’s Taxonomy is a set of three hierarchical models used to classify educational learning objectives into levels of complexity and specificity. The three lists cover the learning objectives in cognitive, affective, and sensory domains, namely: thinking skills, emotional responses, and physical skills. Key Takeaways blooms Take a moment and think back to your 7th-grade humanities classroom....

On This Page:ToggleHow It WorksExamplesKey PrinciplesCritical Evaluation On This Page:Toggle On This Page: John B. Watsonproposed that the process of classical conditioning (based on Pavlov’s observations) was able to explain all aspects of human psychology. If you pair a neutral stimulus (NS) with an unconditioned stimulus (US) that already triggers an unconditioned response (UR) that neutral stimulus will become a conditioned stimulus (CS), triggering a conditioned response (CR) similar to the original unconditioned response....

On This Page:ToggleConstructivism PhilosophyTypes of ConstructivismTeachingCritical Evaluation On This Page:Toggle On This Page: Constructivism is a learning theory that emphasizes the active role of learners in building their own understanding. Rather than passively receiving information, learners reflect on their experiences,create mental representations, and incorporate new knowledge into theirschemas. This promotes deeper learning and understanding. Constructivism Philosophy Knowledge is constructed rather than innate, or passively absorbed.Constructivism’s central idea is that human learning is constructed, that learners build new knowledge upon the foundation of previous learning....

On This Page:ToggleDevelopmentExplaining Human BehaviorBehaviorismCritical EvaluationImpact On Motivation On This Page:Toggle On This Page: Drive reduction thosry is a theory of learning in which the goal of motivated behavior is a reduction of a drive state. The theory assumes that all motivated behavior arises from drives, stemming from a disruption in homeostasis, and that responses that lead to reduction of those drives tend to be reinforced or strengthened. For example, hunger creates a drive to eat....

On This Page:ToggleThorndike TheoryExperimental EvidenceCritical EvaluationAdditional Laws of Learning In Thorndike’s Theory On This Page:Toggle On This Page: Summary Thorndike Theory “Responses that produce a satisfying effect in a particular situation become more likely to occur again in that situation, and responses that produce a discomforting effect become less likely to occur again in that situation (Gray, 2011, p. 108–109).” Edward Thorndike (1898) is famous in psychology for his work on learning theory that leads to the development ofoperant conditioningwithinbehaviorism....

Ausubel’s Ideas Expository Method of Teaching Expository Teaching (sometimes called Reception Learning) has been particularly influential in the contemporary British classroom. LikePiaget, Ausubel was interested in the process through which new information is incorporated into existing schemata. At the basis of his theory is the statement that “the most important single factor influencing learning is what the learner already knows.” This implies that existing knowledge is as important as anything new, as it is in these structures in which new learning will be incorporated (or, using Ausubel’s terminology,subsumed)....

On This Page:ToggleCattell’s Theory of IntelligenceFluid IntelligenceCrystallized IntelligenceHow the Intelligence Types Work TogetherImproving Fluid Intelligence On This Page:Toggle On This Page: Fluid intelligence refers to the ability to reason and solve novel problems, independent of any knowledge from the past. It involves the capacity to identify patterns, solve puzzles, and use abstract reasoning.On the other hand, crystallized intelligence refers to the ability to use knowledge, facts, and experience that one has accumulated over time....

Gagne’s theory of instructional learning offers a more rounded theory of learning and instruction than other cognitive psychologists; and one which offers far more directive advice on how the teacher should manage individual lessons. Instructional Events The nine events provide a framework for designing and delivering instruction in a structured and systematic manner. Here is a brief explanation of each event: Examples In doing this, his perspective provides a fairly straightforward recipe that allows teachers to formulate effective lessons that are likely to encourage the acquisition and recall of new concepts....