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Learning and Memory
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Learning and Memory LearningLearning is a process that involves a lasting change in behaviour or knowledge due
to experience. It can be seen in various situations, such as a baby learning to walk, a
student studying for exams, or a grandfather regaining hand function after a stroke.
Although these types of learning differ in terms of psychological processes and brain
involvement, they all fall under the definition of learning.
Types of Learning
There are different types of learning: associative learning and non-associative
learning.
1. Associative Learning:
Associative learning is based on the principle that ideas and experiences reinforce
each other and can be mentally linked. Our brains are not designed to remember
isolated information; instead, we group related information into associative
memories. For example, it's difficult to recall just one part of a face, like an
eyebrow, without visualizing the whole face.
One famous example of associative learning is classical conditioning,
demonstrated by Ivan Pavlov's experiment with dogs. Pavlov paired a bell with a
reward (food), resulting in the dogs salivating at the sound of the bell. Over time, the
conditioned stimulus (bell) alone could elicit the response (salivation). When the bell
was repeatedly presented without the reward, the behaviour eventually decreased,
leading to extinction.
Another type of associative learning is operant conditioning, as demonstrated by
Skinner. In operant conditioning, behaviour is shaped through rewards and
punishments. Positive reinforcement involves adding a reward, while negative
reinforcement involves removing something unpleasant. Positive punishment
involves adding something unpleasant, and negative punishment involves taking
away something desirable.
Here are the tables summarizing classical conditioning and operant conditioning:
Classical Conditioning:
Type of Learning Description Example
Classical Pairing a stimulus (e.g., bell) with a reward (e.g., Pavlov's dogs salivating at the sound of a
Conditioning food) bell
Operant Conditioning:
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