There are three primary types of learning within behavioral psychology: classical conditioning, operant conditioning, and observational learning. These methods explain how organisms acquire new behaviors or modify existing ones through experience.
Classical Conditioning
Classical conditioning involves learning through association. A neutral stimulus becomes associated with a naturally occurring stimulus, eventually eliciting a similar response.
- Process: A neutral stimulus (e.g., a bell) is repeatedly paired with an unconditioned stimulus (e.g., food) that naturally evokes an unconditioned response (e.g., salivation). Eventually, the neutral stimulus (now a conditioned stimulus) alone elicits a conditioned response (e.g., salivation).
- Example: Pavlov's famous experiment with dogs. The sound of a bell (initially neutral) was paired with the presentation of food. Over time, the dogs began to salivate at the sound of the bell alone.
- Key Concepts: Unconditioned stimulus (UCS), unconditioned response (UCR), conditioned stimulus (CS), conditioned response (CR).
Operant Conditioning
Operant conditioning focuses on learning through consequences. Behaviors are strengthened when followed by reinforcement and weakened when followed by punishment.
- Process: An organism's behavior is modified by the consequences that follow it. Reinforcement increases the likelihood of a behavior, while punishment decreases it.
- Reinforcement:
- Positive Reinforcement: Adding a desirable stimulus to increase a behavior (e.g., giving a treat to a dog for sitting).
- Negative Reinforcement: Removing an aversive stimulus to increase a behavior (e.g., taking pain medication to remove a headache, making it more likely you'll take the medication again for a headache).
- Punishment:
- Positive Punishment: Adding an aversive stimulus to decrease a behavior (e.g., scolding a child for misbehaving).
- Negative Punishment: Removing a desirable stimulus to decrease a behavior (e.g., taking away a child's video game privileges for misbehaving).
- Example: Training a rat to press a lever by providing food pellets as a reward each time the lever is pressed.
Observational Learning
Observational learning (also known as social learning or modeling) involves learning by watching the behaviors of others.
- Process: Learning occurs by observing the actions of others and the consequences of those actions. The observer then imitates the behavior.
- Factors Influencing Observational Learning: Attention, retention, reproduction, and motivation.
- Example: A child learning to tie their shoes by watching their parent demonstrate the process.
- Key Figure: Albert Bandura's Bobo doll experiment demonstrated the power of observational learning in aggression.
In summary, behavioral psychology emphasizes these three fundamental learning types: classical conditioning (learning by association), operant conditioning (learning by consequences), and observational learning (learning by watching others). Each contributes uniquely to how we acquire and modify behaviors.
