Meaningful Learning

After reading through chapter six, I began reading chapter seven of our psychology text titled, Learning. Learning is something we do everyday even we don’t realize it. While reading chapter seven, I learned that there are three different types of learning, classical conditioning, operant conditioning, and cognitive learning. Classical conditioning stands for two types of stimuli linking providing us the tools to have a reaction; this is the type of learning that involves automatic behaviors. Operant conditioning is the type of learning that causes a change in behavior, in reaction to consequences; this is the behavior that involves choosing of choices. Lastly, cognitive learning is the obtaining of new skills, behaviors, and information through

Since the early 1900’s psychologists have developed theories about how the human brain develops and how humans learn. Cognitive development is the construction of thought processes, including remembering, problem solving, and decision-making, from childhood through adolescence to adulthood (Wells, 2011). There are many factors that play vital roles in how we learn, some of which are intelligence, reasoning and memory.

Learning is the process of gaining knowledge about various issues that affects our lives and wellbeing. The learning takes place each and every day of our lives at any place and time. There are two ways in which learning takes place. There is the formal learning and informal learning. In most cases, the formal learning is got from various learning institutions which indeed have set rules and regulations on how the running takes place. Various tests are set to help in gauging whether the student is ready for the next learning sequence or not. Institutions therefore has a bigger influence on formal learning and development of these students. On the account of the informal learning, this takes place within our social context. This form of learning is based on the societal norms and beliefs of various communities across the world. The teaching of the culture and norms that any society holds dear are indeed made possible through informal learning. Here, there is no need for a classroom which would mean that they can be done any place either a house, under a tree or as people interact in the societal setting. This paper looks into the impacts that the societal and institution constraints have on learning processes of various individuals. It gives much attention to the factual connotations of how these two sets of learning have impacted on the growth and development of various students across the world. Notably, this research uses the connotations from two articles that dwells on

In the presented review, I aim to critically discuss this paper. I start with criticising Mackintosh’s approach of treating cognitive and associative processes as two distinct. Then, I examine Mackintosh’s point of view on animal learning. I conclude that Machintosh’s (1997) main claim about the importance of the associative learning is supported by subsequent research. Nevertheless, it is important not to neglect either associative, or cognitive approach, because they are not fundamentally different, and, at least in humans, both of them play a significant role.

T., & Freberg, L. A. (2013). Discovering Psychology The Science of Mind. Belmont, CA Wadsworth Cengage Learning. Retrieved from www.betheluniversityonline.net

It is important to know how we learn. Once humans understand the process for which

Learning is a fascinating concept. Everyone does it and everyone always has, but not everyone explores its eclectic process. That being said, through the course of history, it has been studied vehemently. Ivan Pavlov, a behaviorist, had some groundbreaking research on subclass of learning called classical conditioning. Coming across it incidentally, he discovered that dogs would salivate not only from eating food, but anything associated with them getting fed. Anything unnatural in their feeding process, he termed as the conditioned stimulus, which would result in the conditioned response of them salivating (Daniels). Though classical conditioning seems rather simple and commonsensible, the information psychologists have gathered from it has been revolutionary. It has shown psychologists the very basics of how we learn and adapt as organisms and opened the door for other studies (Myers 268). According to psychologists, learning is the process of acquiring new and relatively enduring information or behaviors (Myers 268).

Cognitive psychology is the study of mental processes surrounding learning, memory, perception, and thought. Though it is still a relatively new formal branch of psychology, its roots extend back to Descartes who sought a way to explain how the mind worked, proposing the analogy of a “hydraulic system of nerve function” (Willingham, 2007, p. 26) after he observed animated statues in Saint-Germain-en-Laye. It has been the restless pursuit of not only the idea of how the mind works but also what exactly constituted the mind that eventually led to the foundations of cognitive theory. As psychologists examined how

Individuals who realize their identity leads to their personalized sense of acceptance of human-connectedness. One’s experiences play a significant role in one’s life because experiences are the determinants of one’s perception of reality and while these experiences are highly dependent on an individual’s perception of reality, the experiences allow the individual to connect to their surroundings, which symbolizes their existence. Realization of the individual’s connection to the environment is a paradoxical phenomenon as it offers recognition through awareness of the existent. For example, a story is what defines your place as an individual in this world, because the story tells you history. The story is like a window given to the audience from the individual, allowing the audience to look into the individual’s

Learning is more than a person sitting at a desk and studying off a book. Everything that we do is a result of what we have learned. We respond to things that happen to us, we act and experience consequences from our behavior, and we observe what others say and do. Psychologists explain our many experiences with basic learning processes.

Recognizing the different learning processes is a vital step in understanding how others learn around you. Whether you realize it or not, there are many different learning processes occurring around you at this very moment. From classical conditioning learning to latent learning, all learning processes will help you adapt to a new situation, or help further your knowledge in a familiar situation. I have experienced several instances of classical conditioning learning, operant conditioning learning, observational learning, and latent learning throughout my lifetime. Studying these learning processes have opened my mind about how others around me will often learn on a daily basis, helping me better understand others ways of learning.

Researchers define learning as a permanent change in performance of individuals undergoing the process of adaptation. Learning is considered as an act of individual to enhance his knowledge. Every person in this world will pay proper attention to what he learns, how he learns, and when he learns. There are specific learning styles for each one of us and it differs from person to person. And, it is due to this reason that researchers have defined nature of learning as paradoxical.

Sociocultural is defined as relating to, or involving a combination of social (relating to human society) and cultural (taste in art and manners that are favored by a social group) factors.” (Socialcultural , 2010) You might ask why we are defining these words. It gives a better understanding of Vygotsky beliefs “that children seek out adults for interaction, beginning at birth, and that development occurs through these interactions.” (Morrison, 2009 sec 14.6) I agree that his theory is the best process for learning. Many people feel that social interaction and learning begin at birth, but there have been research conducted that fetus can learn through parental interaction. According to Fetal memory “Prenatal memory may be important

Learning is the relatively permanent change in behavior (Burns, 1995), and can come in the form of observable activities and internal processes. Explanations of what happens when these actions occur are known as learning theories. These theories include behaviorist, cognitivist, humanist, social learning and constructivist. In this essay behaviorist and cognitivists will be described, compared and contrasted in order to truly understand their approache.

Learning has been described by Howe (1980) as ‘cumulative’ i.e. whatever we learn at any time is influenced by previous learning. It is also clear that developmental processes and learning processes are closely interlinked. Whilst psychologists agree that learning is affected by past experience and is relatively permanent there are differing theories about exactly what changes when learning takes place and what mechanisms are involved. An important issue is whether the focus is on overt behavioural changes (that which can be seen) or covert, cognitive changes (the unseen change in thoughts). The concept of learning is broad and there are different psychological theories as to what is involved in that learning process.