It’s not just habit; it’s the psychology of learning at work.
The psychology oflearningfocuses on a range of topics related to how people learn and interact with their environments.
Some main types of learning includeclassical conditioning, operant conditioning, and learning through observation.
Illustration by JR Bee, Verywell
Behaviorism sought to measure only observable behaviors.
3 Types of Learning in Psychology
Behavioral learning falls into three general categories.
First studied byEdward Thorndikeand later byB.F.
Skinner, the underlying idea behind operant conditioning is that theconsequencesof our actions shape voluntary behavior.
Skinner described how reinforcement could lead to increases in behaviors where punishment would result in decreases.
The timing and rate of reinforcement are known asschedules of reinforcement.
For example, your child might learn to complete their homework because you reward them with treats and/or praise.
Observational Learning
Observational learning is a process in which learning occurs through observing and imitating others.
Four important elements are essential for effective observational learning: attention, motor skills, motivation, and memory.
The teen then learns not to speed when they take up driving.
Psychology, the behaviorists believed, should be the scientific study ofobservable, measurablebehavior.
Watson’s work included the famousLittle Albert experimentin which he conditioned a small child to fear a white rat.
Behaviorism dominated psychology for much of the early 20th century.
As the field evolves, it continues to have important implications for explaining and motivating human behavior.
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Little B.Observational learning.
In: Zeigler-Hill V, Shackelford TK, eds.Encyclopedia of Personality and Individual Differences.
Springer International Publishing; 2020:3294-3295. doi:10.1007/978-3-319-24612-3_1801
