Learning is an action or experience of attaining knowledge. Each learning process comes from instruction and study. It aims for behavior modification that is permanent. Learning theories are defined as “attempts to systematize and organize what is known about human learning” (Lefrancois, 2011, p.25). Generally, learning can be categorized into three types: classical conditioning, operant conditioning and cognitive learning (refer to Figure 1 in Appendix 1).
The first type of learning is classical conditioning. This conditioning involves the association of two stimuli, which is unconditioned stimulus (US) and conditioned stimulus (CS). This kind of conditioning contains three phases throughout the learning process. The first phase is pre-learning phase, which the US triggers an unconditioned response (UR), the response is an unlearned behavior. Meanwhile, the neutral stimulus (NS) triggers no reaction. Secondly, the acquisition phase is carried out. Both US and NS are applied together to stimulate a UR. Finally, the post-learning phase is achieved when NS explicit CR, UR is now considered as conditioned stimulus (CR) at this stage. An experiment had been carried out by Ivan Pavlov regarding this discovery of classical conditioning. According to the research of Pavlov (1927), clicking sound of metronome (NS) was not stimulated the salivation of the dog, but the food powder (US) did explicit the dog’s salivation (UR) (as cited in Tarpy, 1997, p.44). However, when the dog was presented with both clicking sound and food powder at the same time repeatedly, the dog salivated (UR). At the end, the dog salivated (CR) when only the clicking sound of metronome was presented (CS) (Pavlov as cited in Tarpy, 1997, p. 44). This experiment showed...
... middle of paper ...
.... (1987). Negative reinforcement in applied behavior analysis: An emerging technology. Journal of applied behavior analysis, 20, 361-378.
Lawson, R. & Watson, L. S., Jr. (1963). Positive vs. negative reinforcement with incentive conditions controlled. The Ohio Journal of Science, 63(2), 87-91.
Lefrancois, G. (2011). Theories of human learning: What the professor said (6th ed.). Belmont:
CA. Retrieved from http://books.google.com.my/books?id=SH8DlhiY8QMC
Shuell, T. J. (1986). Cognitive conceptions of learning. Review of Educational Research, 56(4),
411-436.
Tarpy, R. M. (1997). Contemporary learning theory and research. New York, NY: McGraw-
Hill.
Wade, C. & Tavris, C. (2005). Invitation to psychology (3rd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ:
Pearson.
Wood, S. E., Wood, E.G. & Boyd, D. (2006). Mastering the world of psychology (2nd ed.).
Boston, MA: Pearson.
The World of Psychology. (2002). A Pearson Education Company. Boston, MA: Samuel Wood & Ellen Green Wood p. 593
Westen, D., Burton, L., & Kowalski, R. (2006). Psychology: Australian and New Zealand edition. Milton, Australia: John Wiley & Sons.
Bibliography 3rd edition Psychology (Bernstein-Stewart, Roy, Srull, & Wickens) Houghton Mifflin Company Boston, Massachusetts 1994
Wood, S. E., Wood, E. R., & Boyd, D. R. (2004). Mastering the world of psychology (5th ed.). Boston: Pearson/Allyn and Bacon.
Davis, S. F., & Palladino, J. J. (2003). Psychology. (4th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall.
Gall, S. B., Beins, B., & Feldman, A. (2001). The gale encyclopedia of psychology. (2nd ed.). Detroit, MI: Gale Group.
Hockenbury, Don H., and Sandra E. Hockenbury. Psychology. 6th ed. New York, NY: Worth, 2013. Print.
Schacter, D. L., Gilbert, D. T., & Wegner, D. M. (2010). Psychology. (2nd ed., p. 600). New York: Worth Pub.
Classical conditioning is a technique of learning that occurs when an unconditional stimulus is paired with a conditional stimulus. The unconditional stimulus is biologically potent, the conditional stimulus is neutral (Kalat, 2011). Example of each is taste of food and sound of tuning fork respectively. After repeated pairing, the organism exhibits a conditional response to the conditional stimulus. The conditional response is similar to the unconditioned response though it is relatively impermanent and is acquired through experience (Kalat, 2011).
Gall, S. B., Beins, B., & Feldman, A. (2001). The gale encyclopedia of psychology. (2nd ed., pp. 271-273). Detroit, MI: Gale Group.
McKinley, J. and Fryer, D. (2004), Higher Psychology: Approaches and Method. KEEGAN, G. (2002) Hodder and Stoughton, London, 298 pp
Hewstone, M. Fincham, F. and Foster, J (2005). Psychology. Oxford: The British Psychological Society, and Blackwell Publishing. P3-23.
Based on the research of B.F. Skinner, the operant conditioning method of learning is where the stimulus/experience transpires
Boyd, D., Wood, E.G., Wood, S.E. (2014, 2011, 2008). Mastering the world of psychology. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc. 128-129, 329-330, 335-340. Print.
Edited by Raymond J. Corsini. Encyclopedia of Psychology, Second Edition, Volume 1. New York: John Wiley and Sons Inc.