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examBoard: AQA
examType: GCSE
lessonTitle: Review and Practice - Learning and Development
Learning is a fundamental process that shapes who we become. From our earliest days, we're constantly learning through different mechanisms that influence our development. Let's review the key theories that explain how we learn and develop throughout life.
Key Definitions:
Classical conditioning is a learning process discovered by Ivan Pavlov. It occurs when a neutral stimulus becomes associated with a stimulus that naturally produces a response. Eventually, the neutral stimulus alone can trigger the same response.
Example: A child who has had several painful injections at the doctor's office may begin to cry just at the sight of a white coat.
Developed by B.F. Skinner, operant conditioning involves learning through the consequences of behaviour. Behaviours followed by reinforcement are likely to be repeated, while those followed by punishment are less likely to occur.
Example: A teenager who receives praise for good grades (positive reinforcement) is more likely to study hard in the future.
Albert Bandura's social learning theory suggests that we learn not just through direct experience, but by observing others. This theory bridges behavioural and cognitive approaches to learning.
Bandura identified four essential components for observational learning to occur:
We must notice the behaviour being modelled. Factors like how much we like or identify with the model influence our attention.
We need to remember what we observed. This involves mentally representing the behaviour through imagery or verbal descriptions.
We must be physically capable of performing the observed behaviour and have opportunities to practise it.
We need a reason to imitate the behaviour. This could be direct reinforcement, seeing others rewarded (vicarious reinforcement), or self-reinforcement.
In Bandura's famous 1961 experiment, children watched an adult model behave aggressively toward a Bobo doll (an inflatable toy). When later given the opportunity to play with the doll, children who had observed the aggressive model were more likely to imitate the aggressive behaviours, demonstrating observational learning. This study showed that children can learn new behaviours simply by watching others, without direct reinforcement.
Understanding how we learn helps explain many aspects of human development. Let's explore some practical applications:
Teachers use principles from all learning theories. They might use positive reinforcement (operant conditioning) through praise and rewards, provide clear demonstrations of skills (social learning), or create associations between subjects through themed lessons (classical conditioning).
Parents often use operant conditioning techniques like time-outs (negative punishment) or privileges (positive reinforcement). They also serve as powerful models for their children, who learn values, emotional regulation and social skills through observation.
Each learning theory offers unique insights into how we develop, but they also have limitations:
Learning theories help us understand and address many real-world situations:
Classical conditioning explains how fears develop. Systematic desensitisation (gradually exposing someone to what they fear) uses the same principles to treat phobias.
Social learning theory helps explain how media violence might influence aggressive behaviour, especially when violence is portrayed as rewarded or justified.
Advertisers use classical conditioning by pairing products with positive emotions and social learning by showing attractive models using their products.
Test your understanding of learning theories with these questions:
In your GCSE Psychology exam, you'll often need to apply learning theories to real-life scenarios. Always use psychological terminology correctly and provide specific examples to illustrate your points. For higher marks, consider different perspectives and evaluate the strengths and limitations of each theory.
Understanding these learning theories not only helps you succeed in your GCSE Psychology exam but also gives you insight into your own development and the world around you. Next time you find yourself learning something new, try to identify which learning processes might be at work!
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