Basic Forms of Learning

1.  Define learning, and identify some basic forms of learning. 2.  Describe behaviorism’s view of learning. 3.  Describe who Pavlov was, and identify the basic components of classical conditioning. 4.  Summarize the processes of acquisition, extinction, spontaneous recovery, generalization, and discrimination. 5.  Explain why Pavlov’s work remains so important. 6.  Identify some applications of Pavlov’s work to human health and well-being, and describe how Watson applied these principles to learned fears. 7.  Define operant conditioning. 8.  Describe who Skinner was, and explain how operant behavior is reinforced and shaped. 9.  Discuss the differences between positive and negative reinforcement, and identify the basic types of reinforcers. 10.  Explain how the different reinforcement schedules affect behavior. 11.  Discuss how punishment and negative reinforcement differ, and explain how punishment affects behavior. 12.  Discuss why Skinner’s ideas provoked controversy, and identify how operant conditioning principles might be applied at school, in sports, at work, and at home. 13.  Describe how operant conditioning differs from classical conditioning. 14.  Explain how biological constraints affect classical and operant conditioning. 15.  Explain how cognitive processes affect classical and operant conditioning. 16.  Discuss how observational learning differs from associative learning, and explain how observational learning may be enabled by mirror neurons. 17.  Discuss the impact of prosocial modelling and of antisocial modelling.