Download Learning - Kalyankaari

Unit 3
Learning
Concept
Learning is one of the most important mental functions of humans, animals and artificial
cognitive systems. It relies on the acquisition of different types of knowledge supported by
perceived information. It leads to the development of new capacities, skills, values,
understanding, and preferences. Its goal is the increasing of individual and group
experience.
According to S.P. Robbins, “Learning is any relatively permanent change in behavior
that occurs as a result of experience.”
So that learning is the process of acquiring knowledge, skills, attitudes or values through
study, experience or teaching that causes a change of behaviour that is persistent,
measurable and specified or allows an individual to formulate a new mental construct or
revise a prior mental conduct. It is an ongoing process in occurring at all times.
Steps in Learning
The followings four are the steps in learning process:
1. Input: The communication or message, information or any other that you get from
the sensory organs is the input for learning.
2. Response: The response after getting input as an understanding of input It is the
acting shown by the learner, your immediate response whether you motivate or
not.
3. Motivation: The drive towards the learning process, showing the activity, interest
and attitude to learn. Individuals need high degree of motivation towards learning
4. Reinforcement: The final outcome of learning determines the reinforcement. It is
the process of forcing the learner to change his or her behavior. The learner is
reinforced to learn something using positive as well as negative ways. For eg.,
students get punishment if they became unable to answer.
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Models of Learning
Also known as theories of learning, models of learning explain about how individuals learn in
their life. The scientific investigation of the learning process was begun at the end of the
19th century by Ivan Pavlov in Russia and Edward Thorndike in the United States. Three
models are currently widely used to explain changes in learned behavior.
1. Classical Conditioning Theory
According to S.P. Robbins, "Classical conditioning is a type of conditioning in which an
individual responds to some stimulus that would not ordinarily produce such a response."
The first model of learning, classical conditioning was initially identified by Pavlov to teach
dogs to salivate in response to the ringing of a bell.
When he presented the dong with a piece of meat, the dog exhibited a noticeable increase
in salivation. When he postponed the presentation of meat and only rang the bell, the dog
did not salivate. Then Pavlov proceeded to link the meat and the ringing of the bell. After
repeatedly hearing the bell before getting food, the dog began to salivate as soon as the bell
rang. After some times, the dog started salivating only on the bell ring without meat. The
effect is the dog had learned to respond-that is, to salivate-to the bell.
Salivation is an innate reflex, or unconditioned response, to the presentation of food, an
unconditioned stimulus. Pavlov showed that dogs could be conditioned to salivate merely to
the sound of a buzzer (a conditioned stimulus), after it was sounded a number of times in
conjunction with the presentation of food. Learning is said to occur because salivation has
been conditioned to a new stimulus that did not elicit it initially. The pairing of food with the
buzzer acts to reinforce the buzzer as the prominent stimulus.
So that Stimulus-response theory, referred to as S-R theory, is a theoretical model of
behavioral psychology that suggests humans and other animals can learn to associate a new
stimulus- the conditioned stimulus (CS)- with a pre-existing stimulus - the unconditioned
stimulus (UCS), and can think, feel or respond to the CS as if it were actually the UCS.
2. Operant Conditioning Theory
A second type of learning, known as operant conditioning, was developed around the same
time as Pavlov's theory by Thorndike, and later expanded upon by B. F. Skinner. Here,
learning takes place as the individual acts upon the environment. Operant behavior can be
defined as the voluntary or learned behavior in contrast to unlearned behavior.
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Robbins defines that "Operant conditioning is a type of conditioning in which
desired voluntary behavior leads to a reward or prevents a punishment." Operant
condition claims that people can learn to behave to get something they want or
avoid something the don't want. While classical conditioning involves
natural/normal reaction, operant conditioning requireticular technique was
responsible for a particular behavior change.
• There is a strong emphasis on accountability for everyone involved in a
behavior modification program.
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Techniques of Behavior Modification
a. Positive reinforcement: Positive reinforcement occurs when a behavior
(response) is followed by a favorable stimulus (commonly seen as pleasant) that
increases the frequency of that behavior. Appreciation for well done in job is an
example.
b. Negative reinforcement: Negative reinforcement occurs when a behavior
(response) is followed by the removal of an aversive stimulus (commonly seen as
unpleasant) thereby increasing that behavior's frequency. When teacher asks a
question to you, you try to see note book so that teacher would not punish
you.
c. Punishment:
Positive punishment (also called "Punishment by contingent stimulation")
occurs when a behavior (response) is followed by an aversive stimulus, such as
introducing a shock or loud noise, resulting in a decrease in that behavior.
Negative punishment (also called "Punishment by contingent withdrawal")
occurs when a behavior (response) is followed by the removal of a favorable
stimulus, such as taking away a child's toy following an undesired behavior,
resulting in a decrease in that behavior.
d. Extinction: Eliminating any reinforcement, maintaining the current behavior
In shaping behavior, reinforcement is very important tool rather then punishment or
extinction. So that whether it is positive or negative, you need to apply reinforcement but
schedules can be varied. It can be continuous or intermittent, fixed interval or variableinterval type.
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