Basic Psychological Processes: Building Blocks of Behaviour I - Learning

Question 1

Define learning.

Answer 1

• A relatively durable change in behaviour or knowledge that is due to experience.

Question 2

Describe learning, giving medically relevant examples.

Answer 2

• Classical conditioning (cringing at sound of dentist drill),
• Operant conditioning (substance abuse positive reinforcement from the rush or buzz and negative reinforcement from withdrawal symptoms.
• Observational learning (simulation and deliberate practice in medical training).

Question 3

Describe learning, giving medically relevant examples.

Answer 3

• Classical conditioning (cringing at sound of dentist drill),
• Operant conditioning (substance abuse positive reinforcement from the rush or buzz and negative reinforcement from withdrawal symptoms.
• Observational learning (simulation and deliberate practice in medical training).

Question 4

Classical conditioning.

Answer 4

• A learning process that occurs when two stimuli are repeatedly paired.
• A response that is at first elicited by the second stimulus is eventually elicited by the first stimulus alone.

Question 5

Operant conditioning.

Answer 5

• A type of learning in which behaviour is strengthened if followed by a reinforcer or diminished if followed by a punisher.
• Can be positive (addition of a reward or punishment) or negative (removal of good stimuli or bad stimuli).

Question 6

Observational learning.

Answer 6

• Learning by observing others; also called social learning.

Question 7

Flooding.

Answer 7

• Sustained exposure to feared stimulus “feel the fear and do it anyways”