Theories of Learning

Question 1

What is meant by operant conditioning?

Answer 1

Operant conditioning is concerned with associating stimuli to create a conditioned response. Through positive reinforcement, negative reinforcement and punishment, the SR bond is strengthened.

Question 2

What is positive reinforcement?

Answer 2

Receiving a reward/positive response for a behaviour

Question 3

What is negative reinforcement?

Answer 3

Giving an unpleasant consequence to avoid the behaviour happening again

Question 4

What is punishment?

Answer 4

Giving an unpleasant consequence as a result of an unwanted behaviour.

Question 5

What are Thorndike’s laws?

Answer 5

Law of readiness - being mentally and physically ready for exercise
Law of exercise - the more you exercise, the more you will improve
Law of effect - satisfiers and annoyers help to strengthen the SR bond to certain behaviours

Question 6

What is social learning theory?

Answer 6

SLT is concerned with learning through observation

Question 7

What are the four stages to Bandura’s theory?

Answer 7

Attention
Retention
Motor Reproduction
Motivation

Question 8

What is the cognitive theory of learning?

Answer 8

The performer needs to understand the whole problem before performing the skill correctly.
They base their decision on their previous experiences and their current situation
Perceptual ability is used to decide on the response based on their skill level and the task at hand