Some psychologists focus their study on how humans and other animals learn and how some experiences can lead to changes in behavior and mental processes. Because the process of learning requires both physiological and psychological processes to work together, the two preceding units provide the foundation for this unit. Many psychologists who study learning focus on observable behaviors and how those behaviors can be changed or reinforced. Other learning psychologists study how the individual’s observations of other peoples’ behaviors influence changes in that individual’s mental processes and resulting behaviors.

• How do we learn?
• How do our experiences influence our behaviors and mental processes?

4.1 Introduction to Learning

• 4.A Identify the contributions of key researchers in the psychology of learning.
• 4.B Interpret graphs that exhibit the results of learning experiments.
• 4.C Describe the essential characteristics of insight learning, latent learning, and social learning.
• 4.D Apply learning principles to explain emotional learning, taste aversion, superstitious behavior, and learned helplessness.
• 4.E Provide examples of how biological constraints create learning predispositions.

4.2 Classical Conditioning

• 4.F Describe basic classical conditioning phenomena.
• 4.G Distinguish general differences between principles of classical conditioning, operant conditioning, and observational learning.

4.3 Operant Conditioning

• 4.H Predict the effects of operant conditioning.
• 4.I Predict how practice, schedules of reinforcement, other aspects of reinforcement, and motivation will influence quality of learning.

4.4 Social and Cognitive Factors in Learning

• 4.J Suggest how behavior modification, biofeedback, coping strategies, and self-control can be used to address behavioral problems.