Test: Learning- 1 - Humanities/Arts MCQ

Ivan Pavlov is known for his work on classical conditioning. His famous experiment involved dogs, where he demonstrated how a neutral stimulus (a bell) when associated with an unconditioned stimulus (food) could eventually elicit a conditioned response (salivation in dogs) by itself.

Operant conditioning, a concept developed by B.F. Skinner, is based on rewards and punishments. It revolves around the idea that behaviors can be increased or decreased based on the consequences they produce (rewards or punishments).

Negative reinforcement involves removing an aversive stimulus to increase the likelihood of a behavior being repeated. In this case, removing an annoying sound after completing a task (option c) is an example of negative reinforcement, as it increases the likelihood of the task being completed again.

In operant conditioning, extinction refers to the gradual weakening and eventual disappearance of a conditioned response, typically due to the reinforcement being discontinued or no longer associated with the behavior.

Albert Bandura's Bobo doll experiment demonstrated observational learning, particularly in the context of aggression. Children who observed aggressive behavior (in this case, adults acting aggressively towards a Bobo doll) were more likely to exhibit similar aggressive behaviors themselves.

Shaping in operant conditioning involves gradually reinforcing behaviors that are closer and closer to the desired behavior. This process helps in training an individual or an animal to perform a complex behavior by rewarding approximations of the final desired behavior.

Reflex learning, also known as classical conditioning as demonstrated by Pavlov, occurs automatically through associations between stimuli and natural, often reflexive, responses. This form of learning does not require conscious thought or intent.

Extinction in classical conditioning occurs when the conditioned stimulus is presented repeatedly without the unconditioned stimulus, leading to a decrease and eventually the disappearance of the conditioned response.

Insight learning, associated with cognitive maps and latent learning, involves understanding the relationships between different parts of a problem and using this understanding to solve the problem. It's a form of cognitive learning, where learning occurs internally and may be applied later in a relevant context.

The primary difference between classical and operant conditioning is that classical conditioning focuses on automatic, reflexive responses to stimuli (e.g., Pavlov's dogs salivating to a bell), while operant conditioning is about learning from the consequences of voluntary behavior (e.g., a rat learning to press a lever to receive food).