Psychology Learning Theories & Conditioning: Key Concepts and Examples

Behavioral perspective

Focuses on how behavior is learned through conditioning and reinforcement.

Social learning theory

We learn by watching others, not just through direct experience.

Modeling

Learning by imitating someone else's behavior.

Vicarious conditioning

Learning by seeing someone else rewarded or punished.

Insight learning

Sudden understanding of a problem without trial-and-error.

Latent learning

Learning that occurs but isn't shown until there's a reason.

Cognitive maps

Mental images of a place's layout.

Classical conditioning

Learning by associating two stimuli.

Association

A mental link between events.

Associative learning

Learning that certain events go together.

Acquisition

Initial stage of learning an association.

Unconditioned stimulus (UCS)

Naturally triggers a response.

Unconditioned response (UR)

Natural response to UCS.

Conditioned stimulus (CS)

Previously neutral stimulus that now triggers response.

Conditioned response (CR)

Learned response to CS.