AP Psych Unit 3 | Learning by Insight & Observation

learned helplessness

a belief that one has no control over their circumstances, leading to feelings of passivity and lack of effort to change the situation

• learned through repeated exposure to uncontrollable events

social learning theory

theory that emphasizes the importance of observing, imitating, and modeling behaviors, as well as the role of cognitive processes, in learning from others within social contexts

vicarious conditioning

learning by observing the consequences of others’ actions without directly experiencing those consequences

insight learning

a sudden understanding of a problem or situation that leads to a solution without prior trial and error

• often accompanied by a moment of realization

latent learning

learning that occurs without any obvious reinforcement or motivation, but is not demonstrated until there is a reason to do so

cognitive maps

mental representations of spatial relationships or layouts

• allow individuals to navigate and understand their environment