AP Psychology

Advanced Placement Psychology studying behavior and mental processes.

Advanced Topics

Learning and Conditioning

How Do We Learn?

Learning is a lasting change in behavior or knowledge due to experience. Conditioning is a key way we learn new things.

Classical Conditioning

We associate two stimuli, like Pavlov's dogs salivating at a bell.

Operant Conditioning

Behavior is shaped by rewards and punishments (think of training a pet).

Observational Learning

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

Relevance

Understanding learning helps in education, therapy, sports, and even advertising.

Examples

  • A student studies harder after getting praise for a good grade.

  • A child learns to say 'please' by watching their parents.

In a Nutshell

Learning involves changes in behavior through experience, rewards, and observation.