How We Acquire New Behaviors

Learning is a fundamental psychological process that involves acquiring new knowledge or behaviors through experience. Conditioning refers specifically to the ways in which associations are formed.

Major Types of Learning

• Classical Conditioning: Learning by association, famously demonstrated by Pavlov’s dogs salivating at the sound of a bell.
• Operant Conditioning: Learning through consequences, such as rewards and punishments (Skinner’s experiments with rats and pigeons).
• Observational Learning: Learning by watching others, highlighted by Bandura's Bobo doll experiment.

Why It Matters

• Explains how habits form and change
• Used in education, parenting, and therapy

Applications

• Treating phobias using exposure therapy
• Reinforcing positive behaviors in classrooms