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Classical Conditioning is a type of learning where a neutral stimulus becomes associated with a meaningful stimulus, eventually triggering a similar response, usually unconcsious or automatic learning.

My personal example: I'm a Junior in highschool, and I've had A lunch on both A days and B days for Freshmen and Sophomore year. But this year, on B days I have C lunch and now whenever I see the clock get close to 11:20 (Which is when A lunch starts) I get hungry even though I don't have lunch for another hour and thirty minutes.

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Operant Conditioning is a type of learning in which the frequency of a behavior depends on the consequence that follows that behavior.

My Personal Example: When I was in Freshmen year I had a diabolical amount of missing assignments, and at the end of the year, when my parents saw my grades they freaked. First, they told me how this could tank my chances at a college I want to go to, and that they knew that I could do better, and they also took away my computer for the first month of summer. After this I promised them that I'd start doing better in school and I wouldn't dissapoint them anymore.

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Social Observation Learning is when you learn from the behaviors of others, for example a child learning to walk and speak.

My personal example: I hang with my friends a lot. One of my friends doesn't swear at all, and the rest of my friend group and I do. After about 3 years of being friends, one day we all noticed that we started saying very silly subsititution words instead of the real swear words that our friend who doesn't swear would say.

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Research Question:

Can observing an adult share things with other adults make a child start behaving more nicely towards sharing more with his or her peers?

Hypothesis:

Children who see an adult sharing something, they will be more likely to also share things than children who don't see the adult sharing.

Experiment:

A group of kids, watch an adult go into a room with another adult, and they share things with eachother, a moment later we send the same kids who saw the exchange happen into to room with some of their favorite toys and we see if they share the toys with the adult in the room.

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NS (Neutral Stimulus): The scent of freshly baked cookies.

US (Unconditioned Stimulus): Receiving a compliment or praise from a parent.

UR (Unconditioned Response): Feeling happy or proud.

CS (Conditioned Stimulus): The scent of freshly baked cookies (after conditioning).

CR (Conditioned Response): Feeling happy or proud at the scent of freshly baked cookies.

Process:
A kid often bakes cookies with their parents, and during, the parent keeps gives the kid praise and compliments (US), which naturally makes the kid feel happy or proud (UR). Over time, the scent of freshly baked cookies (NS) becomes associated with the positive feelings of praise and affection, so eventually, the mere smell of cookies (CS) makes the child feel happy and proud (CR), even if no compliments are given at the time.

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NS (Neutral Stimulus): The sound of a can opener.

US (Unconditioned Stimulus): The presentation of cat food.

UR (Unconditioned Response): The cat running to the kitchen, excited for food.

CS (Conditioned Stimulus): The sound of the can opener (after conditioning).

CR (Conditioned Response): The cat running to the kitchen, excited for food, at the sound of the can opener.

Process:
At first, the sound of a can opener (NS) does not cause any reaction from the cat. However, the sound of the can opener is consistently followed by the presentation of food (US), which excites the cat (UR). After repeated pairings, the cat starts to associate the sound of the can opener (CS) with food, and now, when it hears the can opener, it runs to the kitchen (CR) in anticipation of being fed.

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NS (Neutral Stimulus): The sound of a siren (e.g., from an ambulance).

US (Unconditioned Stimulus): A loud, frightening noise (e.g., thunder or fireworks).

UR (Unconditioned Response): The child becoming scared or startled.

CS (Conditioned Stimulus): The sound of a siren (after conditioning).

CR (Conditioned Response): The child becoming scared or startled at the sound of the siren.

Process:
A child is regularly exposed to the sound of a siren (NS), which is immediately followed by loud, frightening noises (US), like thunderstorms or fireworks. Over time, the child begins to associate the siren with the frightening noise, so eventually, the sound of the siren alone (CS) triggers fear or anxiety (CR), even when no thunder or fireworks are present.

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Always say "please" and "thank you."

Don’t skip breakfast.

You can’t control everything, but you can control how you react.

Being punctual shows you respect people’s time.

Don’t compare yourself to others.

You’re not always going to get along with everyone, and that’s okay.

Sometimes, just showing up is enough.

Save money now, enjoy it later.

Don’t be afraid to ask for help.

Stay active, even if it’s just walking.

The right group of friends makes all the difference.

Don’t take life too seriously.

Taking care of your stuff shows responsibility.

Be yourself, even if you're different.
Sleep matters.

Being generous doesn’t always mean money.

Don’t be afraid to take a break.

Learn to say no.

You don’t need a lot to be happy.

Trust your gut.

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Research Question: How does observing a peer successfully solve a challenging problem influence a child’s persistence in solving similar problems?

Hypothesis: Children who observe a peer successfully solve a challenging problem will demonstrate higher persistence in solving a similar problem than children who observe a peer fail.

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Positive Reinforcement

(Adding something desirable to increase a behavior)

A teacher gives a student a gold star for answering a question correctly.
The gold star (positive stimulus) encourages the student to continue participating in class.

Negative Reinforcement

(Removing something unpleasant to increase a behavior)

A child cleans their room to stop their parent from nagging.
The parent’s nagging (unpleasant stimulus) stops once the room is clean, motivating the child to clean the room in the future to avoid the nagging.

Positive Punishment

(Adding something unpleasant to decrease a behavior)

A dog is sprayed with water for barking excessively.
The unpleasant spray of water (positive stimulus) discourages the dog from barking too much.

Negative Punishment

(Removing something desirable to decrease a behavior)

A teenager loses phone privileges for not finishing their homework.
The phone (desired stimulus) is taken away, reducing the likelihood of the teenager procrastinating on homework in the future.

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Behaviorism, a psychological approach that emphasizes observable behaviors, has practical applications in the classroom, particularly for promoting better learning and study habits. Historically, behaviorism emerged in the early 20th century as psychologists like John Watson and B.F. Skinner shifted focus from introspection to measurable, objective behaviors. Classical conditioning and operant conditioning are key behaviorist techniques; classical conditioning pairs a neutral stimulus with a reflexive response, while operant conditioning uses rewards (reinforcements) or punishments to influence behavior. In the classroom, operant conditioning can help shape students’ behaviors, such as limiting distractions or encouraging positive study strategies. For example, positive reinforcement, like praise or extra credit, can motivate students to use effective study techniques, while negative reinforcement might involve removing an unpleasant task once the desired behavior is exhibited. Understanding these principles allows educators to better manage classroom behavior and promote strategies that enhance student learning.

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Learning theory plays a crucial role in understanding and shaping human behavior in everyday life. By applying principles from theories like behaviorism, we can better understand how habits are formed, how individuals learn new skills, and how behavior can be modified or reinforced. In everyday interactions, whether it's in the classroom, at home, or at work, recognizing the impact of rewards, consequences, and learning strategies helps us guide behavior more effectively. Understanding learning theory also helps us develop more effective educational practices and parenting strategies, ensuring positive outcomes for personal growth. Moreover, by recognizing how our behaviors are influenced by past experiences and the environment, we gain insights into why people act the way they do and how we can create more supportive, productive environments. In short, learning theory is key to unlocking the mechanisms behind behavior and improving the way we teach, parent, and communicate.