Associative Learning
Associative Learning
Associative learning is the process that involves the mind's ability to have cognitive structure in a way that the mind can think, learn, and remember work is internal to the mind. It is termed associative learning because after the experience that correlates with this external event the individual forms an association between the two stimuli associating the sound with the food.
What are the two main types of associative learning?
The two chief learning methods are classical conditioning, and operant conditioning. The attempt is the learning of the association between a neutral stimulus and a meaningful one as in the case of Pavlov's experiment with dogs where the sound of a bell becomes associated with the food. Operant conditioning, however, ’s the case of the learning through the consequences of the actions. The actions are either reinforced or extinguished through the rewards or the punishments. For instance, a child can be praised for completing their homework which is an example of this type of learning.
How does associative learning play a role in everyday life?
Associative learning is a process that promotes the learning of our daily experiences and interactions. A case in point is a person who gets bitten by a dog; as a result of that, he/she may acquire the fear of dogs which is now coupled with the image of dogs and pain and fear. Likewise, many commercials apply associative learning when they attach products with positive emotions or stunning images to manipulate consumer behavior so that consumers will link the products with the feelings of happiness or success.
What is the significance of reinforcement in operant conditioning?
Reinforcement is a very important factor in operant conditioning because it is the very factor that determines whether a behavior will be repeated or not in the future. First, I would like to talk about positive reinforcement, which is the process of providing a reward after desired behavior. For example, a child can be awarded with a treat when they clean their room, thus being encouraged to repeat the action. On the other hand, negative reinforcement is, for example, the case of the loud alarm being switched off only after the student has done the homework. It removes the unpleasant stimulus thus reinforcing the behavior.
Can associative learning be applied in therapeutic settings?
Definitely, associative learning finds its application in therapeutic contexts and especially in behavior modification therapy. An example of the technique is the systematic desensitization, which is a method applied in treating phobias that is informed by classical conditioning principles. It entails the patient getting accustomed to the object they fear step by step while being taught the relaxation techniques in order to replace the negative association with the new one. Also, the behavioral therapies use the operant conditioning method to promote the good behaviors of the patients like giving a reward to a child with autism for having social interactions.