When
Biologist Jean Piaget's theory of cognitive development answers when a person learns by centering on the maturational aspects that influence understanding, and suggests learning occurs in four stages during childhood. The pace of development relies on the achievement of cerebral and emotive milestones, each stage developing further upon the completion of preceding stages (Piaget, 1952).
Why
Social Cognition suggests an interesting opinion into the reasons people learn. According to Fiske (2010), learning happens mainly because of cultural affects. The theory speculates that children learn because their culture trains them how to think and what to think, as in stereotyping, for example.
Social psychology aspires to explain why people learn. Additional examples of learning theories include the social learning theory, and problem-based learning. The social learning theory offered by psychologist Albert Bandura stresses the significance of observational learning by suggesting people learn new information and behaviors by watching other people in various social situations (Fiske, 2010). Problem-based learning, developed by McMaster University, contends that challenging, open-ended questions encourages learning by using a teaching method that allows pupils to apply information and skills to create practical solutions to distinct problems (Barrows, 1986).
How
Psychologists frequently study and debate how people learn. Behaviorism is the theory that argues positive and negative reinforcement affects learning. Psychologist B.F. Skinner’s behaviorist theory contended learning is an act of change in obvious behavior. According Segall, Dasen, Berry, and Poortinga (1999), Skinner suggested negative reinforcement, also called punishment, discourages unwanted behavior, whereas positive reinforcement, also called praise, encourages desired behaviors.
These theories coexist because the hypotheses attempt to describe diverse methods or styles of learning. Each theory answers a distinct question, and collectively, each offers broad insight into the brain and the learning process.
Learning and performance
Providing that a longing and enthusiasm to learn exists, a person continues to learn. Learning involves mastering skills, and building an increased awareness about subject matter previously unknown, and improving surroundings. During childhood, people learn in school and at play, during an arithmetic lesson, or playing a card game. People learn about relationships, and socially acceptable behaviors, such as respecting elders. Learning is not about memorization but about increasing intelligence.
Performance involves goals achieved through learning. Performance involves the scores on examinations, or evaluations of productivity in the workplace. People enjoy receiving praise, and work to evade damaging assessments of their performance. Performance involves measureable and observable outcomes attainable through learning.
Conceptual approaches to learning
Terry (2009) described four approaches to analyzing learning and memory: functional, behavioral, cognitive, and neuroscience.
The functional approach
The functional approach to the study of learning focuses on the purpose the behavior serves in relation to survival. For example, for protection from insect bites Muma (2009) recommends covering exposed skin with mud.
The behavioral approach
The behavioral approach is similar to the functional approach because the focus of the approach is the connection between conduct, motivation, and the consequence. For example, a child wants a toy, asks by saying, “toy,” and, receives the toy. Not possessing a toy and wanting a toy promoted the response, which resulted in obtaining a toy.
The cognitive approach
The cognitive approach centers on mental processes, such as memory and expectancies. Because the method emphasizes intellectual processes, the approach is in opposition to the behavioral approach, which fundamentally ignores intellectual processes.
The neuroscience approach
Neuroscience studies prove that learning improves during low levels of stress, and the discharge of stress hormones hinders the innate conduit for learning (Lupien, Maheu, Tu, Fiocco, & Schramek, 2007). The research offers a physical reason for the mental discomfort experienced in periods of anxiety and fear.
Terry (2009) explained because research from a neural sciences method demonstrates the brain possesses habit and cognitive learning systems, perhaps reconciliation between behavioral and cognitive psychologies are imminent.
Conclusion
The definition of learning is filled with nonspecific categories and encourages various theories. Learning begins immediately after birth, progresses during developmental states, and endures indefinitely.
References
Barrows, H. S. (1986). A taxonomy of problem-based learning methods. Medical Education, 20(6), 481-486.
Lupien, S., Maheu, F., Tu, M., Fiocco, A., & Schramek, E. (2007). The effects of stress and stress hormones on human cognition: Implications for the field of brain and cognition. Brain and Cognition, 65(3), 209-237.
Muma, W. (2012). Insect repellent. Retrieved from http://www.wildwoodsurvival.com/survival/health/insectrepellent.html
Piaget, J. (1952). The origins of intelligence in children (M. Cook, Trans.). New York: Norton
Segall, M. H., Dasen, P. R., Berry, J. W., & Poortinga, Y. H. (1999). Human behavior in a global perspective: an introduction to cross-cultural psychology (2nd ed.). Needham Heights, MA: Allyn & Bacon.
Terry, W. S. (2009). Learning and memory: basic principles, processes, and procedures (4th ed.). Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.
University of Wisconsin Stevens Point. (2005). Newer views of learning. Retrieved from http://www4.uwsp.edu/education/lwilson/learning/typesofl.htm