A learning theory describes how an animal or person learns something.
A theory can be the group of laws and precepts that make it possible to establish links between events or phenomena. The concept can also refer to the hypothesis whose result can be applied to a science or to knowledge that could not yet be demonstrated. Learning , on the other hand, is the process that allows one to acquire a skill or assimilate certain knowledge.
Learning theories are those that describe a process that allows a person or an animal to learn something. These theories aim to understand, anticipate and regulate behavior through the design of strategies that facilitate access to knowledge.
Objective of a learning theory
A learning theory, in this way, seeks the interpretation of learning cases and suggests solutions to problems that may arise in this type of processes .
It is important to keep in mind that learning theories are varied and can be framed in different currents of thought.
There are multiple theories of learning.
Some examples
There are many and varied learning theories that exist, although among the most significant we can highlight the following:
* Theory of classical conditioning : this was carried out by the Russian physiologist Pavlov, who won the Nobel Prize in 1904, and is one of the best known that exists, basically because he proposed it through a case with his dog, whom he taught that every time a bell rang it was time for food. This meant that when the animal heard it, it began to salivate because it knew it was going to feed. Specifically, in this way it became clear that stimuli that occur simultaneously bring with them similar responses ;
* Psychogenetic theory : this theory was developed by the well-known Piaget, a reference within the field of education and psychology, who focused on demonstrating through it how the subject is capable of constructing his knowledge based on what development is. cognitive ;
* Instrumental conditioning theory: operant conditioning theory es como también se da en llamar a esta, developed por Skinner. Este a través de la misma vino a dejar patente que los refuerzos que se utilizan son capaces de conseguir formar un comportamiento determinado y también de mantenerlo;
* Information processing theory : this other proposal is based on the fact that it uses metaphors and similar tools to undertake the understanding of how certain problems are solved.
Stimulus/response in learning theories
Many learning theories are based on the stimulus/response formula. These theories, which are known as conditioning theories or associative theories , stimulate learning through a system of rewards and punishments. Suppose a man tries to teach his dog to urinate on a piece of paper that he places in a specific spot in the house. When the animal complies with this, he gives it a cookie. If he doesn't, he scolds him. According to this learning theory, the dog will end up incorporating into its behavior the fact of having to urinate on the paper knowing that this action will allow it to access a cookie.
After the success of this experiment, it is possible to carry out certain subsequent actions to verify that the learned behavior remains intact and gives rise to the internalization of new knowledge. For example, by moving the piece of paper from one point to another in the house, or even by placing several simultaneously, the man should ensure that the dog always associates them and, therefore, uses them in the same way to receive your reward. It is important to check that the stimulus has been understood correctly, and that is why it is useful to take it out of its context and take it to a different one.