Intro to Psychology Observation Paper Essay

There are three principles of learning; classical conditioning, operant conditioning, and cognitive learning. Each of these are presented in many examples of our daily lives. Classical conditioning is a phenomenon in which two stimuli are associated, creating a reflex response. There are three examples of classical conditioning. My first example is my boyfriend, he wears a certain type of cologne that I am used to smelling when I am around him. Now whenever I smell that scent I get happy.

The cologne is a unconditioned stimulus and the reaction is a unconditioned response.

Secondly, whenever I got surgery I was given pain killers after which made me sick. Even today when someone mentions pain killers or that kind of medicine I get sick. M last example for classical conditioning is my fear of flies. On television there was a show on how flies puke on everything they land on. Now whenever I am around flies I get scared and freak-out, because I don’t want them on me.

The second principle of learning is operant conditioning. Operant conditioning is a type of learning in which actions are associated with consequences. There are four examples of operant conditioning from my life. The first one is when I am around my cat will not jump on the table, because she gets yelled at. Yelling at her is a negative punishment.

My second example is that one of my professors gives extra credit points at the end of the semester if you have good attendance. Giving out extra credit is a positive reinforcement in order to get students to show up to class more often. Another example is when my little sister uses I word that I hate I usually hit her. Whenever she says one she will run from me. My last example is the other day my alarm went off for class and I hit snooze. As a result I had hit the off button and over slept, which is an accidental reinforcement that was negative.

The last principle of learning is cognitive learning. Cognitive learning is learning behaviors or skills from observing. There are three example, when I sit and watch television I am hearing and learning new things. Sitting in history class listening to lecture while taking notes is an example. My last example is I learn cheers and other new things in cheerleading by watching someone else do it, which is social cognitive.

Those are all examples of the three principles of learning. There are also many other examples of each in our daily lives. They can be the some of the simplest things or maybe even the not so simple.

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