Advanced Topics
In a nutshell: Learning happens through association, consequences, and observation.
## How We Learn
Learning in psychology means a lasting change in behavior due to experience. There are two main ways we learn: classical conditioning and operant conditioning.
### Classical Conditioning
This is about learning by association. If you hear a bell every time you eat lunch, soon the bell alone might make you hungry.
### Operant Conditioning
Here, behavior is shaped by rewards and punishments. Do your homework and get praise—you’re more likely to do it again!
### Observational Learning
We also learn by watching others. If your friend gets in trouble for texting in class, you might not do it yourself.
## Real Life
Marketers use these principles to get us to buy things, and teachers use them to create better learning environments.
Examples
- A dog salivates when it hears a can opener because it means food is coming.
- A student studies harder after getting a good grade on a previous test.
Key terms
- Classical Conditioning
- Learning by associating two things together.
- Operant Conditioning
- Learning through rewards and punishments.
- Observational Learning
- Learning by watching others.