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Related Concept Videos

Observational Learning01:12

Observational Learning

Albert Bandura's observational learning, also known as imitation or modeling, occurs when a person observes and imitates another's behavior. It is a quicker process than operant conditioning. A well-known example is the Bobo doll study, where children who saw an adult acting aggressively towards the doll were more likely to act aggressively when left alone, compared to those who observed a nonaggressive adult. Many psychologists view observational learning as a form of latent learning because...
Naturalistic Observations02:30

Naturalistic Observations

If you want to understand how behavior occurs, one of the best ways to gain information is to simply observe the behavior in its natural context. However, people might change their behavior in unexpected ways if they know they are being observed. How do researchers obtain accurate information when people tend to hide their natural behavior? As an example, imagine that your professor asks everyone in your class to raise their hand if they always wash their hands after using the restroom. Chances...
Purposive Learning01:22

Purposive Learning

E. C. Tolman emphasized the purposiveness of behavior — the idea that much of our behavior is goal-directed. For instance, employees who aim for a promotion work diligently to meet their targets. Tolman argued that when classical conditioning and operant conditioning occur, the organism acquires certain expectations. In classical conditioning, a child might fear a dog because they expect it to bite. In operant conditioning, a person might consistently work overtime because they expect a bonus...
Auditory Perception01:17

Auditory Perception

The auditory system is essential for sound perception, utilizing various critical structures. When sound waves enter the outer ear, they travel through the ear canal and cause the eardrum to vibrate. These vibrations are then transmitted to the middle ear, where three tiny bones – the malleus, incus, and stapes – amplify the sound. This amplification is crucial, as it ensures that the sound vibrations are strong enough to be conveyed to the inner ear. These vibrations then reach the cochlea, a...
High-Level and Low-Level Awareness01:19

High-Level and Low-Level Awareness

Controlled processes in human consciousness represent high-alert mental states where individuals deliberately focus their attention on achieving specific goals. Controlled processes can be seen in situations like mastering new technology, where a person might become so absorbed that they ignore surrounding distractions. Such processes involve selective attention, requiring one to concentrate on particular elements of experience while disregarding others. These are governed by executive...
Sampling Methods: Overview01:06

Sampling Methods: Overview

A sample refers to a smaller subset representative of a larger population. In analytical chemistry, studying or analyzing an entire population is often impractical or impossible. Therefore, samples are used to draw inferences and generalize the whole population. The sampling method selects individuals or items from a population to create a sample. Standard sampling methods include random, judgemental, systematic, stratified, and cluster sampling. 
In analytical chemistry, the choice of sampling...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 19, 2026

Experience is Instrumental in Tuning a Link Between Language and Cognition: Evidence from 6- to 7- Month-Old Infants' Object Categorization
05:35

Experience is Instrumental in Tuning a Link Between Language and Cognition: Evidence from 6- to 7- Month-Old Infants' Object Categorization

Published on: April 19, 2017

Learning about tool categories via eavesdropping.

Brenda Phillips1, Rebecca Seston, Deborah Kelemen

  • 1Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA. phillips@seas.harvard.edu

Child Development
|August 14, 2012
PubMed
Summary

Toddlers can learn about new tools just by watching others, even without direct interaction. This study shows young children form lasting ideas about tool functions from brief, hidden observations.

Area of Science:

  • Cognitive Development
  • Child Psychology
  • Learning Sciences

Background:

  • Toddlers typically form artifact categories through direct interaction with novel tools.
  • Previous research indicates direct exposure is key for toddlers to understand tool function.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate if toddlers can form enduring artifact categories by learning indirectly through eavesdropping.
  • To examine age-related differences in learning artifact functions via observation.

Main Methods:

  • Four studies involved 2- and 3-year-old children observing an adult using novel artifacts.
  • Children learned by surreptitiously watching via a monitor or window.
  • Subsequent tasks assessed their understanding of the tools' functions.

More Related Videos

Defining the Role Of Language in Infants' Object Categorization with Eye-tracking Paradigms
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Defining the Role Of Language in Infants' Object Categorization with Eye-tracking Paradigms

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A Semantic Priming Event-related Potential (ERP) Task to Study Lexico-semantic and Visuo-semantic Processing in Autism Spectrum Disorder
08:17

A Semantic Priming Event-related Potential (ERP) Task to Study Lexico-semantic and Visuo-semantic Processing in Autism Spectrum Disorder

Published on: April 12, 2018

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 19, 2026

Experience is Instrumental in Tuning a Link Between Language and Cognition: Evidence from 6- to 7- Month-Old Infants' Object Categorization
05:35

Experience is Instrumental in Tuning a Link Between Language and Cognition: Evidence from 6- to 7- Month-Old Infants' Object Categorization

Published on: April 19, 2017

Defining the Role Of Language in Infants' Object Categorization with Eye-tracking Paradigms
07:31

Defining the Role Of Language in Infants' Object Categorization with Eye-tracking Paradigms

Published on: February 8, 2019

A Semantic Priming Event-related Potential (ERP) Task to Study Lexico-semantic and Visuo-semantic Processing in Autism Spectrum Disorder
08:17

A Semantic Priming Event-related Potential (ERP) Task to Study Lexico-semantic and Visuo-semantic Processing in Autism Spectrum Disorder

Published on: April 12, 2018

Main Results:

  • Three-year-olds successfully inferred tool function and applied it appropriately after brief observation.
  • Two-year-olds showed similar learning but required more visually distinct artifacts and a window.
  • Results indicate toddlers can form lasting artifact categories from minimal, indirect exposure.

Conclusions:

  • Toddlers possess the capacity to learn artifact categories through passive observation.
  • Indirect learning of tool function is possible even with limited, surreptitious exposure.
  • This research expands our understanding of early learning mechanisms in toddlers.