Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Evolutionary Psychology

Evolutionary Psychology

Evolutionary psychology explores the origins of human behavior and mental processes by framing them within the context of natural selection, a theory famously propounded by Charles Darwin. This field asserts that many behaviors common across human societies — ranging from instinctive fear reactions to complex social interactions — arose as evolutionary adaptations. These adaptations enhanced the survival and reproductive success of our ancestors, thereby becoming embedded in the...

Introduction to Learning

Introduction to Learning

Learning is the process of acquiring knowledge or skills through practice or experience, leading to long-lasting behavioral changes. This acquisition occurs through interaction with the environment and requires practice or experience. For instance, mastering a skill such as surfing requires considerable practice and experience, highlighting the essential role of repeated interactions with the environment in learning.
In contrast to learned behaviors, unlearned behaviors such as crying, sexual...

Law of Effect

Law of Effect

B.F. Skinner, a prominent figure in behavioral psychology, introduced operant conditioning by emphasizing the role of consequences in shaping behavior. This theory builds upon the law of effect proposed by Edward Thorndike, which posits that behaviors followed by satisfying outcomes are likely to be repeated. In contrast, those followed by unsatisfying outcomes are less likely to recur.
Edward Thorndike's foundational work involved studying learning in animals, particularly using puzzle...

Cognitive Learning

Cognitive Learning

Cognitive learning is based on purposive behavior, incidental learning, and insight learning.
E. C. Tolman's theory of purposive behavior emphasizes that much behavior is goal-directed. He argued that to understand behavior, we must look at the entire sequence of actions leading to a goal. For instance, high school students study hard, not just due to past reinforcement but also to achieve the goal of getting into a good college.
Tolman introduced the idea that behavior is influenced by...

Behaviorism

Behaviorism

The field of behaviorism was pioneered by figures such as Ivan Pavlov, John B. Watson, and B.F. Skinner fundamentally shifted the focus of psychology to the observable and controllable aspects of human and animal behavior. This shift marked a critical evolution in the discipline, emphasizing scientific rigor and experimental methodology.
The core premise of behaviorism is its focus on observable behavior rather than internal thoughts or feelings. This approach argues that true scientific...

Generalization, Discrimination, and Extinction

Generalization, Discrimination, and Extinction

Generalization, discrimination, and extinction are key concepts in operant conditioning that influence how behaviors are learned and maintained.
Generalization occurs when a behavior reinforced in one context is performed in similar situations. For instance, a student who studies diligently for calculus and receives excellent grades might apply the same study habits to psychology and history, expecting similar results. Generalization shows how learning in one setting can influence behavior in...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Supporting Informed Decision-Making Regarding Participation in Cervical Cancer Prevention Programs: A Qualitative Study Among Turkish-, Moroccan-, and Syrian-Dutch Women.

Community health equity research & policy·2026

Same author

Promoting hearing protective behaviors in adolescents and young adults: a survey to identify psychological intervention targets.

International journal of audiology·2026

Same author

An interactive digital behaviour change intervention to decrease incidence of sexually transmitted infections among users of STI self-sampling websites: a feasibility RCT.

Public health research (Southampton, England)·2025

Same author

A Tailored mHealth Intervention for Improving Antenatal Care Seeking and Its Determinants Among Pregnant Adolescent Girls and Young Women in South Africa: Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial.

JMIR mHealth and uHealth·2025

Same author

Development of a Web-Based Intervention to Support Primary Health Care Professionals in Digital Health Measurement: User-Centered Participatory Approach.

JMIR formative research·2025

Same author

Feasibility of the aktivplan Digital Health Intervention for Regular Physical Activity Following Phase II Rehabilitation: Protocol for a Mixed Method Randomized Controlled Pilot Study (ACTIVE-CaRe Pilot).

JMIR research protocols·2025

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Feb 25, 2026

Recording Single Neurons' Action Potentials from Freely Moving Pigeons Across Three Stages of Learning

Recording Single Neurons' Action Potentials from Freely Moving Pigeons Across Three Stages of Learning

Published on: June 2, 2014

Evolutionary learning processes as the foundation for behaviour change.

Rik Crutzen¹, Gjalt-Jorn Ygram Peters^2,3

¹a Department of Health Promotion , Maastricht University/CAPHRI , Maastricht , Netherlands.

Health Psychology Review

|August 3, 2017

Summary

This study introduces evolutionary learning processes (ELPs) as foundational elements for behavior change interventions. Understanding ELPs enhances the selection and application of behavior change methods (BCMs) or techniques (BCTs) for effective and lasting behavior modification.

Keywords:

Learning processes behaviour change evolutionary learning methods techniques

More Related Videos

Vagus Nerve Stimulation as a Tool to Induce Plasticity in Pathways Relevant for Extinction Learning

Vagus Nerve Stimulation as a Tool to Induce Plasticity in Pathways Relevant for Extinction Learning

Published on: August 21, 2015

Measuring Associative Learning in Chemotaxis of the Nematode Caenorhabditis elegans

Measuring Associative Learning in Chemotaxis of the Nematode Caenorhabditis elegans

Published on: June 17, 2025

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Feb 25, 2026

Recording Single Neurons' Action Potentials from Freely Moving Pigeons Across Three Stages of Learning

Recording Single Neurons' Action Potentials from Freely Moving Pigeons Across Three Stages of Learning

Published on: June 2, 2014

Vagus Nerve Stimulation as a Tool to Induce Plasticity in Pathways Relevant for Extinction Learning

Vagus Nerve Stimulation as a Tool to Induce Plasticity in Pathways Relevant for Extinction Learning

Published on: August 21, 2015

Measuring Associative Learning in Chemotaxis of the Nematode Caenorhabditis elegans

Measuring Associative Learning in Chemotaxis of the Nematode Caenorhabditis elegans

Published on: June 17, 2025

Area of Science:

Behavioral Science
Psychology
Intervention Science

Background:

Behavior change interventions utilize active ingredients, known as behavior change methods (BCMs) or techniques (BCTs).
Current understanding may benefit from a more granular analysis of the fundamental psychological processes underlying these BCMs/BCTs.

Purpose of the Study:

To introduce evolutionary learning processes (ELPs) as a lower level of psychological aggregation compared to BCMs/BCTs.
To demonstrate the utility of understanding ELPs for selecting and applying BCMs/BCTs.
To improve the development of effective behavior change interventions.

Main Methods:

Conceptual framework development.
Analysis of psychological aggregation levels in behavior change science.
Theoretical integration of evolutionary learning processes with behavior change methods.

Main Results:

Evolutionary learning processes (ELPs) are proposed as fundamental building blocks underlying BCMs/BCTs.
ELPs offer a lower level of psychological aggregation than BCMs/BCTs.
Understanding ELPs facilitates targeted selection and application of BCMs/BCTs.

Conclusions:

A deeper understanding of ELPs can optimize the selection of BCMs/BCTs to target specific behavioral determinants.
This approach can enhance the translation of theoretical BCMs/BCTs into practical applications.
Intervention development incorporating ELPs may lead to more effective and sustainable behavior change.