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Related Concept Videos

Purposive Learning01:22

Purposive Learning

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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...
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Avoidance Learning and Learned Helplessness01:14

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Avoidance learning and learned helplessness are critical concepts in understanding behavioral responses to negative stimuli.
Avoidance learning occurs when an organism learns that a specific behavior can prevent an unpleasant outcome. For example, a student who receives a bad grade may start studying harder to avoid future poor grades. This behavior persists even when the negative outcome is no longer present. Avoidance learning is powerful because it maintains behavior in the absence of the...
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Cognitive Learning01:21

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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.
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Observational Learning01:12

Observational Learning

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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...
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Learning Disabilities01:25

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Learning disabilities are cognitive disorders caused by neurological impairments that affect cognitive functions like language and reading, without indicating overall intellectual or developmental challenges. These disabilities differ from global intellectual or developmental disabilities as they are limited to distinct cognitive functions. Common learning disabilities include dysgraphia, dyslexia, and dyscalculia, each of which impacts unique aspects of learning.
Dyslexia
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Associative Learning01:27

Associative Learning

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Associative learning is a fundamental concept in behavioral psychology, wherein a connection is established between two stimuli or events, leading to a learned response. This process is critical in understanding how behaviors are acquired and modified. Conditioning, the mechanism through which associations are formed, can be divided into two main types: classical conditioning and operant conditioning, each elucidating different aspects of associative learning.
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Investigating Motor Skill Learning Processes with a Robotic Manipulandum
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Lassoing Skill Through Learner Choice.

Gabriele Wulf1, Takehiro Iwatsuki1, Brittney Machin1

  • 1a Department of Kinesiology and Nutrition Sciences , University of Nevada , Las Vegas.

Journal of Motor Behavior
|August 31, 2017
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Giving learners choices, even irrelevant ones, enhances motor learning and positive feelings. Both task-relevant and task-irrelevant choices yield similar learning benefits, supporting a content-neutral learning mechanism.

Keywords:
autonomy supportmotivationself-control

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Area of Science:

  • Motor learning
  • Cognitive psychology
  • Skill acquisition

Background:

  • Learner choice is increasingly recognized for its potential impact on motor skill development.
  • Previous research suggests choice can enhance performance and affect, but the mechanisms remain debated.
  • The OPTIMAL theory proposes a content-neutral framework for understanding choice effects in motor learning.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the motor learning benefits of providing learners with choices.
  • To compare the effects of task-relevant versus task-irrelevant choices on learning.
  • To examine the role of affect in choice-based motor learning.

Main Methods:

  • Two experiments involving a novel lasso-throwing task.
  • Experiment 1: Compared a task-irrelevant choice (mat color) group with a control group.
  • Experiment 2: Compared task-irrelevant (mat color) and task-relevant (video demonstration) choice groups using a yoked design.

Main Results:

  • Giving learners a choice, even of task-irrelevant features, enhanced motor learning compared to a control group.
  • Both task-relevant and task-irrelevant choices led to similar learning benefits on a retention test.
  • Choice groups reported more positive affect than the control group.

Conclusions:

  • Learner choice positively impacts motor learning and affect, irrespective of task relevance.
  • Findings support a content-neutral mechanism for choice effects, aligning with the OPTIMAL theory of motor learning.
  • Empowering learners with choices, even seemingly minor ones, can be a potent tool for skill development.