LEARNING THEORY: HOW ANIMALS LEARN

摘要

Animals are learning every minute of every day. We can make the most of their learning by understanding how they learn and using appropriate techniques while interacting with them. When we use appropriate knowledge and techniques, animals can learn what we want them to learn, and we will not reinforce unwanted behaviors out of ignorance. Learning is classified as associative or nonassociative. Associative learning is divided into classical and operant conditioning. Classical conditioning is generallyan unconscious type of learning. An animal associates a stimulus that already elicits a response with a new stimulus. Over repeated pairings, the presentation of the novel stimulus will elicit the response. We see examples of this type of learning whena cat hears a can opener and becomes excited. The cat has associated the sound of the can opener with the presentation of food. The presentation of food causes excitement in the cat, and this cat becomes excited when he hears the can opener. It is as ifthe sound has become food in the cat's unconscious mind. He now responds to them in a very similar way.