Learning and learning theory

This chapter discusses learning deliberately pragmatic emphasis with the adult as teacher and learner. The teacher is typically interested in how to cope with the learning of particular knowledge, skills and attitudes, with slow learning and failure to learn, with practical motivation, and with behaviour problems incidental to poor learning. Although psychological learning theory has been introduced with a note of caution and reserve, there are some further positive reasons for giving it attention. The study of animal learning serves the mode of analysis, for the linguistic, intellectual and social complexities of human life are either non-existent or much fewer in numbers among animals. The main condition suggested for stimulus-response learning is quick and repeated reinforcement or reward of the desired response to the stimulus, with non-reinforcement of unwanted responses. A learning set is an acquired readiness to observe certain features of a situation which facilitate the solution of a whole class of problems.