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how Do learning
theories Explain behavior?

Almost all behavior is learned.

9-5 Discuss learning theories and their relevance in shaping behavior.

What Is learning?

• Considerably broader than average person’s view that “it’s what you do in school.”

• Occurs all the time as we continually learn from our experiences.

1 operant conditioning—behavior is a function of

its consequences.

• People learn to behave to get something they want or to avoid something they don’t want.

• Voluntary or learned behavior, not reflexive or unlearned behavior.
• Tendency to repeat learned behavior is influenced by:

▪ reinforcement S strengthens a behavior and increases the likelihood it will
be repeated.

▪ lack of reinforcement S weakens a behavior and lessens the likelihood it will be
repeated.

• Examples of operant conditioning are everywhere—in
any situation where (explicitly or implicitly) reinforcement

(rewards) are contingent on some
action on your part.

▪ (For more information on operant conditioning, see the From the
Past to the Present box on p. 307).

learning
A relatively permanent change in behavior that
occurs as a result of experience
operant conditioning Andres Rodriguez/Alamy
A theory of learning that says behavior is a function
of its consequences

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