Human Learning and Memory Learning

Human Learning and Memory

Learning something that occurs all the time. Sometimes, learning is intentional and other times, learning happens unintentionally. According to Neil Carlson, learning can best be described as "the process by which experiences change our nervous system and hence our behavior." (431) Therefore, Carlson is concluding that learning is a process in which human behavior changes as a result from an outside stimulus. He claims that it is various stimuli (people, situations, events, or objects) that interact with the human nervous system that alters the behavior in some way. When the alteration is done, learning has taken place in the human brain. He refers to the alterations or changes as "memory" (431).

Carlson also explains that there are four different types of learning; "perceptual learning, stimulus-response learning, motor learning, and relational learning." (431) All four of these types of learning can influence one or more of each other during the learning process. Although they can interact, each type of learning has distinct and unique features.

Perceptual learning is "the ability to recognize stimuli that have been perceived before." (431) This type of learning occurs when a person is constantly exposed to specific stimuli many times. This type of learning can greatly influence how the person reacts to the environment. It involves being able to identify things and situations and categorizing them. It claims that if a person is not readily able to recognize particular stimuli, then he cannot learn how to behave. All senses are used with this learning type and it mainly involves changes in the sensory systems. Research shows that if this type of learning is started between the ages of 2 and 6, then the student will be more prepared for an educational career of lifelong learning because the stimuli of constant learning was continuously presented at a younger age.

Stimulus-Response Learning is the second type of learning claimed by Carlson. It is defined as "the ability to learn to perform a particular behavior when a particular stimulus is present." (431) This type of learning involves two categories: classical conditioning and instrumental conditioning. With classical conditioning, learning will occur when an unimportant stimulus acquires the properties of an important stimulus. Therefore when a learner is able to associate between two or stimuli, then classical conditioning has occurred. One stimulus has prompted a behavior as a result of its relation to a second stimulus. Instrumental conditioning is sometimes called operant learning. This type of learning involves reinforcement which can be either negative or positive. This is a true learned behavior where the learner will learn something as a direct result of a solicited consequence. When the behavior is followed by a favorable consequence, the behavior is more likely to recur over and over. However, if the behavior is followed by a negative consequence or a painful consequence, then the behavior is less like to happen again.

The third type of learning is Motor Learning. Carlson says that motor learning is "the establishment of changes within the motor system." (433). He claims that this type of learning is a component of the stimulus-response type of learning. However, this type of learning must involve some form of sensory guidance from the environment and it elicits a reaction from the body.

Finally, the fourth type of learning that Carlson describes is Relational Learning. This is the most complex type of learning and it "involves learning the relationship among individual stimuli." (431) Relational Learning involves spatial learning which is the actual process of identifying similarities and differences among stimuli and episodic learning which involves remembering the sequence of events.

Researchers and scientists believe that memory formation takes place when a connection between neurotransmitters in the brain is strengthen by some form of outside stimuli. Carlson claims that memory formation occurs when one or more of the learning types have been utilized to learn something. Memory is strengthened by changing human behavior is such a way that it leaves a last impression in the person's mind. Memories enter the brain through one of the five human senses. Depending on the strength of the stimuli, the memory will either be short-term memory or long-term memory. The more powerful, influential, interesting or emotional changing the stimuli entering the senses is, the more likely it is to become long-term memory.