NATIONAL COLLEGE OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION & ECONOMICS

PSYCHOLOGY-M1

SPRING 2020

Quiz # 3 Total Marks 15

29 April, 2020 Wednesday

M.Usman Mujahid
(2193076)

Q1. Contrast between Classical Conditioning (Learning through the Association of Stimuli)
and Imitational Learning (Observational Learning) with examples. 15 Marks
Answer no 1

1. Classical Conditioning:
Classical conditioning is a type of learning that had a major influence on the school of thought in
psychology known as behaviorism. classical conditioning is a learning process that occurs
through associations between an environmental stimulus and a naturally occurring stimulus. In
simple terms, two stimuli are linked together to produce a new learned response in a person or
animal.
 Before Conditioning
In this stage, the unconditioned stimulus produces an unconditioned response in an
organism. For example a stomach virus would produce a response of nausea. In another
example, a perfume could create a response of happiness or desire.

 During Conditioning
During this stage, a stimulus which produces no response (i.e., neutral) is associated with
the unconditioned stimulus at which point it now becomes known as the conditioned
 stimulus. For example, a stomach virus might be associated with eating a certain food
such as chocolate CS. Also, perfume might be associated with a specific person .

 After conditioning
Now the conditioned stimulus has been associated with the unconditioned stimulus to
create a new conditioned response For example, a person who has been associated with
nice perfume is now found attractive .Also, chocolate which was eaten before a person
was sick with a virus now produces a response of nausea .

2. Observational Learning
Observational learning is not the same as pure imitation of another behavior. Observational learning
occurs as a result of witnessing another person, but is performed later and cannot be explained as having
been taught in any other way. This type of learning also encompasses the concept of behavior avoidance
as a result of seeing another person behave in a certain way and receive a negative consequence.

The four stages of observational learning are:

 Attention
 Retention
 Production
 Motivation

Examples of observational learning include:

 An infant learns to make and understand facial expressions
 A child learns to chew
 A child learns to walk
 A child learns how to play a game while watching others
 A child shows that she has learned the basic steps of cooking a meal by doing so at a play
kitchen in her classroom
 A student learns not to cheat by watching another student be punished for cheating
 A student learns not to cheat by watching another student be punished for cheating