Describe the key learning theories in Psychology, giving examples of each.

There are two routes to discussing learning theories in Psychology, either behavioural learning or cognitive learning, though I shall be focusing on behavioural learning for the purposes of this example. Behavioural learning consists of both classical conditioning and operant conditioning. Classical conditioning stemmed from the work of Pavlov and his dogs, whereby Pavlov was able to condition his dogs to salivate at the sound of a bell being rung. Pavlov argued that classical conditioning is the process by which behaviour is learnt through association, and in the case of the dogs he experimented on, the dogs learnt to associate the sound of the bell with food being presented, therefore leading to the conditioned response of salivating in anticipation of food. In classical conditioning An easy to read example of classical conditioning, using the Coca-Cola Christmas campaign, is as follows:Christmas (The unconditioned stimulus) >>>>>>>> Excitement, happiness, Family (The unconditioned response) Christmas + Coca Cola (the conditioning phase) >>>>>>>>>> Excitement, happiness, Family (The unconditioned response) After several trials of conditioning Coca Cola (the conditioned stimulus) >>>>>>>>>>>> Excitement, happiness, Family (The conditioned response) Another theory of behavioural learning is operant conditioning. This theory originated from Skinner and his work on rats, who observed that through positive and negative reinforcement of behaviour, animals can learn specific behaviours; the rats learnt to avoid certain behaviours due to the punishment of receiving an electric shock after, and learnt the behaviours that led to them receiving food, due to the positive reinforcement of being rewarded with food afterwards. Operant conditioning is all about learning through reinforcement, and this can include positive and negative reinforcement and even punishment of behaviour. Reinforcements of behaviour lead to an approach-avoidance response, whereby the individual either decides to carry on the behaviour they're doing, or cease to in fear of a negative outcome.