Question

Explain the different forms of cognitive learning?

Answer 1

The different forms of cognitive learning are:

(i) Insight Learning

• It refers to the process through which the solution to a problem suddenly becomes clear.

• The problem is presented after which a period of time follows without apparent progress and finally, a solution suddenly emerges.

• The solution can be repeated immediately the next time the problem is confronted.

• Learning is not a specific set of conditioned associations between stimuli and responses but a cognitive relationship between a means and an end. Thus, it can be generalised to similar problems.

(ii) Latent Learning

• The new behaviour is learnt but not demonstrated until the reinforcement is provided for displaying it.

• Tolman explained it with an experiment on rats wherein the rats were grouped into two, and one group was given food at the end of the maze, while the other group was not given any food. However, after being reinforced these rats ran through the maze as efficiently as the group that was given food.