People are continuously inundated with endless amounts of information. External stimulation, internal thoughts, emotions, and other forces all compete for our attention. To deal with this, people utilize selective attention to tune out things they don’t need to focus on and concentrate on the important things. In this article, learn more about how selective attention…
Schedules of reinforcement determine when rewards are delivered and can affect the learning process.
Operant conditioning is a learning process that utilizes reinforcement and punishment to modify behavior. Learn more about how it works.
Classical conditioning is a learning process in which a neutral stimulus is paired with another stimulus that naturally produces a response. After repeated pairing, the previously neutral stimulus begins to evoke the response all on its own. Examples of classical conditioning include Pavlov’s experiment with dogs salivating at the sound of a bell and fear…
Albert Bandura was an influential Canadian-American psychologist known for his social learning theory, the Bobo doll experiment, observational learning, and self-efficacy. Throughout his long career, he left an indelible mark on the field of psychology and influenced other areas such as education and psychotherapy. In this article, learn more about Albert Bandura, including his early…
Social learning theory, also known today as social cognitive theory, is a theory proposed by psychologist Albert Bandura that explains how people learn through observation, imitation, and modeling. This model of learning suggests that both environmental and cognitive factors play a critical role in the acquisition of knowledge. In this article, learn more about the…
B. F. Skinner was born on March 20, 1904. He went on to become an influential psychologist who first described the learning process known as operant conditioning. Skinner played a pivotal role in behaviorism, a school of thought that suggested that all behavior was learned through conditioning processes. Skinner referred to himself as a radical…
Psychological experiments can tell us a lot about the human mind and behavior. Some of the best-known experiments have given us insights into topics such as conformity, obedience, attachment, and learning. There are many famous (and sometimes infamous) psychological experiments that have helped shape our understanding of the human mind and behavior. Such experiments offered…
Personality psychology explores the unique patterns of thoughts, feelings, and behaviors that define who we are. It seeks to uncover what drives our individual traits and how they influence our interactions with the world. Key Takeaways What Is Personality Psychology? Personality psychology is a branch of psychology that studies the patterns of thoughts, feelings, and…
Nonverbal communication is vital in how we share things with others and understand what others are trying to say. Communication is essential for successful interpersonal relationships, but it isn’t just the words you say that speak volumes. Your nonverbal signals—including body language and facial expressions—are forms of nonverbal communication that can carry much meaning. In…
People with a Type A personality are ambitious, competitive, and perfectionistic—which can be advantageous at times, and stressful in others.
Cognitive dissonance, the mental discomfort from holding conflicting beliefs, reveals how we rationalize choices and strive for inner consistency.
A cognitive bias is an unconscious systematic pattern of thinking that can result in errors in judgment. These biases stem from the brain’s limited resources and need to simplify the world to make faster decisions. Such biases are often the result of limitations or problems in memory, attention, and information processing. While such biases often…
The id, ego, and superego are important are components of personality in Freud’s psychoanalytic theory. Learn more.
Practice effects, the improvements seen with repeated testing or tasks, offer insights into learning and memory—but they also raise questions about validity in research.
Attention span refers to a person’s ability to attend to something for a period of time. The amount of time you are able to focus can vary from one individual to the next. You individual attention span can be affected by things like practice, personality, cognitive resources, mental health conditions, and your age. So what…
Theories about emotional intelligence focus on understanding how people identify, understand, and manage emotions. Emotional intelligence, sometimes referred to as EI, involves understanding not just one’s own emotions but also the emotions of other people. Some theories about emotional intelligence characterize it as an ability, while others describe it as a personality trait. This article…
Psychologist Howard Gardner suggested that there are eight different types of intelligence. Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences redefines how we understand intelligence, emphasizing diverse cognitive abilities beyond traditional IQ. This article explores Gardner’s theory and how it compares to other theories. It also discusses the characteristics of each of the different types of intelligence. Key…
There are many ways to learn, but one of the most common involves observing what other people are doing. Consider how often you watch others, whether it’s a family member, a teacher, or your favorite YouTuber. This article explores the theory of observational learning, the steps that are involved, and some of the factors that…
The nature versus nurture debate focuses on the question of whether genetic or environmental factors matter most in the course of human development. What is it that makes you who you are? Some might say that it is your genes that have the greatest influence in controlling your personality and preferences. Others might say that…
