Learned behavior is a change in an organism’s actions resulting from experience. Unlike innate behaviors present from birth, these are acquired and shaped throughout an individual’s life, allowing them to adapt to new situations. This can range from simple modifications in daily routines to acquiring complex skills, such as greeting another person with a handshake.
Learned vs. Innate Behaviors
All behaviors can be categorized into two main types: innate and learned. Innate behaviors are instinctual and genetically determined, meaning they are performed correctly without any prior experience. Examples include a spider spinning a web, a baby’s sucking reflex, or a sea turtle hatchling instinctively moving toward the ocean. These actions are rigid, predictable, and consistent across all members of a species.
In contrast, learned behaviors are acquired through interaction with the world, offering flexibility that innate behaviors lack. A dog learning to sit on command is a classic example, as this action is developed through training, not instinct. Similarly, humans acquire language over time through exposure and practice.
The distinction is not always absolute, as some behaviors contain both innate and learned components. For instance, a zebra finch is genetically programmed to learn a song, but the specific song it sings is learned by listening to its father. This interaction shows how instinct can provide a foundation upon which experience builds, creating more complex actions.
Types of Associative Learning
Organisms often learn through association, connecting events that occur together in the environment. This process, known as associative learning, is divided into two main types. The first is classical conditioning, which involves forming an association between two stimuli. The second is operant conditioning, which involves learning from the consequences of one’s actions.
Classical conditioning occurs when a neutral stimulus becomes associated with one that naturally produces a behavior, so that the neutral stimulus eventually triggers the response. The most famous example is Ivan Pavlov’s experiments with dogs. Pavlov observed that dogs naturally salivate (an unconditioned response) at the sight of food (an unconditioned stimulus).
In his experiments, Pavlov rang a bell (a neutral stimulus) each time he presented food. The dogs learned to associate the bell with food, and eventually, the sound of the bell alone was enough to make them salivate. The bell became the conditioned stimulus, and the salivation in response to it became the conditioned response.
Operant conditioning, developed by B.F. Skinner, is a learning method using rewards and punishments. An association is made between a behavior and its consequence, influencing whether the behavior is repeated. Reinforcement is any event that strengthens a behavior, while punishment is any event that weakens it.
These consequences can be positive or negative, which in this context means adding or removing a stimulus.
- Positive reinforcement adds a desirable stimulus to increase a behavior, such as giving a toy for cleaning a room.
- Negative reinforcement removes an unpleasant stimulus to increase a behavior, like a car’s beeping stopping once a seatbelt is fastened.
- Positive punishment adds an undesirable stimulus to decrease a behavior, such as scolding a student for texting.
- Negative punishment removes a pleasant stimulus to decrease a behavior, like taking away a child’s recess privileges.
Cognitive and Social Learning
Beyond simple association, learning can involve complex mental processes. Cognitive and social learning allow individuals to acquire new behaviors through thought, observation, and interaction, rather than direct experience alone. Such processes account for behaviors not easily explained by conditioning.
Observational learning occurs by watching the actions of others and the consequences that follow. Psychologist Albert Bandura demonstrated this with his Bobo doll experiment, where children who observed an adult acting aggressively toward a doll were more likely to imitate that aggression. This shows that behaviors can be acquired without personal reinforcement or punishment.
Imprinting is a time-sensitive form of learning that occurs at a specific life stage. For example, ducklings and geese instinctively follow and form an attachment to the first moving object they see after hatching, which is their mother. This bond is important for survival, as the young learn by imitating the parent. If the mother is not present, the young may imprint on another animal or an inanimate object.
Insight learning is the sudden understanding of a problem’s solution without trial-and-error, often called an “aha!” moment. Wolfgang Köhler’s experiments with chimpanzees demonstrated this. When a banana was placed out of reach, chimpanzees would pause after failed attempts and then suddenly devise a solution, like stacking boxes or using a stick.
The Role of Environment in Shaping Behavior
An organism’s environment provides the stimuli and opportunities for learned behaviors to develop. Physical surroundings, social structures, and resource availability present unique challenges that directly influence how an animal acts. The environment is not a passive backdrop but an active force in shaping behavior.
For wild animals, factors like climate, territory size, and predators dictate behavioral adaptations. Environmental changes from climate change or urbanization can force species to alter migration, breeding, and foraging strategies. For example, deer may live in small groups in a forest but form larger herds in open grasslands for protection.
In domesticated animals, the environment is also a strong influence. A dog raised in a stimulating social setting will likely develop different traits than one raised in isolation. The physical space, daily routines, and interactions with others all contribute to shaping learned behaviors, which is an important consideration for animal welfare.