Learning

Learning is a ubiquitous process across the human life span. Typically, learning is defined as a change in thoughts and behavior via new information that typically modifies and builds on existing prior knowledge. For example, an infant may learn the sequence of events leading from bath time to bed time if the sequence is repeatedly carried out by the caregiver in a similar way (e.g., turning the faucet on, filling the tub, taking a bath, the scent of lavender soap, drying off, getting dressed in pajamas, getting read to, being tucked in, and finally turning off the lights). Learning this sequence allows the infant to predict future events at earlier stages (e.g., when the bath water begins to run). Some main purposes of learning are ...