Discrimination learning

Discrimination learning is defined in psychology as the ability to respond differently to different stimuli. This type of learning is used in studies regarding operant and classical conditioning. Operant conditioning involves the modification of a behavior by means of reinforcement or punishment. In this way, a discriminative stimulus will act as an indicator to when a behavior will persist and when it will not. Classical conditioning involves learning through association when two stimuli are paired together repeatedly. This conditioning demonstrates discrimination through specific micro-instances of reinforcement and non-reinforcement. This phenomenon is considered to be more advanced than learning styles such as generalization and yet simultaneously acts as a basic unit to learning as a whole. The complex and fundamental nature of discrimination learning allows for psychologists and researchers to perform more in-depth research that supports psychological advancements. Research on the basic principles underlying this learning style has their roots in neuropsychology sub-processes. Karl Lashley, a psychologist who studied under John B. Watson, focused mainly on studying learning and discrimination. He published "Brain mechanisms and intelligence" in 1929. Lashey's research on two-alternative forced choice gave a foundation of study to psychologists like Kenneth Spence. Kenneth Spence expanded on the knowledge we had on two-choice discrimination learning. He made two major publications on the subject, The Nature of Discrimination Learning in Animals in 1936 and Continuous Versus Non-continuous Interpretations of Discrimination Learning in 1940. Spence's research discussed the theory that applying excitation and inhibition to a stimulus and having the likelihood of responding to that stimulus be the result of the net excitation strength (excitation minus inhibition). Ivan Pavlov is very influential when it comes to studying discrimination learning.