Learning Theories & Psychology Flashcards
6 cards from real GED practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 Learning Theories & Psychology flashcards as text
According to Vygotsky's sociocultural theory, the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) is:
Answer: The gap between what a learner can do alone and what they can do with guidance
The ZPD is the distance between a student's current independent ability and what they can achieve with the assistance of a more knowledgeable other — it defines the optimal space for learning.
B.F. Skinner's operant conditioning theory suggests that behavior is shaped primarily by:
Answer: Consequences — reinforcement strengthens behavior; punishment weakens it
Operant conditioning proposes that behavior is controlled by its consequences — behaviors followed by reinforcement (positive outcomes) increase in frequency; behaviors followed by punishment decrease.
Piaget's concept of 'assimilation' means:
Answer: Fitting new information into an existing mental schema without changing the schema
Assimilation is the process of incorporating new information into existing cognitive schemas without significantly changing those schemas — the new experience 'fits' what is already known.
Which learning theory emphasizes that learners actively construct knowledge through experience rather than passively receiving information?
Answer: Constructivism
Constructivism, associated with Piaget and Vygotsky, holds that learners actively build their own understanding through experience, reflection, and social interaction — not through passive reception of information.
Abraham Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs suggests that students cannot focus on learning until:
Answer: Their more basic physiological and safety needs are met
Maslow's hierarchy places physiological needs (food, sleep) and safety needs at the base — students who are hungry, unsafe, or emotionally insecure cannot direct attention to higher-level learning needs.
Albert Bandura's social learning theory highlights the importance of:
Answer: Observational learning and modeling
Bandura's social learning theory proposes that much learning occurs by observing others (models) — children watch, retain, reproduce, and are motivated to imitate behaviors they see reinforced in others.