Acquisition
Definition
In psychology, acquisition refers to the initial stage of learning or conditioning. It's when a response is first established and gradually strengthened.
Analogy
Think of acquisition like planting a seed in your garden. At first, you might not see any results (the plant isn't visible yet), but with consistent watering and care (repetition and reinforcement), the seed will eventually sprout and grow into a strong plant (the learned behavior or response).
Related terms
Classical Conditioning: This is a type of learning where an organism learns to associate two stimuli, leading to a new learned response. For example, if you ring a bell every time before feeding your dog, it will eventually start salivating at the sound of the bell alone.
Operant Conditioning: This is another type of learning where behavior is strengthened or weakened by the consequences that follow it. If your actions lead to positive outcomes, you're likely to repeat them; if they lead to negative outcomes, you'll probably avoid doing them again.
Reinforcement: This term refers to anything that increases the likelihood that a particular behavior will be repeated. It can be either positive (adding something pleasant) or negative (removing something unpleasant).
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