waldentwo

Have you ever found yourself typing effortlessly on your phone or laptop, fingers dancing across the keys without a second thought? This seemingly automatic skill is a prime example of latent learning, a form of learning that occurs without immediate reinforcement and becomes evident only when there is a reason to use it. According to Verywell Mind, latent learning refers to knowledge that becomes apparent only when an individual has an incentive to display it. For instance, a child may learn how to solve a math problem but demonstrates this learning only when a reward is offered. This concept emphasizes that most learning is not immediately obvious and can occur without direct reinforcement. ( verywellmind.com ) When you first start using a new device, you might consciously look for the "A" key or the spacebar. However, over time, as you continue to use the keyboard, your brain forms a cognitive map of the layout. This mental representation allows you to type without activel...

My dog Cooper, a fluffy little Maltese Shih Tzu, has been struggling with something that’s honestly been tough on both of us: separation anxiety. For most of his life, I was home doing online school, so he got used to me being around 24/7. Now that I’m going out more to classes and just daily life, he’s having a hard time adjusting. I get it. Change is hard, even for dogs. The moment I grab my keys or put on my shoes, Cooper starts to panic. He paces, whines, and scratches at the door. At first, I felt helpless but learning about operant conditioning in the psychology of learning class, and reading about it in Gibeault’s (2020) article for the American Kennel Club, gave me some tools to start helping him. The article explains that positive reinforcement, rewarding a dog for calm behavior is one of the most effective ways to shape responses over time. I’ve been giving Cooper treats when he stays relaxed while I move around or step outside briefly. I also use classical conditioning by re...

Let’s be honest, social media isn’t going anywhere, and for teens today, it’s a huge part of life. But as fun and expressive as platforms like TikTok and Instagram can be, they’re also bringing some serious challenges to the table. The more time teens spend scrolling through their feeds, the more likely they are to experience things like anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem. Why? Because social media sets teens up for constant comparisons, especially when they're faced with perfect, filtered versions of other people’s lives. A recent WHO report revealed that 11% of adolescents showed signs of problematic social media behavior, struggling to control their use and experiencing negative consequences . It’s not surprising when everything online looks picture-perfect, it’s hard not to feel like you're falling short. For the longest time, I would compare myself to other girls on social media. I didn’t even want to take pictures without a filter because I felt insecure about how m...