Any permanent change in behaviour brought about by experience

Any temporary change in behaviour

A change in behaviour due to maintenance

Any permanent change in behaviour due to maturation

Learning is? - RUHS, Jaipur, PB B.Sc Nursing Entrance-2021

RUHS, Jaipur, PB B.Sc Nursing Entrance-2021

Applied Psychology

Easy

Appeared in: RUHS, Jaipur, PB B.Sc Nursing Entrance-2021

Explanation

Learning is defined as a relatively permanent change in behavior that results from experience or practice.
This definition emphasizes that the change is acquired through interaction with the environment, not through innate biological processes.
The key components are a lasting change and its origin in experience, which distinguishes it from other types of behavioral modifications.

Option A: This is incorrect because learning implies a lasting change. Temporary changes in behavior are often due to transient states like fatigue, mood swings, or the effects of medication, and do not represent true learning.
Option B: The term 'maintenance' is vague and not a recognized cause of behavioral change in psychology. Maintenance implies preserving a current state, which is the opposite of change.
Option D: This is incorrect because maturation refers to behavioral changes that result from biological growth and development, which are genetically programmed. For example, a baby learning to walk is primarily due to maturation, not experience-based learning.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Definition of Learning in Psychology as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
In patient education, the nurse's goal is to facilitate true learning, ensuring that the patient acquires and retains skills and knowledge for long-term self-management, rather than just demonstrating a behavior temporarily under supervision.
For example, teaching a patient with a new colostomy how to care for their stoma involves creating a permanent behavioral change through practice and experience, which is a core nursing function.
What if? If a patient correctly demonstrates a skill (like using an inhaler) in the clinic but reports difficulty at home, it may indicate a temporary performance rather than true learning. The nurse must then reassess the teaching strategy, perhaps using teach-back or providing more hands-on practice to ensure the change is permanent.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify that the question is asking for a formal definition of a key psychological term, 'learning'.
Analyze the core components of the term. The scientific definition of learning involves two main ideas: the permanence of the change and the cause of the change.
Evaluate each option against these two components.
Option A fails on 'permanence' (it says 'temporary').
Option D fails on the 'cause' (it says 'maturation', which is biological, not experiential).
Option B uses a vague and irrelevant term ('maintenance').

Concept Tested & Keywords

QsmZFSGNQx0r6eeLDW1j7K

E6 Parks TextBook of Preventive & Social Medicine part 2 — Subpart A (pp 1-232 of 464) p. 213-215

E6 Psychology Applied Sreevani 5e p. 141-143

E6 Nursing Education & Educational TechnologySuresh k Sharma (pp 21-557 of 572) p. 66-68