Glossary / Lexicon

Deutsch: Vorbereitetes Lernen / Español: Aprendizaje Preparado / Português: Aprendizagem Preparada / Français: Apprentissage Préparé / Italiano: Apprendimento Preparato /

Prepared learning refers to the ability adaptive for evolution, allowing certain associations to be learned more readily than others.

Prepared learning refers to the phenomenon in which organisms are more easily able to learn about certain types of stimuli because of their evolutionary history. This concept suggests that certain learning mechanisms have evolved because they are well-suited to learning about stimuli that are important for survival and reproduction.

Examples of prepared learning in the psychology context include:

1. Fear learning - This is the phenomenon in which animals and humans are more easily able to learn to associate certain stimuli with danger or threat. This type of learning is thought to be an example of prepared learning because fear is an important survival mechanism that helps individuals respond to potential threats in their environment.

2. Face recognition - Humans and many other species are especially good at recognizing faces, even from an early age. This is thought to be an example of prepared learning because the ability to recognize faces is important for social interaction and communication.

3. Food preferences - Many animals and humans have a preference for sweet and fatty foods, which are high in energy. This preference is thought to be an example of prepared learning because these types of foods were scarce in the ancestral environment and provided an important energy source for survival and reproduction.

4. Phobias - Some individuals are more easily able to develop phobias, or intense fears, towards certain stimuli, such as spiders or heights. This is thought to be an example of prepared learning because in the ancestral environment, these stimuli were often associated with danger or threat.

Overall, prepared learning is an important concept in psychology that helps to explain why certain learning mechanisms are more effective for certain types of stimuli. Understanding prepared learning can also help to explain why some individuals may be more susceptible to certain phobias or other forms of irrational fear.