Learning: Meaning and Process — REET CDP Notes
The meaning of Learning, how it differs from maturation, and concepts like Bandura's vicarious learning come up in REET again and again. This page explains the correct definition of learning, the contributions of key theorists (Bandura, Thorndike, Pavlov, Skinner) and how their ideas play out in the classroom, all with examples.
- 3 questions in REET 2024
- All levels (L1 & L2)
- 8 min read
How REET asks this topic
All three REET 2024 questions were concept-based — what Bandura called learning by watching others, what separates learning from maturation, and which factors bring about a permanent change in behaviour. Note that examiners often slip a 'temporary change' (like fatigue) into the options for 'learning' — that's the biggest trap here.
Defining Learning
Learning is a relatively permanent change in behaviour that results from experience, practice and training. Note — a change caused by a temporary state like fatigue, illness, intoxication or emotional stress isn't considered learning, because it isn't permanent.
Learning isn't limited to school textbook knowledge — speaking, walking (to some extent), habits, skills, attitudes and values are all built through learning. It's a continuous, lifelong, active process.
It's useful to study this topic right after 'Growth and Development' and 'Principles of Development', because understanding the distinction from maturation is a prerequisite — without it, both behaviourist and cognitive theories of learning become hard to make sense of.
Learning isn't limited to bookish study — skills, habits, attitudes, values and social behaviour are also built through it. According to Skinner's operant conditioning, behaviour that gets reinforcement (reward) is more likely to be repeated, while behaviour that gets punished is less likely to recur — this principle applies directly to classroom management.
Later, in the 'Motivation' topic, we'll see that this same reinforcement principle also underlies the behaviourist theories of motivation, so studying these two topics together deepens your understanding of both.
Learning vs Maturation
- Learning
- Comes from experience, practice and interaction with the environment; it can be influenced and improved by the environment, which is why the teacher's role here is central
- Maturation
- Is genetically pre-determined, happens on its own, and cannot be directly changed through training — for instance, you cannot teach an infant to walk before its time
How to tell learning apart from other temporary changes
The most common confusion in REET is assuming that any change in behaviour counts as learning. But the truth is that a change caused by fatigue, sleep deprivation, illness, intoxication or intense emotional arousal is temporary and disappears once the trigger is removed — it can't be called learning.
In contrast, a change that comes from practice, training or a meaningful experience persists over time, even if it isn't used right away — for example, the skill of riding a bicycle, once learned, is remembered even years later. That's the key phrase in the definition of learning — 'relatively permanent' — and REET tests exactly this phrase again and again.
Another way to see this distinction is to ask yourself: 'Will this change persist even after the trigger/cause is removed?' If yes, it's learning; if no, it's just a temporary physical/emotional state.
Major learning theorists and their contributions
| Theorist | Theory/concept |
|---|---|
| Albert Bandura | Observational/Vicarious Learning — learning by watching others' behaviour and its consequences |
| Ivan Pavlov | Classical Conditioning — learning by pairing two stimuli |
| B.F. Skinner | Operant Conditioning — shaping behaviour through reinforcement |
| E.L. Thorndike | Trial and Error learning, and the laws of learning — effect, exercise and readiness |
Bandura's vicarious learning has come up in REET repeatedly, so remember it with special care.[Source 1]
Thorndike's three main laws of learning
Law of Effect: A response followed by a satisfying outcome is repeated and learned; a response followed by an unsatisfying outcome is weakened and dropped.
Law of Exercise: The more a response is practised, the stronger it gets; lack of practice weakens it.
Law of Readiness: The learner needs to be physically and mentally prepared to learn for learning to be effective.
Using this in the classroom
| Theory | Classroom example |
|---|---|
| Observational learning (Bandura) | The teacher models polite behaviour, punctuality and cleanliness so children learn by watching (modelling) |
| Reinforcement (Skinner) | Giving immediate praise/reward for good behaviour or a correct answer, to encourage its repetition |
| Law of exercise (Thorndike) | Reinforcing a new concept (like multiplication tables) through repeated, regular practice |
| Learning vs temporary change | If a child performs poorly on exam day because of stress, treating it as a temporary emotional effect rather than a permanent loss of learning |
| Law of readiness (Thorndike) | Not teaching a complex concept until a child has developed the prerequisite understanding |
Exam-angle notes and common mistakes
A common REET trap is picking an option that describes a change caused by drugs, alcohol or extreme fatigue and calling it 'learning' because the behaviour did change. Remember, the definition specifically excludes changes from temporary physiological or chemical states, however real the change in behaviour might look in the moment.
Another frequent confusion is between Bandura's observational learning and Thorndike's trial-and-error learning. In observational learning, the learner doesn't need to perform the behaviour themselves at all — they only need to watch someone else and its consequence. In trial-and-error learning, by contrast, the learner has to actually attempt the behaviour repeatedly and experience the outcome directly. If a question's example never has the child doing anything themselves, only watching, it's Bandura's territory, not Thorndike's.
Memory trick / exam tip
Remember these theorists and their core ideas as pairs. 'Bandura = learning by watching (Vicarious), Pavlov = learning by pairing (Classical), Skinner = learning by consequence (Operant/Reinforcement).' And always remember — learning is a 'relatively permanent' change; if an option mentions a temporary cause like fatigue, lack of sleep or intoxication, it can't be an example of learning. Remember Thorndike's three laws in the order 'E-E-R' (Effect-Exercise-Readiness).
Questions asked in REET 2024 (solved)
Question 22
What term did Bandura use to describe learning through observing other’s behaviour ?
- Aप्रत्यक्ष अधिगम
- Bअनुभवजन्य अधिगम
- Cस्थानापन्न अधिगम
- Dसंज्ञानात्मक अधिगम
Explanation
बंदुरा (Albert Bandura) ने दूसरों के व्यवहार और उसके परिणामों को देखकर सीखने को स्थानापन्न अधिगम (Vicarious learning) कहा। इसमें सीखने वाला स्वयं अनुभव किए बिना मॉडल (आदर्श) का अवलोकन करके सीखता है। प्रत्यक्ष व अनुभवजन्य अधिगम में व्यक्ति स्वयं अनुभव से सीखता है।
Question 8
How is learning different from maturation ?
- Aसीखना एक प्राकृतिक विकास प्रक्रिया है
- Bसीखने के लिए बाहरी अनुभव आवश्यक हैं, जबकि परिपक्वता आनुवंशिक हैं
- Cपरिपक्वता जानबूझकर किये गये अभ्यास पर आधारित हैं
- Dसीखना पर्यावरण से स्वतंत्र हैं
Explanation
सीखना (Learning) अभ्यास, प्रशिक्षण और बाहरी अनुभवों से होने वाला अपेक्षाकृत स्थायी व्यवहार परिवर्तन है, जबकि परिपक्वता (Maturation) आनुवंशिक रूप से निर्धारित आंतरिक विकास है जो स्वतः होता है। इसलिए (B) सही है। विकल्प (A) और (C) परिपक्वता और सीखने की विशेषताओं को उलट देते हैं।
Question 14
Which of the following factors bring relatively permanent changes in behaviour ?
- Aप्रशिक्षण और अभ्यास
- Bकेवल परिपक्वता
- Cशारीरिक थकावट
- Dभावनात्मक तनाव
Explanation
अधिगम की परिभाषा के अनुसार प्रशिक्षण और अभ्यास से व्यवहार में अपेक्षाकृत स्थायी परिवर्तन आता है। थकान और भावनात्मक तनाव से होने वाले परिवर्तन अस्थायी होते हैं, और केवल परिपक्वता से होने वाला परिवर्तन अधिगम नहीं माना जाता।
Practice Questions
Question 1
According to Bandura, what is learning by observing others called?
- Aप्रत्यक्ष अधिगम
- Bस्थानापन्न/प्रेक्षणात्मक अधिगम
- Cयांत्रिक अधिगम
- Dमूर्त अधिगम
Explanation
Bandura called learning by watching others' behaviour and its consequences vicarious or observational learning.
Question 2
Which of the following changes is NOT an example of learning?
- Aअभ्यास से साइकिल चलाना सीखना
- Bथकान के कारण गति धीमी होना
- Cप्रशिक्षण से नई भाषा सीखना
- Dअनुभव से नई समस्या हल करना सीखना
Explanation
A change caused by fatigue is temporary, so it isn't an example of learning; all the other options describe a relatively permanent change that comes from practice or experience.
Question 3
According to Thorndike, a response followed by a satisfying outcome tends to be repeated — which law does this reflect?
- Aअभ्यास का नियम
- Bतत्परता का नियम
- Cप्रभाव का नियम
- Dबहुअनुक्रिया का नियम
Explanation
The Law of Effect states that a response followed by a satisfying outcome gets strengthened and is repeated.
Question 4
What is the main difference between learning and maturation?
- Aअधिगम अनुभवजन्य है, परिपक्वता आनुवंशिक रूप से पूर्व-निर्धारित
- Bदोनों समान हैं
- Cपरिपक्वता अभ्यास पर निर्भर है
- Dअधिगम जन्मजात होता है
Explanation
Learning comes from experience and practice, while maturation is genetically pre-determined and happens on its own.
Question 5
Which of the following learning theories is associated with Pavlov?
- Aक्रियाप्रसूत अनुबंधन
- Bशास्त्रीय अनुबंधन
- Cप्रेक्षणात्मक अधिगम
- Dअंतर्दृष्टि अधिगम
Explanation
Pavlov developed the theory of classical conditioning, in which a response is taught by repeatedly pairing two stimuli together.
Question 6
A teacher behaves politely to teach polite behavior in class — this strategy is based on which learning theory?
- Aशास्त्रीय अनुबंधन
- Bप्रयास-त्रुटि अधिगम
- Cप्रेक्षणात्मक/मॉडलिंग अधिगम
- Dअंतर्दृष्टि अधिगम
Explanation
By modelling the ideal behaviour themselves, the teacher lets children learn through observation — this strategy is based on Bandura's observational/modelling theory of learning.
Question 7
If a student performs below normal due to stress on the exam day, this should NOT be understood as what?
- Aअस्थायी भावनात्मक प्रभाव
- Bस्थायी अधिगम-हानि
- Cतनाव का प्रभाव
- Dसामान्य परिवर्तनशीलता
Explanation
A drop in performance caused by stress is temporary; it shouldn't be read as a permanent decline in the child's learning ability.
Question 8
Which of the following factors does NOT bring about a permanent change in behaviour?
- Aनियमित अभ्यास
- Bसुव्यवस्थित प्रशिक्षण
- Cअस्थायी थकान व नींद की कमी
- Dसार्थक अनुभव
Explanation
A change caused by fatigue and lack of sleep is temporary, so it can't count as a cause of learning, which by definition is a permanent change.
Question 9
What does Thorndike's 'Law of Readiness' mean?
- Aसीखने के लिए शारीरिक व मानसिक रूप से तैयार होना आवश्यक है
- Bअभ्यास से सीखना मजबूत होता है
- Cसंतोषजनक परिणाम से अधिगम प्रबल होता है
- Dसीखना केवल अनुकरण से होता है
Explanation
The Law of Readiness states that the learner being physically and mentally prepared is a necessary condition for learning to be effective.
Question 10
Which example best illustrates vicarious (observational) learning?
- Aबच्चा गर्म बर्तन छूकर जलने का अनुभव करता है
- Bबच्चा टीवी पर किसी पात्र को नमस्ते करते देखकर स्वयं भी नमस्ते करना सीखता है
- Cबच्चा बार-बार अभ्यास से साइकिल चलाना सीखता है
- Dबच्चा भूख लगने पर रोना सीखता है (सहज प्रवृत्ति)
Explanation
The child is learning the same behaviour by watching someone else, without experiencing it directly themselves — this is a precise example of vicarious/observational learning.
Frequently asked questions
How many questions come from 'Learning: Meaning and Process' in REET?+
This is a basic CDP topic that typically produces 2-3 questions almost every year — REET 2024 had 3 questions from it.
What's a simple definition of learning?+
Learning is a relatively permanent change in behaviour that results from experience, practice and training.
What is Bandura's vicarious learning?+
Learning by watching others' behaviour and its consequences, without experiencing it yourself, which Bandura called observational or vicarious learning.
What's the difference between learning and maturation?+
Learning is based on experience and practice, while maturation is genetically pre-determined and happens on its own.
Why isn't a behaviour change caused by fatigue considered learning?+
Because it's temporary; the definition of learning requires the change to be 'relatively permanent'.
Is habit formation an example of learning?+
Yes — a habit is a relatively permanent behaviour pattern built through repeated practice and reinforcement, which fits the definition of learning exactly.
Why is Pavlov's theory called 'classical' conditioning?+
It's called classical because it was the earliest form of conditioning studied systematically, based on pairing a neutral stimulus with one that already triggers a natural response, until the neutral stimulus alone triggers that response.
Does learning always require a teacher?+
No — learning can happen informally too, through observation, personal experience or self-directed practice; a teacher's role is to make that process more effective and intentional, not to be its only source.
Read next
Official Sources
Change Log
- 17 September 2026 — English pilot page published — mirrors the fact-checked Hindi page, independently bilingual-accuracy checked