Discrimination Learning

Discrimination learning is defined in psychology as the ability to respond differently to different stimuli. It is studied through operant conditioning, in which a discriminative stimulus signals when a behavior will be reinforced or punished, and through classical conditioning, in which two stimuli are repeatedly paired together. Researchers treat discrimination learning as more advanced than simple generalization while also treating it as a basic building block of learning as a whole, with its underlying principles rooted in neuropsychology.