Learning Processes: Extinction, Discrimination, Generalisation
📘 6.2 Learning Processes: Extinction, Discrimination, Generalisation
(अधिगम की प्रक्रियाएँ: लोप, भेद और सामान्यीकरण)
🧠 I. Extinction (लोप)
📌 Definition:
Extinction is the weakening and eventual disappearance of a conditioned response when the reinforcement is removed or the conditioned stimulus (CS) is no longer paired with the unconditioned stimulus (US).
🧪 Example (Classical Conditioning):
- Pavlov’s dog stops salivating to the bell if the bell is no longer followed by food.
🧪 Example (Operant Conditioning):
- A student stops answering questions in class if the teacher stops giving praise or attention.
🇮🇳 Indian Context:
- A child who once cried for sweets at a grocery store but is consistently ignored by the parent will stop this behaviour over time.
🔍 Application:
- Public policy: Ignoring minor provocations in law enforcement can extinguish attention-seeking disruptive behaviours.
🔍 UPSC Relevance:
- Reinforcement in civil services (transfers, recognition, promotion) must be consistent, else motivation may go extinct.
- Campaigns like “Swachh Bharat” may lose steam if reinforcement (awareness, recognition) is not maintained.
🎯 II. Discrimination (भेद करना)
📌 Definition:
Discrimination is the process of learning to respond differently to similar stimuli — recognising which stimuli are reinforced and which are not.
🧪 Example (Classical Conditioning):
- A dog responds to a bell of a specific tone but not to a similar-sounding bell.
🧪 Example (Operant Conditioning):
- A student studies only for subjects that are graded, not for ungraded ones.
🇮🇳 Indian Examples:
- A child learns to speak differently with parents, teachers, and peers — adjusting tone and vocabulary (stimulus discrimination).
- Voters respond differently to genuine welfare schemes versus empty political promises — based on learned discrimination.
🔍 Application:
- Bureaucrats must learn to distinguish between genuine grievances and fabricated complaints — critical for decision-making.
🔁 III. Generalisation (सामान्यीकरण)
📌 Definition:
Generalisation is the tendency to respond to stimuli similar to the original conditioned stimulus, leading to similar behaviour in new but related situations.
🧪 Example (Classical Conditioning):
- A dog conditioned to a bell may also salivate to a chime or doorbell.
🧪 Example (Operant Conditioning):
- A child praised for answering in English class may start participating more in other classes too.
🇮🇳 Indian Examples:
- A citizen who had a positive experience with online passport services may generalise trust to other e-governance platforms (like DigiLocker, Umang App).
- A student who succeeds using one study method (like mind maps in polity) applies it across subjects (generalisation).
🔄 Summary Table
| Process | Description | Key Behavioural Change | Indian Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Extinction | Response weakens when reinforcement is removed | Disappearance of learned behaviour | Ignoring child’s tantrums |
| Discrimination | Differentiating between similar stimuli | Specific, context-aware responses | Different tone for teacher vs peer |
| Generalisation | Similar response to similar stimuli | Behaviour spread across contexts | Success in one e-service builds trust in others |
🎓 UPSC Relevance
- GS Paper IV (Ethics):
- Discrimination helps bureaucrats avoid one-size-fits-all policy responses.
- Generalisation is useful in spreading positive behavioural patterns.
- Extinction warns against neglecting positive reinforcement in policy.
🧠 Real-Life Illustration:
Imagine a UPSC aspirant:
- 📉 Extinction: Stops using a test series when it no longer provides feedback.
- 🧠 Discrimination: Learns to use different strategies for GS vs Optional papers.
- 🚀 Generalisation: Applies answer-writing skills from Ethics to Essay paper.
✍️ Answer Writing Strategy
- Intro: Define learning processes in brief.
- Body:
- Subheadings for each (Extinction, Discrimination, Generalisation)
- Include classical/operant examples, Indian context, UPSC links.
- Conclusion: Show how understanding these helps in both individual learning and public policy.
