"Psychologists define learning as the process of acquiring new and relatively enduring information or behaviors. By learning, we humans are able to adapt to our environment. We learn to expect and prepare for significant events such as food or pain (classical conditioning). We typically learn to repeat acts that bring rewards and try to avoid acts that bring unwanted results (operant conditioning). We learn new behaviors by observing events and by watching others, and through language we learn things we have neither experienced nor observed (cognitive learning). But how do we learn?" -- Page 276
This video of 4-year-old elephant Suda demonstrates the ability to learn. When reading about how elephants learn, it is much the same as humans. Suda, the particular elephant of focus in this video, learned by observing her trainers on how to paint. Since she does not have hands, she was able to adapt to what her environment, utilizing a trunk instead of a hand to hold a brush and paint something that is familiar to her. Later in the video viewers can see the ability of Suda to spell her name as she signs the piece of art. Elephants are much like humans; they learn by a combination of experiencing events and learning from them for the future, seeking rewards for their actions, and learning through extensive observation of those things and objects in their surroundings. Constant praise from trainers demonstrates the innate ability to learn from verbal praise and reward systems... And the result is an incredible display of awe as the elephant acts just as humans.
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