Habituation: A Key Process In Pre-associative Learning
Of all types of learning, pre-associative learning It is the simplest of all and the one that is shared by absolutely all animal species on the planet. Is about a type of learning of an implicit or subconscious nature that allows species to adapt to the environment
It is enough for an organism to be equipped with the simplest of nervous systems for it to learn in a pre-associative way, which ultimately refers to the ability of an organism to respond or not to respond to environmental stimuli.
Within pre-associative learning we find two phenomena: habituation and sensitization. For the moment we will focus on the first.
Habituation: definition and examples
It is considered the most primitive form of learning and is defined as the decrease in the response of an organism to a stimulus In other words, it is the process by which we stop responding to that which is not relevant.
It is a tremendously everyday and frequent phenomenon in our daily lives. Those people who live near an airport, a large highway or a nightclub will easily recognize it, since if it is the first time that you are in the vicinity of such noisy places, it will be impossible for you to live in those conditions, while Those who have already been living in these conditions for a few weeks no longer hear the noise pollution. Habituation has acted on them, and has made the stimuli that are aversive for us at first, they are incapable of listening to if they do not pay very close attention.
A way of learning that allows us to adapt to the environment
But environmental noise is only a representative example of the multiple situations in which this process is present. I am sure that when you are driving or walking to work you do not pay attention to all those details on the road, the posters, signs and advertising are completely invisible to you since you have learned not to respond to them.
If a child does not pay attention to the frequent scolding and attempts at change from a teacher or parents who are dissatisfied with his academic grades, it would not be fair to say that the child is disobedient; on the contrary, it is probably because the constant shouting and calls of attention are no longer the most correct way to achieve change in him, since he has stopped responding to them. It is also the case of the typical person who does nothing but complain or argue every time he speaks and whose attempts at complaint and indignation are reduced to zero since we stop perceiving them, as they say “it enters one ear, and on the other it comes out.”
A necessary learning for survival
As you may have seen, This mechanism is as simple as it is functional Without this type of learning, the perpetuation of life would not be possible. Any stimulus that entered through the pupil of our eyes or through our ears would be considered, analyzed and responded to.
This situation would make us unable to take a step without first analyzing infinite environmental stimulation that is irrelevant. Therefore, It allows us to move freely through our immediate environment without having to bother analyzing the possible effects of any sensation that we meet along the way and that we meet in our path.
Although strictly necessary for life, habituation can lead to phenomena that are not pleasant to us and they take the excitement out of life. Boredom, routine and boredom are always preceded by this learning, our body is not stimulated by anything around it and requires additional stimulation to which our body is able to react and feel alive.
In the same way, it is responsible for time passing so quickly since since the elements of our environment are not perceived, it is not remembered and from what we know about the memory-perception relationship of time, by not storing new memories, our perception of time is faster and we rightly sigh at the speed with which life passes.
Remedies to end the negative effects of habituation
From what we have seen, it is impossible to think of a life without this phenomenon even though it entails a reduction in attention to our environment, which leads to situations of boredom and feelings of fleetingness. However, there are ways to combat its negative consequences.
Activities such as meditation, yoga, Mindfulness and, in general, any activity that arises from Buddhist roots are based on the development of full attention to our external and internal environment, thus ensuring that the small and routine activities of our lives become large and representative. As they say, the little things in life are the most important so let’s not let this process inherent to human nature prevent us from seeing them.
