Learning Curve

Synonyms

Learning graph; Rate of learning

Definition

A graphical representation of the rate of learning (vertical y axis) in relation to number of attempts (trials) at learning (horizontal x axis).

Introduction

A learning curve shows the progression of learning over time in repeated attempts to arrive at the solution of a problem, which may be practical (e.g., open the door of a puzzle box) or mental (e.g., memorize information, find the solution to a mathematical problem, etc.) in nature. Although developed at the end of the nineteenth century, the concept still is used in contemporary research to plot performance progression and skill acquisition over time.

Development of the Concept and First Experiments

In conditioning paradigms, a learning curve is the plot of the frequency of the conditioned response as a function of the number of reinforcements received (Gallistel et al. 2004). The first recorded use of the concept of a learning curve was by Ebbinghaus (1885), who conducted...