➡️ Study Card
➡️ Introduction
Latent learning refers to learning that is only exhibited at a later date. For instance, a child might learn a new words, but not use it until a week later, thus surprising their parents with their knowledge.
It is a type of observational learning wherein the learner doesn’t have to actively participate in an obvious lesson for learning to occur.
But unlike most versions of observational learning (like vicarious learning, operant conditioning, and classical conditioning), there doesn’t seem to be clear observation of rewards and punishments that would motivate the behavior.
Rather, the learner (often a child) is acting like a sponge. They see behaviors and try them out at a later date without clear prompting or motivation.
➡️ Definition of Latent Learning
Latent Learning Definition
De Houwer et al. (2013) offer the most succinct definition of latent learning:
“Latent learning refers to a change in behavior at time 2 that is produced by an experience at an earlier time 1”
(De Houwer et al., 2013, p. 635)
The concept of latent learning was originally discovered by psychologist Blodgett in 1929 while conducting maze-running studies with rats.
Similar research was conducted by Tolman (1948), rats that had not received a reward for learning the maze showed sudden improvement once rewarded.
Tolman is often given credit for coining the term “latent learning” because he published similar results, but he gives the credit to Blodgett when describing his research:
“It appeared, in short, that during the non-rewarded trials these animals had been learning much more than they had exhibited. This learning, which did not manifest itself until after the food had been introduced, Blodgett called “latent learning”
(Tolman, 1948, p. 194)
Latent Learning Examples
1. Becoming our parents
A teenager observes their loving mother instructing him to clean his room. A few decades later, when she has a child of her own, she repeats those same instructions to her child. Despite never consciously deciding to follow his mother’s example, the routines and habits she witnessed became ingrained. Her child, in turn, learns the same lesson, continuing the cycle.
2. Stepping up in your role
One employee is a diligent but quiet worker for many years. Later, when promoted to a leadership position, all of a sudden, they display the same charisma they had observed from their previous supervisor. The employee never received formal training in leadership, yet the behaviors they absorbed over the years now surface. They inspire their team with the same confidence and motivational techniques they had once admired.
3. Turning on the charm
A high-school teenager isn’t much interested in history. Then, when trying to impress a girl, he is surprised at how much he knows about the Industrial Revolution and American Civil War. His unexpected knowledge impresses his peers and himself, showing that he had absorbed the information passively. This incident boosts his interest in history, leading him to engage more actively in class.
4. Listening in and absorbing the information
One day a man at a cafe overhears someone explaining how his car repair company fixes body damage from hail. Several years later, a hail storm passes through town and the listener is able to fix the damage to his own car with no problem. The techniques and tips he heard years before came back to him as if he had been trained. This ability to recall and apply the information demonstrates the power of latent learning.
5. Young people learning to swear
A third-grader hears a classmate use some foul language on the playground. A few weeks later, he utters those same words to his father at the dinner table. Although he didn’t understand the words at the time, he remembered them clearly. His parents realize they need to teach him about appropriate language use.
6. Somehow knowing the route to work
A member of a carpool rides along for weeks. When it’s their turn to drive, they take the route as usual with no mistakes. Without consciously trying to memorize the route, the daily repetition embedded the directions in their mind. This makes their first solo drive smooth and stress-free.
7. Mimicking our parent’s social media practices
A child’s mom frequently uses her iPad to show cartoons. One day when the mother isn’t looking, the child turns the iPad on, finds their favorite cartoon, and presses play. The child had observed and learned the steps through repeated exposure. This shows how children can pick up technological skills without direct instruction.
8. Students who learn when we think they aren’t
A kindergarten teacher tries for days to teach a rambunctious boy how to read two CVC words, but he is constantly moving and looking elsewhere. The following week, he picks up the two flashcards, says the words, and then runs across the room. The boy had absorbed the lesson despite appearing inattentive. His sudden display of knowledge surprises his teacher and peers.
9. Somehow understanding how to cook
Although a mother’s son never tried to cook while growing up, once in college he seems to know how to prepare several simple meals. He had absorbed the techniques and recipes from watching his mother cook over the years. This latent learning helps him become self-sufficient and confident in the kitchen.
10. Talking parrots
A parrot seems to ignore its owner repeating the same phrase multiple times a day for weeks. Then, one day when the owner is not around, the parrot speaks and reproduces the words exactly. The bird had been listening and learning all along, despite appearing indifferent. Its sudden vocalization amazes the owner and demonstrates the parrot’s capacity for latent learning.
Conclusion
Latent learning occurs without conscious intent. A person or animal may learn something passively and not even be aware of its effect.
However, at some point in time later, the results of latent learning will surface. This could be in the form of a rat running through a maze with surprising speed never before exhibited.
Amazingly, infants that cannot utter a single word in their native language, somehow develop the ability to detect the sounds of a foreign language.
Students may be given an opportunity to demonstrate what they learned if the teacher just provides an assessment option suitable to their learning style.
Or, latent learning could emerge in the form of the personality changes a person goes through after living in a foreign country vastly different from where they were raised.
References
Blodgett, H. C. (1929). The effect of the introduction of reward upon the maze performance of rats. University of California Publications in Psychology, 4, 113–134.
De Houwer, J., Barnes-Holmes, D. & Moors, A. (2013). What is learning? On the nature and merits of a functional definition of learning. Psychonomic Bulletin & Review, 20, 631–642. https://doi.org/10.3758/s13423-013-0386-3
Tolman, E. C. (1948). Cognitive maps in rats and men. Psychological Review, 55(4), 189–208. https://doi.org/10.1037/h0061626
Unger, L., & Sloutsky, V. M. (2022). Ready to learn: Incidental exposure fosters category learning. Psychological Science, 33(6), 999–1019. https://doi.org/10.1177/09567976211061470
Giles, Amy & Rovee-Collier, Carolyn. (2011). Infant long-term memory for associations formed during mere exposure. Infant Behavior & Development, 34, 327-38. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.infbeh.2011.02.004
Dr. Cornell has worked in education for more than 20 years. His work has involved designing teacher certification for Trinity College in London and in-service training for state governments in the United States. He has trained kindergarten teachers in 8 countries and helped businessmen and women open baby centers and kindergartens in 3 countries.
This article was peer-reviewed and edited by Chris Drew (PhD). The review process on Helpful Professor involves having a PhD level expert fact check, edit, and contribute to articles. Reviewers ensure all content reflects expert academic consensus and is backed up with reference to academic studies. Dr. Drew has published over 20 academic articles in scholarly journals. He is the former editor of the Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education and holds a PhD in Education from ACU.