Final answer:
Observational learning is a process where individuals learn by watching and imitating others, which is distinct from habituation that involves diminished response to a frequent stimulus. Observational learning involves mirror neurons and is a form of associative learning.
Step-by-step explanation:
Understanding Learning Processes
The process of learning to associate with another until you act automatically is called observational learning. This form of learning occurs when we watch and imitate the actions of others. It is different from habituation, which is a simple form of learning where an animal or person stops responding to a repeated stimulus, such as prairie dogs becoming accustomed to the sound of human footsteps.
Observational learning is very powerful in humans and can be seen when children learn how to tie their shoes by watching their parents or when someone learns to dance by watching a dancer on TV. Mirror neurons play a crucial role in this process, as they activate when we perform an action or when we observe another person performing the same action, helping us to learn by observation.
While habituation is a non-associative process, observational learning is a type of associative learning, as it involves forming associations based on observation and modeling of others' behavior rather than through direct stimulus-response conditioning, like in classical or operant conditioning.