AP Psychology Unit 6 Terms Flashcards
A relatively permanent change in an organism’s behavior due to experience
Learning
Decreasing responsiveness with repeated stimulation. As infants gain familiarity with repeated exposure to a visual stimulus, their interest wanes and they look away sooner
Habituation
Learning that certain events occur together. The events may be two stimuli or a response and its consequences
Associative Learning
A type of learning in which one learns to link two or more stimuli and anticipate events
Classical Conditioning
The view that psychology (1) should be an objective science and (2) studies behavior without reference to mental processes
Behaviorism
In classical conditioning, the unlearned naturally occurring response to the unconditioned stimulus
Unconditioned response
In classical conditioning, a stimulus that unconditionally, naturally, and automatically triggers a response
Unconditioned Stimulus
In classical conditioning, the learned response to a previously neutral stimulus
Conditioned Response
In classical conditioning, an originally relevant stimulus that, after association with an unconditioned stimulus, comes to trigger a conditioned response
Conditioned Stimulus
In classical conditioning, the initial stage, when one links a neutral stimulus and an unconditioned stimulus so the neutral stimulus begins triggering the conditioned response. In operant conditioning, the strengthening of a reinforced response
Acquisition
A process in which the conditioned stimulus in one conditioning experiment is paired with a new neutral stimulus, creating a second conditioned stimulus.
Higher-order Conditioning
The diminishing of a conditioned response; occurs in a classical conditioning when an unconditioned stimulus does not follow a conditioned stimulus; occurs in operant conditioning when a response is no longer reinforced
Extinction
The reappearance, after a pause, of an extinguished conditioned response
Spontaneous Recovery
The tendency, once a response has been conditioned, for stimuli similar to the conditioned stimulus to elicit similar responses
Generalization
In classical conditioned, the learned ability to distinguish between a conditioned stimulus and stimuli that do not signal an unconditioned stimulus. Unjustifiable negative behavior toward a group and its members
Discrimination
The hopelessness and passive resignation an animal or human learns when unable to avoid repeated aversive events
Learned Helplessness
Behavior that occurs as an automatic response to some stimulus
Respondent Behavior
A type of learning in which behavior is strengthened if followed by a reinforcer or diminished if followed by a punisher
Operant Conditioning
Behavior that operates on the environment, producing consequences
Operant Behavior
Thorndike’s principle that behaviors followed by favorable consequences become more likely, and that behaviors followed by unfavorable consequences become less likely
Law of Effect
In operant conditioning research, a chamber containing a bar or key that an animal can manipulate to obtain a food or water reinforcer; attached devices record the animal’s rate of bar pressing or key pecking
Operant Chamber
An operant conditioning procedure in which reinforcers guide behavior toward closer and closer approximations of the desired behavior
Shaping
In operant conditioning, a stimulus that elicits a response after association with reinforcement
Discriminative Stimulus
In operant conditioning, any event that strengthens the behavior it follows
Reinforcer
Increasing behaviors by presenting positive stimuli; such as food. It is any stimulus that, when presented after a response, strengthens a response
Positive Reinforcement
Increasing behaviors by stopping or reducing negative stimuli, such as shock. Any stimulus that, when removed after a response, strengthens the response
Negative Reinforcement
An innately reinforcing stimulus, such as one that satisfies a biological need
Primary reinforcer
A stimulus that gains its reinforcing power through its association with a primary reinforcer
Conditioned Reinforcer
Reinforcing the desired response every time it occurs
Continuous Reinforcement
Reinforcing a response only part of the time; results in slower acquisition of a response but much greater resistance to extinction than does continuous reinforcement
Partial Reinforcement
In operant conditioning, a reinforcement schedule that reinforces a response only after a specified number of responses
Fixed-ratio Schedule
In operant conditioning, a reinforcement schedule that reinforces a response after an unpredictable number of responses
Variable-ratio Schedule
In operant conditioning, a reinforcement schedule that reinforces a response only after a specified time has elapsed
Fixed-interval Schedule
In operant conditioning a reinforcement schedule that reinforces a response at unpredictable time intervals
Variable-interval Schedule
An event that decreases the behavior that it follows
Punishment
A mental representation of the layout of one’s environment; for example, after exploring a maze, rats act as if they have learned this
Cognitive Map
Learning that occurs but is not apparent until there is an incentive to demonstrate it
Latent Learning
A sudden and often novel realization of the solution to a problem; it contrasts with strategy based solutions
Insight
A desire to perform a behavior effectively for its own sake
Intrinsic Motivation
A desire to perform a behavior to receive promised rewards or avoid threatened punishment
Extrinsic Motivation
A system for electronically recording, amplifying, and feeding back information regarding a subtle psychological state, such as blood pressure or muscle tension
Biofeedback
Learning by observing others; also called social learning
Observational Learning
The process of observing and imitating a specific behavior
Modeling
Frontal lobe neurons that fire when performing certain actions or when observing another doing so; the brain’s mirroring of another’s action may enable imitation and empathy
Mirror Neurons
Positive, constructive helpful behavior; the opposite of antisocial behavior
Prosocial Behavior
