AP Psychology Unit 6 Terms

Question 1

A relatively permanent change in an organism’s behavior due to experience

Answer 1

Learning

Question 2

Decreasing responsiveness with repeated stimulation. As infants gain familiarity with repeated exposure to a visual stimulus, their interest wanes and they look away sooner

Answer 2

Habituation

Question 3

Learning that certain events occur together. The events may be two stimuli or a response and its consequences

Answer 3

Associative Learning

Question 4

A type of learning in which one learns to link two or more stimuli and anticipate events

Answer 4

Classical Conditioning

Question 5

The view that psychology (1) should be an objective science and (2) studies behavior without reference to mental processes

Answer 5

Behaviorism

Question 6

In classical conditioning, the unlearned naturally occurring response to the unconditioned stimulus

Answer 6

Unconditioned response

Question 7

In classical conditioning, a stimulus that unconditionally, naturally, and automatically triggers a response

Answer 7

Unconditioned Stimulus

Question 8

In classical conditioning, the learned response to a previously neutral stimulus

Answer 8

Conditioned Response

Question 9

In classical conditioning, an originally relevant stimulus that, after association with an unconditioned stimulus, comes to trigger a conditioned response

Answer 9

Conditioned Stimulus

Question 10

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

Answer 10

Acquisition

Question 11

A process in which the conditioned stimulus in one conditioning experiment is paired with a new neutral stimulus, creating a second conditioned stimulus.

Answer 11

Higher-order Conditioning

Question 12

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

Answer 12

Extinction

Question 13

The reappearance, after a pause, of an extinguished conditioned response

Answer 13

Spontaneous Recovery

Question 14

The tendency, once a response has been conditioned, for stimuli similar to the conditioned stimulus to elicit similar responses

Answer 14

Generalization

Question 15

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

Answer 15

Discrimination

Question 16

The hopelessness and passive resignation an animal or human learns when unable to avoid repeated aversive events

Answer 16

Learned Helplessness

Question 17

Behavior that occurs as an automatic response to some stimulus

Answer 17

Respondent Behavior

Question 18

A type of learning in which behavior is strengthened if followed by a reinforcer or diminished if followed by a punisher

Answer 18

Operant Conditioning

Question 19

Behavior that operates on the environment, producing consequences

Answer 19

Operant Behavior

Question 20

Thorndike’s principle that behaviors followed by favorable consequences become more likely, and that behaviors followed by unfavorable consequences become less likely

Answer 20

Law of Effect

Question 21

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

Answer 21

Operant Chamber

Question 22

An operant conditioning procedure in which reinforcers guide behavior toward closer and closer approximations of the desired behavior

Answer 22

Shaping

Question 23

In operant conditioning, a stimulus that elicits a response after association with reinforcement

Answer 23

Discriminative Stimulus

Question 24

In operant conditioning, any event that strengthens the behavior it follows

Answer 24

Reinforcer

Question 25

Increasing behaviors by presenting positive stimuli; such as food. It is any stimulus that, when presented after a response, strengthens a response

Answer 25

Positive Reinforcement

Question 26

Increasing behaviors by stopping or reducing negative stimuli, such as shock. Any stimulus that, when removed after a response, strengthens the response

Answer 26

Negative Reinforcement

Question 27

An innately reinforcing stimulus, such as one that satisfies a biological need

Answer 27

Primary reinforcer

Question 28

A stimulus that gains its reinforcing power through its association with a primary reinforcer

Answer 28

Conditioned Reinforcer

Question 29

Reinforcing the desired response every time it occurs

Answer 29

Continuous Reinforcement

Question 30

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

Answer 30

Partial Reinforcement

Question 31

In operant conditioning, a reinforcement schedule that reinforces a response only after a specified number of responses

Answer 31

Fixed-ratio Schedule

Question 32

In operant conditioning, a reinforcement schedule that reinforces a response after an unpredictable number of responses

Answer 32

Variable-ratio Schedule

Question 33

In operant conditioning, a reinforcement schedule that reinforces a response only after a specified time has elapsed

Answer 33

Fixed-interval Schedule

Question 34

In operant conditioning a reinforcement schedule that reinforces a response at unpredictable time intervals

Answer 34

Variable-interval Schedule

Question 35

An event that decreases the behavior that it follows

Answer 35

Punishment

Question 36

A mental representation of the layout of one’s environment; for example, after exploring a maze, rats act as if they have learned this

Answer 36

Cognitive Map

Question 37

Learning that occurs but is not apparent until there is an incentive to demonstrate it

Answer 37

Latent Learning

Question 38

A sudden and often novel realization of the solution to a problem; it contrasts with strategy based solutions

Answer 38

Insight

Question 39

A desire to perform a behavior effectively for its own sake

Answer 39

Intrinsic Motivation

Question 40

A desire to perform a behavior to receive promised rewards or avoid threatened punishment

Answer 40

Extrinsic Motivation

Question 41

A system for electronically recording, amplifying, and feeding back information regarding a subtle psychological state, such as blood pressure or muscle tension

Answer 41

Biofeedback

Question 42

Learning by observing others; also called social learning

Answer 42

Observational Learning

Question 43

The process of observing and imitating a specific behavior

Answer 43

Modeling

Question 44

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

Answer 44

Mirror Neurons

Question 45

Positive, constructive helpful behavior; the opposite of antisocial behavior

Answer 45

Prosocial Behavior