Behavioral Psychology CH. 12 Flashcards
Intellectual life, Learning
Learning
Is change through experience or practice and ranges from very simple to very complex.
Classical Conditioning
Based on learning associations between stimuli or events that were not previously associated and involves quite simple, rather primitive reactions.
Reinforcement
Something that is rewarding to the organism and will therefore have an effect on what it does. Shapes the behavior in a positive direction. Is crucial to both classical and instrumental conditioning. When reinforcement does not occur, the result is extinction.
Extinction
A gradual reduction or fading away of the learned response. Also, refers to the absence of reward or reinforcement where reward has previously been experienced. Example: time out.
Classical Conditioning Generalization
It occurs in the presence or stimuli that are similar to the original stimulus.
Instrumental Conditioning
Involves the gradual shaping of behavior from the simple to the more complex. Every day behaviors.
Positive Reinforcement
Leads to a strengthening of behavior, an increased likelihood that it will occur.
Punishment
Reduces the strength or likelihood of a response, and extinction and generalization occur in instrumental conditioning, as in classical conditioning.
Partial or occasional reinforcement
Leads to a much stronger learned response than continuous reinforcement.
Behavior Modification
The application of the principles of conditioning to real-life problems in order to change people’s behavior.
Self-Control
Is the ultimate aim of behavior modification. Hints at volition, inner direction, willpower and certainly a conscious awareness of what is happening.
Prior beliefs
If one is learning new material, then one will almost certainly have some prior beliefs about some of that material, beliefs, for example, that some things are naturally associated.
Feedback
If a person is attempting to learn something, then the learning occurs more effectively if, from time to time, he or she is given feedback on how they are doing.
Massing
study in mass or learn all at once.
Distributing
study with intermittent breaks or learn something in pieces.
Meaningfulness
The more meaningful the material to be learned, the more readily it is learned.
Satiation
too much of a reward. Creates a distaste or resilience to the reward. The reward is no longer a reinforcement or changes behavior.
Disadvantages to Punishment
- Punishment suggests nothing positive; it merely says ‘don’t do this’ rather than suggesting what to do.
- Punishment may well lead a person to withdraw from the situation entirely, if this is possible, and may also lead to other negative emotional reactions.
- Sometimes, something that looks punishing might, in fact, be rewarding
Punishment in behavioral control
- Positive reinforcement is more effective if it can be used.
- When using punishment, it is best to combine it with positive reinforcement.
- It is possible to use mild punishment almost informatively, to let someone know that they might be on the wrong track, rather than heavily, a frown rather than a slap to a child, for example.
- If punishment is used, it should be associated quickly and obviously with what is thought to be the inappropriate behavior, and with nothing else.
- It is important to administer punishment instantly.
Shape behavior
To reinforce approximations to the behavior.
Reinforcer effectiveness
qualities of the reinforcement.
Primary Reinforcer
human or physiological need.
Secondary Reinforcer
Not a need.
Conditioned Reinforcer
Reinforcer that takes on the properties of a primary reinforcer.
