Ch 6 - Conditioning and Learning Flashcards
Any relatively permanent change in knowledge or behaviour that can be attributed to experience.
What is learning?
The formation of simple associations between various stimuli and responses.
What is associative learning?
A form of learning in which reflex responses are associated with new simuli.
What is classical conditioning?
Something that elicits a response without any prior experience.
What is an unconditioned stimulus (US)?
Response to a stimulus that requires no previous experience.
What is an unconditioned response (UR)?
A stimulus that does not evoke a response.
What is a neutral stimulus (NS)?
Neutral stimulus that, through pairing with an unconditioned stimulus, comes to elicit a learned response.
What is a conditioned stimulus (CS)?
Learned reaction elicited by pairing an originally neutral stimulus with an unconditioned stimulus.
What is a conditioned response (CR)?
Weakening of a learned response by repeatedly presenting the conditioned stimulus without the unconditioned stimulus.
What is extinction (in classical conditioning)?
Reappearance of a learned response after its apparent extinction.
What is spontaneous recovery?
Tendency to respond to stimuli similar to a conditioned stimulus.
What is stimulus generalization?
The learned ability to respond differently to similar stimuli.
What is stimulus discrimination?
An emotional response that has been linked to a previously non-emotional stimulus by classical conditioning.
What is a conditioned emotional response (CER)?
Learning based on the positive or negative consequences of responding.
What is operant (instrumental) conditioning?
Responses that lead to desirable effects are repeated; those that produce undesirable results are not.
What is the law of effect?
An apparatus designed to study operant conditioning in animals.
What is the operant conditioning chamber (Skinner box)?
Any event that reliably increases the probability or frequency of responses it follows.
What is a reinforcer?
Occurs when a response is followed by a reward or other positive event.
What is positive reinforcement?
Occurs when a response if followed by an end to discomfort or by the removal of an unpleasant event.
What is negative reinforcement?
Any event that decreases the probability or frequency of responses that it follows.
What is a punisher?
Any event that follows a response and decreases its likelihood of occurring again; the process of suppressing a response.
What is positive punishment (punishment)?
Removal of a positive reinforcer after a response is made.
What is negative punishment (response cost)?
The weakening or disappearance of a nonreinforced operant response.
What is operant extinction?
The tendency to respond to stimuli similar to those that preceded reinforcement.
What is operant stimulus generalization?
The tendency to make an operant response when stimuli previously associated with reward are present and to withhold the response when stimuli associated with non-reward are present.
What is operant stimulus discrimination?
Gradually molding responses to a final desired pattern.
What is shaping?
A pattern in which a reinforcer follows every correct response.
What is continuous reinforcement?
A pattern in which only a portion of all responses are reinforced.
What is partial reinforcement?
Responses acquired with partial reinforcement are more resistant to extinction.
What is partial reinforcement effect?
Rules or plans for determining which responses will be reinforced.
What are schedules of reinforcement?
An arrangement where a set number of correct responses must be made to get a reinforcer. For example, a reinforcer is given for every four correct responses.
What is a fixed ratio (FR) schedule?
An arrangement where a varied number of correct responses must be made to get a reinforcer. For example, a reinforcer is given after three to seven correct responses; the actual number changes randomly.
What is a variable ratio (VR) schedule?
An arrangement where a reinforcer is given only when a correct response is made after a set amount of time has passed since the last reinforced response. Responses made during the time interval are not reinforced.
What is a fixed interval (FI) schedule?
An arrangement where a reinforcer is given for the first correct response made after a varied amount of time has passed since the last reinforced response. Responses made during the time interval are not reinforced.
What is a variable interval (VI) schedule?
Non-learned reinforcers; usually those that satisfy physiological needs.
What are primary reinforcers?
A learned reinforcer; often one that gains reinforcing properties by association with a primary reinforcer.
What is a secondary reinforcer?
A tangible secondary reinforcer such as money, gold stars, poker chips, and the like.
What is a token reinforcer?
Learning achieved by watching and imitating the actions of another or noting the consequences of those actions.
What is observational learning (modeling)?
A person who serves as an example in observational learning.
What is a model (in learning)?
The removal of inhibition; results in acting out that normally would be restrained.
What is disinhibition?
A reduction in emotional sensitivity to a stimulus.
What is desensitization?
Higher-level learning involving thinking, knowing, understanding, and anticipation.
What is cognitive learning?
Psychologists who work in schools and design interventions for students who are having difficulties.
What are school psychologists?
Psychologists who carry out research to better understand how people best learn and how teachers can improve instruction.
What are educational psychologists?
A system for classifying knowledge and learning.
What is Bloom’s taxonomy?
The belief that intelligence and talents can be developed through hard work and effort.
What is the growth mindset?
The belief that intelligence and talents are inborn and cannot be easily changed.
What is the fixed mindset?
A method of instruction in which information is presented by lecture or demonstration, and students often learn through rote practice.
What is direct instruction?
Learning based on insight and understanding.
What is discovery learning?
Information returned to people about their progress toward a goal.
What is feedback?
A formal agreement stating behaviours to be changed and consequences that apply.
What is a behavioural contract?
Any high-frequency response can be used to reinforce a low-frequency response.
What is the Premack principle?
Self-management based on keeping records of response frequencies.
What is self-recording?
