Ch. 7 Learning

Question 1

Associative Learning

Answer 1

learning certain events occur together

Question 2

stimulus

Answer 2

any event or situation that evokes a response

Question 3

respondent behavior

Answer 3

behavior that occurs as an automatic response to some stimulus

Question 4

operant behavior

Answer 4

behavior that operates on the environment, producing a consequence

Question 5

cognitive learning

Answer 5

acquisition of mental info whether by observing events, by watching others, or through language

Question 6

classical conditioning

Answer 6

type of learning in which we link 2 or more stimulus, 1st stimulus comes to elicit behavior in anticipation of the 2nd stimulus

Question 7

behaviorism

Answer 7

view that psychology should be an objective search that studies behavior without reference to mental processes

Question 8

neutral stimulus

Answer 8

in classical conditioning, elicits no response before conditioning

Question 9

unconditioned response

Answer 9

unlearned, naturally occurring response to unconditioned stimulus

Question 10

unconditioned stimulus

Answer 10

stimulus that unconditionally triggers an unconditioned response

Question 11

conditioned response

Answer 11

learned response to previously neutral stimulus

Question 12

conditioned stimulus

Answer 12

originally neutral stimulus that, after association with an unconditioned stimulus, comes to trigger a conditioned response

Question 13

acquisition

Answer 13

initial stage when one links a neutral stimulus and an unconditioned stimulus so that the neural stimulus begins triggering the conditioned response

Question 14

higher-order conditioning

Answer 14

procedure in which the conditioned stimulus in one conditioning experience is paired with a neutral stimulus, creating a second conditioned stimulus

Question 15

extinction

Answer 15

diminishing of a conditioned response

Question 16

spontaneous recovery

Answer 16

reappearance, after a pause, of an extinguished conditioned response

Question 17

generalization

Answer 17

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

Question 18

discrimination

Answer 18

learned ability to distinguish between a conditioned stimulus and similar stimuli that do not signal an unconditioned stimulus

Question 19

operant chamber

Answer 19

chamber containing a bar or key that an animal can manipulate to obtain a food/water reinforce

Question 20

reinforcement

Answer 20

operant conditioning, any event that strengthens the behavior it follows

Question 21

shaping

Answer 21

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

Question 22

positive reinforcement

Answer 22

increasing behaviors by presenting a plausible stimulus

Question 23

negative reinforcement

Answer 23

increasing behaviors by stopping or reducing an aversive stimulus

Question 24

primary reinforcer

Answer 24

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

Question 25

conditioned reinforcer

Answer 25

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

Question 26

reinforcement schedule

Answer 26

pattern that defines how often a desired response will be enforced

Question 27

conditioned reinforcement schedule

Answer 27

reinforcing desired response every time it occurs

Question 28

partial intermittent reinforcement schedule

Answer 28

reinforcing a response only part of the time

Question 29

fixed-ratio schedule

Answer 29

reinforcement schedule that reinforces a response only after a specified number of responses

Question 30

variable-Ratio schedule

Answer 30

reinforcement schedule that reinforces a response after an unpredictable number of responses

Question 31

fixed-interval schedule

Answer 31

reinforces a response only after a specified time has elapsed

Question 32

variable-interval schedule

Answer 32

reinforces a response at unpredictable time intervals

Question 33

punishment

Answer 33

event that tends to decrease the behavior that it follows

Question 34

preparedness

Answer 34

biological predisposition to learn associations that have survival value

Question 35

instinctive drift

Answer 35

tendency of learned behavior to gradually revert to biologically predisposed patterns

Question 36

cognitive map

Answer 36

mental representation of the layout of ones environment

Question 37

latent learning

Answer 37

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

Question 38

observational learning

Answer 38

learning by observing others

Question 39

modeling

Answer 39

process of observing and imitating a specific behavior

Question 40

mirror neurons

Answer 40

frontal lobe neurons that some scientists believe fire when we perform certain actions or observe another doing so

Question 41

prosocial behavior

Answer 41

positive, constructive, helpful behavior