Ch. 7 Learning Flashcards
Associative Learning
learning certain events occur together
stimulus
any event or situation that evokes a response
respondent behavior
behavior that occurs as an automatic response to some stimulus
operant behavior
behavior that operates on the environment, producing a consequence
cognitive learning
acquisition of mental info whether by observing events, by watching others, or through language
classical conditioning
type of learning in which we link 2 or more stimulus, 1st stimulus comes to elicit behavior in anticipation of the 2nd stimulus
behaviorism
view that psychology should be an objective search that studies behavior without reference to mental processes
neutral stimulus
in classical conditioning, elicits no response before conditioning
unconditioned response
unlearned, naturally occurring response to unconditioned stimulus
unconditioned stimulus
stimulus that unconditionally triggers an unconditioned response
conditioned response
learned response to previously neutral stimulus
conditioned stimulus
originally neutral stimulus that, after association with an unconditioned stimulus, comes to trigger a conditioned response
acquisition
initial stage when one links a neutral stimulus and an unconditioned stimulus so that the neural stimulus begins triggering the conditioned response
higher-order conditioning
procedure in which the conditioned stimulus in one conditioning experience is paired with a neutral stimulus, creating a second conditioned stimulus
extinction
diminishing of a conditioned response
spontaneous recovery
reappearance, after a pause, of an extinguished conditioned response
generalization
tendency, once a response has been conditioned, for stimuli similar to the conditioned stimulus to elicit similar responses
discrimination
learned ability to distinguish between a conditioned stimulus and similar stimuli that do not signal an unconditioned stimulus
operant chamber
chamber containing a bar or key that an animal can manipulate to obtain a food/water reinforce
reinforcement
operant conditioning, any event that strengthens the behavior it follows
shaping
operant conditioning procedure in which reinforcers guide desired behavior toward closer and closer approximations of the desired behavior
positive reinforcement
increasing behaviors by presenting a plausible stimulus
negative reinforcement
increasing behaviors by stopping or reducing an aversive stimulus
primary reinforcer
innately reinforcing stimulus, such as one that satisfies a biological need
conditioned reinforcer
stimulus that gains its reinforcing power through its association with a primary reinforcer
reinforcement schedule
pattern that defines how often a desired response will be enforced
conditioned reinforcement schedule
reinforcing desired response every time it occurs
partial intermittent reinforcement schedule
reinforcing a response only part of the time
fixed-ratio schedule
reinforcement schedule that reinforces a response only after a specified number of responses
variable-Ratio schedule
reinforcement schedule that reinforces a response after an unpredictable number of responses
fixed-interval schedule
reinforces a response only after a specified time has elapsed
variable-interval schedule
reinforces a response at unpredictable time intervals
punishment
event that tends to decrease the behavior that it follows
preparedness
biological predisposition to learn associations that have survival value
instinctive drift
tendency of learned behavior to gradually revert to biologically predisposed patterns
cognitive map
mental representation of the layout of ones environment
latent learning
learning that occurs but is not apparent until there is an incentive to demonstrate it
observational learning
learning by observing others
modeling
process of observing and imitating a specific behavior
mirror neurons
frontal lobe neurons that some scientists believe fire when we perform certain actions or observe another doing so
prosocial behavior
positive, constructive, helpful behavior
