Ch. 7 Learning Flashcards
Learning
the process of acquiring through experience new and relatively enduring information or behaviors
Behaviorism
the view that psychology (1) should be an objective science that (2) studies behavior without reference to mental processes.
Most research psychologists today agree with (1) but not with (2).
Classical Conditioning
a type of learning in which one learns to link two or more stimuli and anticipate events (basic form of learning by which all organisms adapt to their environment)
Unconditioned Stimulus (US
a stimulus that elicits a response without prior learning (unconditionally/naturally/automatically triggers a UR)
-Ex: food in mouth
Unconditioned Response (UR)
a response to the US that is unlearned
Ex: salivation
Neutral Stimulus (NS)
a stimulus that elicits no response before conditioning
Conditioned Stimulus (CS)
a stimulus that elicits a response only after an association has been learned
-Stimulus that after association with US triggers a CR
Conditioned Response (CR)
a response to the CS that has been learned
Acquisition
In classical conditioning, the initial stage, when one links a NS and an US so that the NS begins triggering the CR. In operant conditioning, the strengthening of a reinforced response.
- Learning association; NS+US
- NS must come first or at same time as US (bell must come first) & not too far apart
Extinction
The diminishing of a conditioned response; occurs in classical conditioning when an US does not follow CS; occurs in operant conditioning when a response is no longer reinforced
-Unlearn → CR weakened, CS only (bell only, no food following)
Spontaneous Recovery
the reappearance, after a pause, of an extinguished CR
(1) extinguish response (2) wait (3) present CS
Generalization
the tendency, once a response has been conditioned, for stimuli similar to the CS to elicit similar responses
Discrimination
In classical conditioning, the learned ability to distinguish between a CS and stimuli that do not signal an US
Conditioning Stages
- Acquisition
- Extinction
- Spontaneous Recovery
- Generalization
- Discrimination
Conditioned Taste Aversion
One pairing between the Taste (CS) and Radiation (US) that creates Nausea (CR) that is aversive so the animal will no longer eat food with that taste
Operant Conditioning (instrumental)
type of learning in which behavior is strengthened if followed by a reinforcer or diminished if followed by a punisher; learning to associate a response with a consequence (adjust behavior to avoid - response or get + response)
-Can either be positive (something added) or negative (something removed)
Positive Reinforcement
increases a behavior by adding a desired stimulus
Negative Reinforcement
increases a behavior by removing an aversive stimulus
Positive Punishment
decreases a behavior by adding an aversive stimulus
Negative Punishment
decreases a behavior by removing a desired stimulus
Downsides of Punishment
- Feels coercive
- Needs to be prompt/ immediate; certain/ consistently applied; strong
- Behavior is just suppressed, not forgotten
- Can lead to discrimination among situations
- Can create fear/avoidance
- Doesn’t tell what behavior is more appropriate
Shaping
an operant conditioning procedure in which reinforcers guide behavior toward closer and closer approximations of the desired behavior
Variable schedule of reinforcement ***
not rewarded every time, behavior will last longer once reward is removed (extinguish more slowly)
Vending machine vs. slot machine
Observational Learning
learning by observing others’ behavior
Violence viewing effect
to some extent, prepares people who watch violence to act more cruelly when irritated; especially true when an attractive person commits seemingly justified, realistic violence that goes unpunished and causes no visible pain or harm
-imitation, desensitization, social scripts, priming
Predictability
an animal can learn the predictability of an event (the more predictable an association, the stronger the conditioned response)
-cognitive constraint on operant conditioning
Latent Learning
learning that occurs but is not apparent until there is an incentive to demonstrate it
-cognitive constraint on operant conditioning
