Ch6 - Learning Flashcards
Define
Learning
An enduring or durable change in behaviour or mental processes due to experience.
What are other characteristics of learning?
- Relatively permanent
- causes a change in behaviour
- Occurs because of interactions with environment
What are the different types of learning?
- Event-alone learning
- Event-event learning
- Behaviour event learning
- Social learning
Define
Innate
Something inborn or naturally occurring
Define
Reflex
Stimulus-response relationship which is either learned or innate. Behaviour happens automatically
What is habituation?
A process where we respond less strongly over time to repeated stimuli
True or False?
Learning habituation is the same thing is as sensory habituation
False!
* Learning habituation is a simple form of learning while sensory habituation is when information is still available if it becomes relevant
What is sensitization?
An increase in the strength of a response to a repeated stimulus.
What is Classical (Pavlovian) Conditioning?
A form of learning in which a neutral stimulus comes to signal the occurrence of a second stimulus.
Define
Elicits
brings about
Define
Stimulus
Anything in the environment that we can detect, is measurable, and can evoke a response or behaviour
Define
Association
A relationship between two stimuli
Define
Acquisition
Time while an association is being learned
What is an unconditioned stimulus?
Biologically significant stimulus that already has a response to it such as food and pain.
What is an unconditioned response?
Response naturally associated with the unconditioned stimulus such as salivation or being startled.
What is a neutral stimulus ?
A stimulus that does not naturally elicit a response/
What is a conditioned stimulus?
A previously neutral stimulus that comes to elicit a conditioned response
What is a conditioned response?
A learned response to an environmental stimulus.
What are two ways that unconditioned stimulus can be classified as?
- Appetitive: a stimulus that animals find pleasant
- Aversive: a stimulus that animals find unpleasant
What makes a good unconditioned stimulus?
Something that evokes a strong bodily response such as drugs, loud noise etc.
What are the types of conditioned stimulus - unconditioned stimulus pairings?
- Short-delayed conditioning
- Long-delayed conditioning
- Trace conditioning
- Simultaneous conditioning
- Backward conditioning
CS - US pairings
Short-delayed conditioning
US starts just after the CS started (and CS is still on)
CS - US pairings
Long-delayed conditioning
US starts after the CS has been on for a while (and CS is still on)
CS - US pairings
Trace conditioning
CS begins and ends before US is presented
CS - US pairings
Simultaneous conditioning
CS and US begin and end together
CS - US pairings
Backward conditioning
US occurs before the CS
What is preparedness?
species-specific predisposition to be conditioned some specific way usually do to evolutionary adaptations
What is extinction ?
Process in which CS is presented in absence of US which causes CR to weaken and eventually disappear.
What is spontaneous recovery?
When a seemingly extinct CR reappears if the CS is presented again. The CR is usually somehwat weaker.
What is a conditioned excitor?
A CS that produces a CR
What is a safety signal/conditioned inhibitor?
A CS that lets us know an US is not coming.
What is stimulus generalization?
A process where once a CS has been established, similar stimuli may also produce a CR
What is stimulus discrimination?
Process where we exhibit less pronounced CR to CS’s that differ from original CS
What is Higher-order conditioning?
=conditioning procedure in which an already conditioned signal is paired with a neutral stimulus.
What is a phobia?
Extreme and irrational fear directed towards people, objects, or situations.
What is systemic desensitization?
A.K.A exposure therapy
A therapeutic technique based on Pavlovian conditioning to reduce fear response
What is operant(instrumental) conditioning?
Learning that is controlled by the consequences of the organisms behavour
Define
Antecedent
Something detectable in the environment that set the occasion to respond
What is contingency?
If-then rule; if you do this (behaviour), then that will happen (consequence)
What is an outcome that strengthens the probability of a response?
Reinforcement
What is an outcome that weakens the probability of a response?
Punishment
What is escape behaviour?
Performance of a behaviour terminates an aversive stimulus
What is avoidance behaviour?
Performance of the behaviour prevents the aversive stimulus from occuring.
What is learned helplessness?
Experiencing an aversive situation you can’t control prevents you from learning to control other aversive situations
