Chap 6

Question 1

What is Learning?

Answer 1

Relatively enduring and permanent change, resulting in behavior

Question 2

What is Nonassociative Learning?

Answer 2

Responding to a single stimulus after repeated exposure, simplest form of learning. includes Habituation and Sensitization.

Question 2

What is Associative Learning?

Answer 2

The linkage of 2 stimuli/events that occur together, associations develop through conditioning. Includes Classical and Operant conditioning.

Question 3

What is Habituation?

Answer 3

The decrease in behavior response after repeated exposure to a stimulus. Ex. To stop noticing the sound of an air conditioner

Question 3

What is Observational Learning?

Answer 3

Acquiring or changing of a behavior after exposure to another individual performing that behavior. Ex. Parroting

Question 4

What is Sensitization?

Answer 4

The increase in behavioral response after repeated or extended exposure to a stimulus. Ex. A dripping faucet becoming more bothersome as time continues.

Question 4

What is an Unconditioned Stimulus?

Answer 4

Something that elicits a reflex response.

Question 4

What is Classical Conditioning?

Answer 4

Creating an association between a neutral stimulus and a stimulus that already elicits that same response. Ex. Getting scratched (US) by a cat provokes fear (UR) the cat then is the conditioned stimulus for fear (CS) because of the association between scratched and the cat.

Question 4

What is an Unconditioned Response?

Answer 4

A response that is not learned, a reflex.

Question 4

What is a Conditioned Stimulus?

Answer 4

Something that elicits a response only after it was learned.

Question 4

What is a Conditioned Response?

Answer 4

A learned response to a conditioned stimulus.

Question 4

What is Acquisition?

Answer 4

The gradual association that is created between the conditioned and unconditioned stimuli, this is strongest when the CS occurs directly before the US, the association phase of the learning.

Question 5

What is Second-order Conditioning?

Answer 5

When a direct association is created between a CS and CR, without ever realizing there was a connection between the CS and the US, more useful in studying the complexity of human learning.

Question 6

What is Extinction?

Answer 6

The process of learning where the conditioned response begins to weaken as the conditioned stimulus no longer leads to the unconditioned stimulus, the connection still exists but is not needed.

Question 7

What is Spontaneous Recovery?

Answer 7

This can be achieved by reintroducing the conditioned stimulus, thus generating the conditioned response.

Question 8

What is Stimulus Generalization?

Answer 8

Learning that occurs when the stimuli are similar but not identical and can lead to the same CR.

Question 9

What is Stimulus Discrimination?

Answer 9

When similar stimuli are different enough that only 1 of them will lead to the CR.

Question 10

What is Conditioned taste aversion?

Answer 10

Association of a taste, scent, or food that leads to recollections of a time of illness, leading one to avoid it in the future.

Question 11

What is Biological preparedness?

Answer 11

Genetically preprogrammed fears that have been passed down generationally that help an animal stay alive.

Question 12

What is the Expectancy effect?

Answer 12

We anticipate an outcome due to observed stimuli.

Question 13

What is Prediction?

Answer 13

We can anticipate the occurrence of specific events based on classical conditioning that we have learned in the past.

Question 14

What is the Rescorla-Wagner model?

Answer 14

The strength of the CS-US association is determined by the extent to which the US is unexpected. Stronger associations are made if the CS is salient and reliable, constant evaluation is taking place and the most reliable stimuli will allows for the strongest connections.

Question 15

What is Prediction Error?

Answer 15

The difference between the expected and actual outcome.

Question 16

What is a Phobia?

Answer 16

An acquired fear that is out of proportion to the real threat of an object or a situation. Arise from a generalization following a learned experience.

Question 17

How do Drug Addictions relate to Conditioning?

Answer 17

They are conditioned responses that occur because the addict has created associations between the effects of the drugs and all the paraphernalia. Studies show rehab centers should use conditioning practices to make the paraphernalia neutral stimuli again.

Question 18

What is Operant Conditioning?

Answer 18

A learning process in which the consequences of an action will determine the likelihood that it will be performed in the future. Ex. If ___ happens then I will ___

Question 19

What is the Law of Effect?

Answer 19

Any behavior that leads to satisfaction is likely to happen again, vice versa.

Question 20

What is a Reinforcer?

Answer 20

A stimulus that follows a response that will increase the chances that the response will be repeated.

Question 21

What is Shaping?

Answer 21

A process involving reinforcing behaviors that are increasingly similar to the desired behavior, in an attempt to eventually get the desired response.

Question 21

What is a Primary Reinforcer?

Answer 21

Fulfill basic biological needs … food, water, shelter.

Question 22

What is a Secondary Reinforcer?

Answer 22

Reinforcers that reward specific behavior, but do not fulfill an obvious biological need. These reinforcers are conditioned to hold value.

Question 23

What is Positive Reinforcement?

Answer 23

The administration of a stimulus to increase the probability of a behavior being repeated.

Question 24

What is Negative Reinforcement?

Answer 24

The removal of an unpleasant stimulus to increase the probability that the behavior will be repeated.

Question 25

What is Continuous Reinforcement?

Answer 25

Type of learning that involves desired behaviors being reinforced every time they are performed. Learning happens faster, but is not sustained.

Question 26

What is Partial Reinforcement?

Answer 26

Type of learning that involves desired behaviors being reinforced occasionally as they are performed.

Question 27

What is the Partial-reinforcement Extinction Effect?

Answer 27

If one uses partial reinforcement during acquisition then response during extinction will be more persistent.

Question 28

What is a Fixed Interval Schedule? (FI)

Answer 28

Reinforcing desired behavior at fixed time intervals. Students working harder leading up to assessments, feeding pets at specific times, or gifts on holidays.

Question 29

What is a Variable Interval Schedule? (VI)

Answer 29

Reinforcing desired behaviors periodically based on random time intervals. If a teacher regularly gives pop quizzes, you might spend more time with your practice nightly. Your addiction to your cell phone has also been conditioned based on a variable interval schedule. You check your phone in hopes that the reinforcement (message) has been issued.

Question 30

What is a (FR) Fixed Ratio Schedule?

Answer 30

Reinforcing desired behaviors after the subject performs the desired behaviors a specific number of times. This method of reinforcement, leads the subject to condition themselves if the reinforcement is desired.

Question 31

What is a (VR) Variable Ratio Schedule?

Answer 31

Reinforcing desired behaviors after an unpredictable number of correct responses. “I don’t want to miss out of the next reinforcement!”

Question 32

What is Positive Punishment?

Answer 32

Administering a stimulus to decrease the probability of unwanted behaviors recurring.

Question 33

What is Negative Punishment?

Answer 33

Removal of a stimulus to decrease the probability of unwanted behaviors recurring.

Question 34

What is Behavior Modification?

Answer 34

The process of utilizing operant conditioning to replace unwanted behaviors with a more desirable behavior.

Question 35

What is a Cognitive Map?

Answer 35

A visual/spatial mental representation of an environment. This map has been established through operant conditioning that reinforced your ability to expediently arrive at the destination. EX. Your ability to drive to school or to a friend’s house without requiring a GPS.

Question 35

What is Latent Learning?

Answer 35

Learning that takes place without perceivable reinforcements, but is only demonstrated when the subject is in a situation where learning needs to be demonstrated and can be reinforced.

Question 36

What is Modeling?

Answer 36

The imitation of observed behaviors.

Question 37

What is Vicarious Learning?

Answer 37

Learning the consequences of an action by watching others being rewarded or punished for performing specific behaviors.

Question 38

What are Mirror Neurons?

Answer 38

Neurons in the brain that are activated when one observes another individual engage in an action and when one performs a similar action. Mirror neurons help us to understand empathy. If we watch someone break a bone, we will often times flinch and turn away as if we are the one in pain.