Chapter 3 Flashcards
appetitive conditioning
Conditioning procedure in which the US is an event that an organism approaches or seeks out.
startle response
A defensive reaction to a sudden, unexpected stimulus, which involves automatic tightening of skeletal muscles and various hormonal and visceral changes.
trace conditioning
Conditioning procedure in which the onset and offset of the NS precede the onset of the US.
unconditioned response (UR)
The response that is naturally elicited by the unconditioned stimulus without any prior learning.
simultaneous conditioning
Conditioning procedure in which the onset of the NS and the onset of the US are simultaneous.
opponent-process theory
A theory proposing that an emotional event elicits two competing processes:
(1) an a-process (or primary process) directly elicited by the event, and
(2) a b-process (or opponent process) that is elicited by the a-process and serves to counteract the a-process.
reflex
A relatively simple, involuntary response to a stimulus.
reflex arc
A neural structure that underlies many reflexes and consists of a sensory neuron, an interneuron, and a motor neuron.
orienting response
The automatic positioning of oneself to facilitate attending to a stimulus.
sign stimulus (or releaser)
A specific stimulus that elicits a fixed action pattern.
unconditioned stimulus (US)
A stimulus that naturally elicits a response without any prior learning.
sensitization
An increase in the strength of an elicited response following repeated presentations of the eliciting stimulus.
conditioned response (CR)
The response, often similar to the unconditioned response, that is elicited by the conditioned stimulus.
aversive conditioning
Conditioning procedure in which the US is an event that an organism avoids.
conditioned stimulus (CS)
Any stimulus that, although initially neutral, comes to elicit a response because it has been associated with an unconditioned stimulus.
delayed conditioning
Conditioning procedure in which the onset of the NS precedes the onset of the US, and the two stimuli overlap.
classical conditioning
A process whereby one stimulus that does not elicit a certain response is associated with a second stimulus that does; as a result, the first stimulus also comes to elicit a response.
backward conditioning
Conditioning procedure in which the onset of the NS follows the onset of the US.
dishabituation
The reappearance of a habituated response to a stimulus following the presentation of another, seemingly irrelevant novel stimulus.
excitatory conditioning
Conditioning procedure in which the NS is associated with the presentation of a US.
fixed action pattern
A fixed sequence of responses elicited by a specific stimulus.
flexion response
The automatic response of jerking one’s hand or foot away from a hot or sharp object.
habituation
A decrease in the strength of an elicited behavior following repeated presentations of the eliciting stimulus.
inhibitory conditioning
Conditioning procedure in which the NS is associated with the absence or removal of a US.
