Chapter 5: Learning

Question 1

The definition of learning

Answer 1

a relatively enduring change in behavior or thinking that results from experiences

Question 2

Habituation

Answer 2

a basic form of learning evident when an organism does not respond as strongly or as often to an event following multiple exposures to it

Question 3

Classical conditioning

Answer 3

learning process in which two stimuli become associated with each other

Question 4

Operant conditioning

Answer 4

learning that occurs when voluntary actions become associated with their consequences

Question 5

What does unconditioned mean?

Answer 5

unlearned

Question 6

What does conditioned mean?

Answer 6

learned

Question 7

What is the difference between classical and operant conditioning?

Answer 7

classical conditioning involves associating an involuntary response and a stimulus, while operant conditioning is about associating a voluntary behavior and a consequence

Question 8

Neutral stimulus (NS)

Answer 8

a stimulus that does not cause a relevant automatic or reflexive response

Question 9

Unconditioned stimulus (UCS)

Answer 9

a stimulus that automatically triggers an involuntary response without any learning needed

Question 10

Unconditioned response (UCR)

Answer 10

a reflexive, involuntary response to an unconditioned stimulus

Question 11

Conditioned stimulus (CS)

Answer 11

a previously neutral stimulus that an organism learns to associate with an unconditioned stimulus

Question 12

Conditioned response (CR)

Answer 12

a learned response to a conditioned stimulus

Question 13

Stimulus generalization

Answer 13

the tendency for stimuli similar to the conditioned stimulus to elicit the conditioned response
EX.- Pavlov’s dogs salivate to a metronome ticking at 80-100 bpm

Question 14

Stimulus discrimination

Answer 14

the ability to differentiate between a conditioned stimulus and other stimuli sufficiently different from it
EX.- Pavlov’s dogs salivate to a high pitch tone, but not a low-pitch tone

Question 15

Conditioned taste aversion

Answer 15

a powerful form of classical conditioning that occurs when an organism learns to associate the taste of a particular food or drink with illness

Question 16

Extinction

Answer 16

the disappearance of a conditoned response to a stimulus

Question 17

Spontaneous recovery

Answer 17

the appearance of a conditioned response following its extinction

Question 18

Thorndike’s Law of Effect

Answer 18

behaviors are more likely to be repeated when followed by pleasurable outcomes, and less likely to be repeated when followed by unpleasant outcomes

Question 19

Primary reinforcers

Answer 19

satisfy a biological need

Question 20

Secondary reinforcers

Answer 20

do not satisfy biological needs but often gain power through their association with primary reinforcers

Question 21

Positive reinforcement

Answer 21

the process by which reinforcers are added or presented following a target behavior

Question 22

Negative reinforcement

Answer 22

the removal of an unpleasant stimulus following a target behavior, which increases the likelihood of it occurring again

Question 23

Positive punishment

Answer 23

something aversive or disagreeable is applied following a certain behavior

Question 24

Negative punishment

Answer 24

taking away something pleasant or valuable following a certain behavior

Question 25

Continuous reinforcement

Answer 25

a schedule of reinforcement in which target behavior is reinforced

Question 26

Partial reinforcement

Answer 26

a schedule of reinforcement in which target behaviors are reinforced intermittently, not continuously

Question 27

Fixed-Ratio schedule

Answer 27

a schedule in which the subject must exhibit a predetermined number of desired behaviors before a reinforcer is given

Question 28

Variable-Ratio schedule

Answer 28

a schedule in which the number of desired behaviors that must occur before a reinforcer is given changes across trials and is based on an average number of behaviors to be reinforced
Ex.- lottery tickets

Question 29

Fixed-Interval schedule

Answer 29

a schedule in which the reinforcer comes after a pre-established interval of time; the behavior is only reinforced after the given interval is over

Question 30

Variable-Interval schedule

Answer 30

a schedule on which a behavior is reinforced after some time, but the length of the interval changes from to trial

Question 31

Observational learning

Answer 31

most likely when learners,
- pay attention to the model
- remember what they observed
- are capable of performing the observed behavior
- are motivated to demonstrate the behavior

Question 32

Latent learning

Answer 32

learning that occurs without awareness regardless of reinforcement, and is not evident until needed

Question 33

Cognitive map

Answer 33

a mental representation of a physical space

Question 34

Instinctive drift

Answer 34

the tendency for animals to revert to instinctual behaviors after a behavior pattern has been learned

Question 35

Successive approximations

Answer 35

a method that uses reinforcers to condition a series of small steps that gradually approach the target behavior

Question 36

Shaping

Answer 36

the process by which a person observes the behaviors of another organism, providing reinforcers if the organism performs at a required level