Chapter 5 - Learning Flashcards
Learning to make an involuntary (reflex) response to a stimulus other than the original, natural stimulus that normally produces the reflex.
Classical conditioning
An involuntary response, one that is not under personal control or choice.
Reflex
A naturally occurring stimulus that leads to an involuntary (reflex) response.
Unconditioned stimulus (UCS)
An involuntary (reflex) response to a naturally occurring or unconditioned stimulus.
Unconditioned response (UCR)
Stimulus that has no effect on the desired response.
Neutral stimulus (NS)
Stimulus that becomes able to produce a learned reflex response by being paired with the original unconditioned stimulus.
Conditioned stimulus (CS)
Learned reflex response to a conditioned stimulus.
Conditioned response (CR)
The tendency to respond to a stimulus that is only similar to the original conditioned stimulus with the conditioned response.
Stimulus generalization
The tendency to stop making a generalized response to a stimulus that is similar to the original conditioned stimulus because the similar stimulus is never paired with the unconditioned stimulus.
Stimulus discrimination
The disappearance or weakening of a learned response following the removal or absence of the unconditioned stimulus (in classical conditioning) or the removal of a reinforcer (in operant conditioning).
Extinction
The reappearance of a learned response after extinction has occurred.
Spontaneous recovery
Occurs when a strong conditioned stimulus is paired with a neutral stimulus, causing the neutral stimulus to become a second conditioned stimulus.
Higher-order conditioning
Emotional response that had become classically conditioned to occur to learned stimuli, such as a fear of dogs or the emotional reaction that occurs when seeing an attractive person.
Conditioned emotional response (CER)
Classical conditioning of a reflex response or emotion by watching the reaction of another person.
Vicarious conditioning
Development of a nausea or aversive response to a particular taste because that taste was followed by a nausea reaction, occurring after only one association.
Conditioned taste aversion
Referring to the tendency of animals to learn certain associations, such as taste and nausea, with only one or few pairings due to the survival value of the learning.
Biological preparedness
Original theory in which Pavlov stated that classical conditioning occurred because the conditioned stimulus became a substitute for the unconditioned stimulus by being paired closely together.
Stimulus substitution
Modern theory in which classical conditioning is seen to occur because the conditioned stimulus provides information or an expectancy about the coming of the unconditioned stimulus.
Cognitive perspective
The learning of voluntary behavior through the effects of pleasant and unpleasant consequences to responses.
Operant conditioning
Law stating that if an action is followed by a pleasurable consequence, it will tend to be repeated, and if followed by an unpleasant consequence, it will tend not to be repeated.
Law of effect
Any behavior that is voluntary.
Operant
Any event or stimulus, that when following a response, increases the probability that the response will occur again.
Reinforcement
Any events or objects that, when following a response, increase the likelihood of that response occurring again.
Reinforcers
Any reinforcer that is naturally reinforcing by meeting a basic biological need, such as hunger, thirst, or touch.
Primary reinforcer
Any reinforcer that becomes reinforcing after being paired with a primary reinforcer, such as praise, tokens, or gold stars.
Secondary reinforcer
The reinforcement of a response by the addition or experiencing of a pleasurable stimulus.
Positive reinforcement
The reinforcement of a response by the removal, escape from, or avoidance of an unpleasant stimulus.
Negative reinforcement
The tendency for a response that is reinforced after some, but not all, correct responses to be very resistant to extinction.
Partial reinforcement effect
The reinforcement of each and every correct response.
Continuous reinforcement
Schedule of reinforcement in which the interval of time that must pass before reinforcement becomes possible is always the same.
Fixed interval schedule of reinforcement
Schedule of reinforcement in which the interval of time that must pass before reinforcement becomes possible is different for each trial or event.
Variable interval schedule of reinforcement
Schedule of reinforcement in which the number of responses required for reinforcement is always the same.
Fixed ratio schedule of reinforcement
Schedule of reinforcement in which the number of responses required for reinforcement is different for each trial or event.
Variable ratio schedule of reinforcement
Any event or object that, when following a response, makes that response less likely to happen again.
Punishment
The punishment of a response by the addition or experiencing of an unpleasant stimulus.
Punishment by application
The punishment of a response by the removal of a pleasurable stimulus.
Punishment by removal
Any stimulus, such as a stop sign or a doorknob, that provides the organism with a cue for making a certain response in order to obtain reinforcement.
Discriminative stimulus
The reinforcement of simple steps in behavior that lead to a desired, more complex behavior.
Shaping
Small steps in behavior, one after the other, that leaf to a particular goal behavior.
Successive approximations
Tendency for an animal’s behavior to revert to genetically controlled patterns.
Instinctive drift
The use of operant conditioning techniques to bring about desired changes in behavior.
Behavior modification
Type of behavior modification in which desired behavior is rewarded with tokens.
Token economy
Modern term for a form of functional analysis and behavior modification that uses a variety of behavioral techniques to mold a desired behavior or response.
Applied behavior analysis (ABA)
Using feedback about biological conditions to bring involuntary responses, such as blood pressure and relaxation, under voluntary control.
Biofeedback
Form of biofeedback using brain-scanning devices to provide feedback about brain activity in an effort to modify behavior.
Neurofeedback
Learning that remains hidden until its application becomes useful.
Latent learning
The sudden perception of relationships among various parts of a problem, allowing the solution to the problem to come quickly.
Insight
The tendency to fail to act to escape from a situation because of a history or repeated failures in the past.
Learned helplessness
Learning new behavior by watching a model perform that behavior.
Observational learning
Referring to the observation that learning can take place without actual performance of the learned behavior.
Learning/performance distinction
