Chapter 6 Flashcards
Learning
An enduring change in behavior resulting from prior experience
Associative learning
A form of learning that involves making connections between stimuli and behavioral responses
Ex. Classical and operant conditioning
Non associative learning
A form of learning that involves a change in the magnitude of an elicited response with repetition of the eliciting stimulus
Ex. Habituation and sensitization
Habituation
A form of non associative learning by which an organism becomes less responsive to a repeated stimulus
Sensitization
A form of non associative learning by which an organism becomes more sensitive, or responsive, to a repeated stimulus
Dishabituation
The recovery of a response that has undergone habituation, typically as a result of the presentation of a novel stimulus.
Classical conditioning
A passive form of learning by which an association is made between a reflex-eliciting stimulus (e.g., a shock) and other stimuli (e.g., a sound)
Ex. Pavlov’s dogs
Unconditioned stimulus (US)
A stimulus that produces a reflexive response without prior learning
Food
Unconditioned response (UR)
The response that is automatically generated by the unconditioned stimulus
Salivating at the presentation of food
Conditioned stimulus (CS)
A stimulus that has no prior positive or negative association but comes to elicit a response after being associated with the unconditioned stimulus
The bell in the experiment
Conditioned response (CR)
A response that occurs in the presence of the conditioned stimulus after an association between the unconditioned and conditioned stimulus is learned
Salivating at the sound of the bell
Acquisition
The initial learning of an association between the unconditioned and conditioned stimuli during classical conditioning.
The pairing of the food and the bell
Generalization
The tendency to respond to stimuli that are similar to the CS, so that learning is not tied too narrowly to specific stimuli.
Pavlov’s dogs may salivate to a sound different to the original CS (the bell).
Discrimination
When we learn to respond to a particular stimulus but not to others, thus preventing over generalizations.
Being able to distinguish a car horn to a trombone while driving.
Extinction
An active learning process whereby the CR is weakened in response to the CS if it is frequently presented in the absence of the US.
When Pavlov continued to ring the bell but with no food, the dogs eventually stopped salivating.
Spontaneous recovery
When an extinct behavior reappears after a delay
The next morning, when Pavlov rang the bell again, the dogs salivated.
Blocking
A classical conditioning phenomenon whereby a prior association with a conditioned stimulus prevents learning of an association with another stimulus because the second one adds no further predictive value.
Preparedness
The species-specific biological predisposition to learn some associations more quickly than other associations.
Conditioned taste aversion
A classically conditioned response where individuals are more likely to associate nausea with food than with other environmental stimuli.
Operant conditioning
A mechanism by which our behavior acts as an instrument or tool to change the environment and, as a result, voluntary behaviors are modified.
Ex. Skinner box
Law of effect
The idea that behavior is a function of its consequences-actions that are followed by positive outcomes are strengthened, and behaviors that are followed by negative outcomes are weakened.
Reinforcement
A consequence that increases the likelihood that a behavior will be repeated.
Punishment
A consequence that decreases the likelihood that a behavior will be repeated.
Primary reinforcers
A consequence that is innately pleasurable and/or satisfies some biological need
