Chapter 6: Learning

Question 1

Learning

Answer 1

a permanent change in behavior (actual behavior, thoughts, beliefs, attitudes)

Question 2

Ivan Pavlov

Answer 2

(1849-1936) Russian physiologist interested in the role of salivation in digestion; measured amount of salivation via GASTRIC FISTULA; discovered classical (Pavlovian) conditioning when dogs began to associate bottle with food, and then, later, him

Question 3

Gastric Fistula

Answer 3

tube used to measure amount of salivation in Pavlov’s experiments

Question 4

Classical Conditioning

Answer 4

learning through association (involuntary)

Question 5

(US) Unconditioned Stimulus

Answer 5

natural stimulus (elicits a UR naturally) Ex: food

Question 6

(UR) Unconditioned Response

Answer 6

natural response; Ex: salivation when food is presented

Question 7

(CS) Conditioned Stimulus

Answer 7

trained stimulus; Ex: bell-sound introduced before food

Question 8

(CR) Conditioned Response

Answer 8

trained response; Ex: salivation at bell-sound (b/c association with food)

Question 9

Extinction

Answer 9

If CS (that elicits CR) is presented without US, then eventually, organism learns CS no longer signifies arrival of US

Question 10

Spontaneous Recovery

Answer 10

post extinction, organism quickly re-learns the association between CS and US (b/c learning is permanent)

Question 11

Stimulus Generalization

Answer 11

organism responds to similar but slightly different CS (ex: different bell sounds)

Question 12

Stimulus Discrimination

Answer 12

organism does NOT respond to similar but slightly different CS (b/c “smart enough”)

Question 13

John B. Watson

Answer 13

(1920) behaviorist experimented with “Little Albert”; each time Albert went to touch a fuzzy, white rat, Watson hit a metal sheet with a mallard, making Albert cry. Eventually, Albert would begin to cry at the sight of the fuzzy, white rats - and anything fuzzy and white, for that matter (stimulus generalization)

Question 14

Operant Conditioning/Instrumental Conditioning

Answer 14

developed by Edward L. Thorndike (1874-1949); exper: cats placed in “puzzle box” - had to learn to escape for food; were able to complete the task quicker with each trial;
Learning takes place because of consequences (favorable or unfavorable); (voluntary)

Question 15

Law of Effect

Answer 15

developed by Edward L. Thorndike (1874-1949):

Responses followed by satisfying consequences are more likely to be repeated under similar circumstances

Question 16

Three Types of Instrumental/Operant Learning:

Answer 16

1) Positive Reinforcement
2) Negative Reinforcement
3) Punishment

Question 17

Positive Reinforcement

Answer 17

Behavior gets enforced (ex: money for chores; attention for acting out)

Question 18

Negative Reinforcement

Answer 18

performed to remove or reduce an aversive stimulus; when a behavior that stops or reduces unpleasant stimuli is reinforced (ex: hitting the right button to turn off alarm)

Question 19

Punishment

Answer 19

trying to correct a behavior or wanting to castigate a person or animal for having engaged in unacceptable behavior (ex: spray cat with water)

Question 20

Primary Reinforcer

Answer 20

anything inherently pleasant or rewarding

Question 21

Secondary Reinforcer

Answer 21

reinforcers associated with primary reinforcers

Question 22

Primary Punisher

Answer 22

anything that is inherently unpleasant

Question 23

Secondary Punisher

Answer 23

anything associated with a primary punisher

Question 24

Shaping

Answer 24

using reinforcement, the withholding of reinforcement, and sometimes punishment to get someone or an animal to approximate the overall target behavior

Question 25

Token

Answer 25

Rewards for complying with desired behavior

Question 26

Corporal Punishment

Answer 26

intentional infliction of pain for the purpose of correcting or controlling a child (or adult) who has committed an offense; often Biblical in nature

Question 27

Corporal punishment correlated with what kind of ; behavior in children?

Answer 27

Aggression, anxiety, and depression; antisocial behaviors

Question 28

Spencer (1999)

Answer 28

Studied relationship between psychopathology and corporal punishment; adults claimed being punished as a child had a positive effect on their development (despite now having depression, anxiety, phobias…)

Question 29

Observation

Answer 29

Seeing others engage in behavior, and then imitating that behavior

Question 30

Insight

Answer 30

Intuition; inference; “I get it”