Chapter 6: The Adaptive Mind [Exam 2]

Question 1

Reflexes

Answer 1

Type of behavior
Automatic response to some stimulus.
Inevitable, involuntary responses to some stimuli.
Most are controlled by the nervous system circuits located in the spinal chord and brain stem.
Don’t need prior experience.
Not learning.

Question 2

Instincts

Answer 2

Type of behavior.
Inborn patterns of behavior elicited by environmental stimuli/ a fixed action pattern.
EX: Contagious yawn.
Not learning.

Question 3

Learning

Answer 3

Type of behavior.
Relatively permanent change in behavior or the capacity for behavior due to experience.
“Changes in behavior.”

Question 4

Associative Learning

Answer 4

The formation of associations or connections among stimuli and behaviors.
It helps us to predict the future based on prior experiences.
Anticipate change.

Question 5

Classical Conditioning

Answer 5

A type of associative learning.
When associations are formed between two stimuli that occur sequentially in time.
UCS > UCR.
NS > CS > CR.

Question 6

Operant Conditioning

Answer 6

A type of associative learning.

When associations are formed between behaviors and their outcomes.

Question 7

Non-associative Learning

Answer 7

Learning that involved changed in the magnitude of responses to a stimulus.

Question 8

Habituation

Answer 8

A part of non-associative learning.

A simple form of learning in which reactions to repeated stimuli that are unchanging and harmless.

Question 9

Sensitization

Answer 9

A part of non-associative learning.

An increased reaction to many stimuli following exposure to one very strong stimulus.

Question 10

Observational Learning

Answer 10

Learning that occurs when an organism watches the actions of another.

Question 11

Conditioned Stimulus

Answer 11

An environmental event whose significance is learned for classical conditioning.

Question 12

Unconditioned Stimulus

Answer 12

A stimulus that elicits a response without any prior experience/already has an innate meaning.

Question 13

Conditioned Responses

Answer 13

Learned reactions/a response learned through classical conditioning.

Question 14

Unconditioned Responses

Answer 14

A response to an unconditioned stimulus that requires no previous experiences.

Question 15

Acquisition

Answer 15

The development of a conditioned/learned response.
It requires close proximity in time between the CS and the UCS ( contiguity), and requires a correlation between the CS and the UCS (contingency).

Question 16

Extinction

Answer 16

The reduction of a learned response. Occurs when the UCS no longer follows the CS in classical conditioning, and occurs when the consequence no longer follows the learned behavior in operant conditioning.

Question 17

Spontaneous Recovery

Answer 17

During extinction training, the reappearance of CR’s.

Question 18

Inhibition

Answer 18

When a CS actually predicts the nonoccurrence of an UCS.

Establishes excitatory conditioning be pairing a signal.

Question 19

Generalization

Answer 19

The tendency to respond to stimuli that are similar to the original CS.
Can be positive or negative.

Question 20

Discrimination

Answer 20

A learned ability to distinguish between stimuli.

Question 21

Higher Order Conditioning

Answer 21

Learning which stimuli associated with a CS also elicits a conditioned response.
Allow us to make even more distant predictions about the occurrence of significant events.

Question 22

Latent Inhibition

Answer 22

The slower learning that occurs when a CS is already familiar compared to when the CS is unfamiliar.
EX: I like pizza > I eat one bad slice that makes me sick > don’t create a CR.

Question 23

Counterconditioning

Answer 23

The substitution of one CR for another, opposite response.

Question 24

Systematic Desensitization

Answer 24

Where people relax while being exposed to stimuli that elicit fear.

Question 25

Positive Reinforcement

Answer 25

Method for increasing the frequency of it’s associated behavior by providing a desired outcome reinforcers

Question 26

Primary Reinforcers

Answer 26

Positive reinforcement.

Effective due to their natural roles in survival.

Question 27

Conditioned Reinforcers

Answer 27

Positive reinforcement.

Gains value and ability to influence behavior from being associated with other things we value.

Question 28

Negative Reinforcment

Answer 28

Method for increasing behaviors that allow an organism to escape or avoid an unpleasant consequence.

Question 29

Punishment

Answer 29

A consequence that eliminates or reduces the frequency of a behavior.
Controls behavior.
Must be significant, immediate, and consistent.

Question 30

Positive Punishment

Answer 30

Consequence that eliminates or reduces the frequency of a behavior by applying an aversive stimulus.

Question 31

Negative Punishment

Answer 31

Reducing behavior by removing something desirable whenever the target behavior occurs.

Question 32

Partial Reinforcement

Answer 32

The reinforcement of the desired behavior on some occasions but not all.
Ratio schedules and interval schedules.

Question 33

Fixed Ratio Schedules

Answer 33

Requires that a behavior occurs a set number of times for each reinforcement.

Question 34

Variable Ratio Schedules

Answer 34

Reinforcement occurs following some variable number of behaviors.

Question 35

Fixed Interval Schedules

Answer 35

The time that must pass before reinforcement becomes available following a single response is set at a certain amount.

Question 36

Variable Interval Schedules

Answer 36

The interval is allowed to fluctuate around some variable amount of time before the reinforcement is given.

Question 37

Chaining

Answer 37

Breaking down of complex behavior into manageable steps.

Question 38

Latent Inhibition

Answer 38

Learning that occurs in the absence of reinforcement.

Edward Tolman and the rats with no food in the maze.

Question 39

Observational Learning

Answer 39

The ability to learn by watching others.

Learning occurs without personally experiencing negative consequences.

Question 40

Imitation

Answer 40

The copying of a behavior that is unlikely to occur naturally and spontaneously.

Question 41

Vicarious Reinforcement

Answer 41

Witnessing somebody else getting reinforced for a behavior raises the likelihood that we will imitate the behavior.

Question 42

Mirror Neurons

Answer 42

Brain cells that aid imitation.
In humans and monkeys.
Help us predict the actions of others, allowing us to understand intentions.
Forms the basis for empathy.