Chapter 7 Flashcards
Learning
The process of acquiring through experience new and relatively enduring information or behaviors
Associative learning
Learning that certain events occur together. The events may be two stimuli (as in classical conditioning) or a response and its consequences (as in operant conditioning)
Stimulus
Any event or situation that evokes a response
Cognitive learning
The acquisition of mental information, whether by observing events, by watching others, or through language
Classical conditioning
A type of learning in which one learns to link two or more stimuli and anticipate events
Behaviorism
The view that psychology (1) should be an objective science that (2) studies behavior without reference to mental processes. Most research psychologists today agree with (1) but not (2)
Neutral stimulus (NS)
In classical conditioning, a stimulus that elicits no response before conditioning
Unconditional response (UR)
In classical conditioning, an unlearned, naturally occurring response (such as salivation) to an unconditioned stimulus (US) (such as food in the mouth)
Unconditioned stimulus (US)
In classical conditioning, a stimulus that unconditionally- naturally and automatically- triggers response (UR)
Conditioned response (CR)
In classical conditioning, a learned response to a previously neutral (but now conditioned) stimulus (CS)
Conditioned stimulus (CS)
In classical conditioning, an originally irrelevant stimulus that, after association with an unconditioned
Acquisition
In classical conditioning, the initial stage, when one links a neutral stimulus and an unconditioned stimulus so that the neutral stimulus begins triggering the conditioned response. In operant conditioning, the strengthening of a reinforced response
An experimenter sounds a tone just before delivering an air puff to your blinking eye. After several repetitions, you blink to the tone alone. What is the NS? The US? The UR? The CS? The CR?
NS= tone before procedure; US= Air puff; UR= Blink to air puff; CS= tone after procedure; CR= blink to tone
Pavlov’s classic experiment
Pavlov presented a neutral stimulus (a tone) just before an unconditioned stimulus (food in mouth). The neutral stimulus then became a conditioned stimulus, a producing a conditioned response
The diminishing of a conditioned response; occurs in classical conditioning when an unconditioned stimulus does not follow a conditioned stimulus; occurs in operant conditioning when a response is no longer reinforced
Extinction
Spontaneous recovery
The reappearance, after a pause, of an extinguished conditioned response
Generalization
The tendency, once a response has been conditioned, for stimuli similar to the conditioned stimulus to elicit similar responses
The first step of classical conditioning, when an NS becomes a CS, is called ________. When a US no longer follows the CS, and the CR becomes weakened, this is _________.
Acquisition; extinction
Discrimination
In classical conditioning, the learned ability to distinguish between a conditioned stimulus and stimuli that do not signal an unconditioned stimulus
If the aroma of cake baking sets your mouth to watering, what is the US? The CS? The CR?
The cake (and its taste) are the US. The associated aroma is the CS. Salivation to the aroma is the CR
What conditioning principle is affecting the snail’s affections
Generalization
In Watson and Rayner’s experiments, “Little Albert” learned to fear a white rat after repeatedly experiencing a loud noise as the rat was presented. In this experiment, what was the US? The UR? The NS? The CS? The CR?
The US was the loud noise; the UR was the fear response; The NS was the rat before it was paired with the noise; the CS was the rat after pairing; the CR was fear
Operant conditioning
A type of learning in which behavior is strengthened if followed by a reinforcer or diminished if followed by a punisher
Law of effect
Thorndike’s principle that behaviors followed by favorable consequences become more likely, and that behavior followed by unfavorable consequences become less likely
Operant chamber
In operant conditioning research, a chamber (also known as a Skinner box) containing a bar or key that an animal can manipulate to obtain a food or water reinforcer; attached devices record the animal’s rate of bar pressing or key pecking
Reinforcement
In operant conditioning, any event that strengthens the behavior it follows
Shaping
An operant conditioning procedure in which reinforcers guide behavior toward closer and closer approximations of the desired behavior
With ________ conditioning, we learn associations between events we do not control. With __________ conditioning, we learn associations between our behavior and resulting events
Classical; operant
Positive reinforcement
Increasing behaviors by presenting positive reinforcers. A positive reinforcer is any stimulus that, when presented after a response, strengthens the response
Negative reinforcement
Increasing behaviors by stopping or reducing negative stimuli. A negative reinforcer is any stimulus that, when removed after a response, strengthens the response. (Note: Negative reinforcement is not punishment)
Primary reinforcer
An innately reinforcing stimulus, such as one that satisfies a biological need
Conditioned reinforcer
A stimulus that gains its reinforcing power through its association with a primary reinforcer; also known as a secondary reinforcer
Continuous reinforcment
Reinforcing the desired response every time it occurs
Reinforcement schedule
A pattern that defines how often a desired response will be reinforced