Chapter 7: learning

Question 1

Define learning

Answer 1

permanent change in a learner due to experience.

Question 2

Define habituation

Answer 2

prolonged exposure to a stimulus creates a gradual reduction in responding.

Question 3

Define sensitization

Answer 3

presentation of a stimulus results. in a heightened response to later stimulus.

Question 4

Someone whose house has been broken into is more sensitive to late-night sounds. What is this an example of?

Answer 4

Sensitization

Question 5

Define classical conditioning

Answer 5

Learning where a neutral stimulus produces a response after being paired with a stimulus that naturally produces a response.

Question 6

Define unconditioned stimulus (US)

Answer 6

A stimulus that consistently produces a natural response.

Question 7

Define unconditioned response (UR)

Answer 7

A reflexive reaction reliably produced by a US.

Question 8

Define conditioned stimulus (CS)

Answer 8

A neutral stimulus that produces a reliable response of another US.

Question 9

Define conditioned response (CR)

Answer 9

An unconditioned response produced by a CS.

Question 10

Define second-order conditioning

Answer 10

Using a CS to turn another neutral stimulus into a CS.

Question 11

Define acquisition

Answer 11

Stage where the US and neutral Stimulus are introduced.

Question 12

Define extinction

Answer 12

No longer presenting the CS with the US will eliminate the response to the CS.

Question 13

Define spontaneous recovery

Answer 13

A CS can be easily brought back.

Question 14

Define generalization

Answer 14

A response can be created by a CS similar to the original CS.

Question 15

Define discrimination

Answer 15

The ability to tell the difference between similar stimuli.

Question 16

Define biological preparedness

Answer 16

Some behaviors are easier to condition than others.

Question 17

Using taste and smell to create food aversion in a rat, but visual with a bird is an example of what?

Answer 17

Biological preparedness

Question 18

Define operant conditioning

Answer 18

Learning where consequences determine whether a behavior is repeated or not.

Question 19

Define law of effect

Answer 19

A behavior is more likely to be repeated if the response is good, but it’s less likely to be repeated if the response is bad.

Question 20

Define operant behavior

Answer 20

behavior that impacts the environment.

Question 21

Parents rewarding a teen with a new car for safe driving is an example of what?

Answer 21

Positive reinforcement
Stimulus present: car
Increased behavior: safe driving

Question 22

Parents giving a teen more chores to stop speeding is an example of what?

Answer 22

Positive punishment
Stimulus present: more chores
Decreased behavior: speeding

Question 23

Parents reduce restrictions on where a teen can drive to reward safe driving is an example of what?

Answer 23

Negative reinforcement
Stimulus removed: restrictions
Increased behavior: safe driving

Question 24

Parents suspend teen’s driving privileges because they got pulled over for speeding is an example of what?

Answer 24

Negative punishment
Stimulus removed: driving privileges
Decreased behavior: speeding

Question 25

Define primary reinforcers

Answer 25

satisfy biological needs: food, water, shelter, warmth, etc.

Question 26

Define secondary reinforcers

Answer 26

Money. Their effectiveness as a reinforcer is based on how they satisfy biological needs. Ex. money buys food, water, shelter, warmth, etc.

Question 27

What is a fixed interval schedule?

Answer 27

reinforcers are presented at fixed time periods.

Question 28

What is a variable interval schedule?

Answer 28

reinforcers are presented at an average time based on the last reinforcement.

Question 29

What is a fixed ratio schedule?

Answer 29

reinforcers are presented once the required behavior has hit a certain amount.

Question 30

What is a variable ratio schedule?

Answer 30

Reinforcers are given after a particular average of responses.

Question 31

What is an intermittent schedule?

Answer 31

Only some behaviors are reinforced.

Question 32

intermittent reinforcement theory?

Answer 32

It’s hard to determine when extinction has happened because the reinforcement is random.

Question 33

Define shaping

Answer 33

learning that results from the reinforcement of successive steps to a final desired behavior.

Question 34

Define latent learning

Answer 34

something learned but doesn’t manifest in behavior until later.

Question 35

What is a cognitive map?

Answer 35

A mental representation of physical features in the environment.

Question 36

What is the pleasure center?

Answer 36

medial forebrain bundle, hypothalamus, and nucleus accumbens.

Question 37

Define observational learning

Answer 37

process where an organism learns by watching another.

Question 38

Where are mirror neurons found? Why are they important?

Answer 38

Frontal and parietal lobes; observational learning

Question 39

human-reared monkeys carried out the exact actions observed _______ often than the mother-reared monkeys.

Answer 39

more

Question 40

Define implicit learning

Answer 40

knowledge that sneaks in “under the radar.”

Question 41

Problems with implicit learning cause what?

Answer 41

Developmental dyslexia

Question 42

What part of the brain sees less activity with implicit learning? More activity with explicit learning?

Answer 42

The occipital lobe; prefrontal lobe, parietal lobe, and hippocampal region.

Question 43

Define distributed practice

Answer 43

Spreading out study activities so there’s more time between the sessions.

Question 44

Define interleaved practice

Answer 44

Mixing different problems and materials into a single study session.

Question 45

Define massed practice

Answer 45

studying information with little or no time between repetitions.

Question 46

The most effective study techniques include:

Answer 46

Practice testing and distributed practice