Chapter 7: learning Flashcards
Define learning
permanent change in a learner due to experience.
Define habituation
prolonged exposure to a stimulus creates a gradual reduction in responding.
Define sensitization
presentation of a stimulus results. in a heightened response to later stimulus.
Someone whose house has been broken into is more sensitive to late-night sounds. What is this an example of?
Sensitization
Define classical conditioning
Learning where a neutral stimulus produces a response after being paired with a stimulus that naturally produces a response.
Define unconditioned stimulus (US)
A stimulus that consistently produces a natural response.
Define unconditioned response (UR)
A reflexive reaction reliably produced by a US.
Define conditioned stimulus (CS)
A neutral stimulus that produces a reliable response of another US.
Define conditioned response (CR)
An unconditioned response produced by a CS.
Define second-order conditioning
Using a CS to turn another neutral stimulus into a CS.
Define acquisition
Stage where the US and neutral Stimulus are introduced.
Define extinction
No longer presenting the CS with the US will eliminate the response to the CS.
Define spontaneous recovery
A CS can be easily brought back.
Define generalization
A response can be created by a CS similar to the original CS.
Define discrimination
The ability to tell the difference between similar stimuli.
Define biological preparedness
Some behaviors are easier to condition than others.
Using taste and smell to create food aversion in a rat, but visual with a bird is an example of what?
Biological preparedness
Define operant conditioning
Learning where consequences determine whether a behavior is repeated or not.
Define law of effect
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.
Define operant behavior
behavior that impacts the environment.
Parents rewarding a teen with a new car for safe driving is an example of what?
Positive reinforcement
Stimulus present: car
Increased behavior: safe driving
Parents giving a teen more chores to stop speeding is an example of what?
Positive punishment
Stimulus present: more chores
Decreased behavior: speeding
Parents reduce restrictions on where a teen can drive to reward safe driving is an example of what?
Negative reinforcement
Stimulus removed: restrictions
Increased behavior: safe driving
Parents suspend teen’s driving privileges because they got pulled over for speeding is an example of what?
Negative punishment
Stimulus removed: driving privileges
Decreased behavior: speeding
Define primary reinforcers
satisfy biological needs: food, water, shelter, warmth, etc.
Define secondary reinforcers
Money. Their effectiveness as a reinforcer is based on how they satisfy biological needs. Ex. money buys food, water, shelter, warmth, etc.
What is a fixed interval schedule?
reinforcers are presented at fixed time periods.
What is a variable interval schedule?
reinforcers are presented at an average time based on the last reinforcement.
What is a fixed ratio schedule?
reinforcers are presented once the required behavior has hit a certain amount.
What is a variable ratio schedule?
Reinforcers are given after a particular average of responses.
What is an intermittent schedule?
Only some behaviors are reinforced.
intermittent reinforcement theory?
It’s hard to determine when extinction has happened because the reinforcement is random.
Define shaping
learning that results from the reinforcement of successive steps to a final desired behavior.
Define latent learning
something learned but doesn’t manifest in behavior until later.
What is a cognitive map?
A mental representation of physical features in the environment.
What is the pleasure center?
medial forebrain bundle, hypothalamus, and nucleus accumbens.
Define observational learning
process where an organism learns by watching another.
Where are mirror neurons found? Why are they important?
Frontal and parietal lobes; observational learning
human-reared monkeys carried out the exact actions observed _______ often than the mother-reared monkeys.
more
Define implicit learning
knowledge that sneaks in “under the radar.”
Problems with implicit learning cause what?
Developmental dyslexia
What part of the brain sees less activity with implicit learning? More activity with explicit learning?
The occipital lobe; prefrontal lobe, parietal lobe, and hippocampal region.
Define distributed practice
Spreading out study activities so there’s more time between the sessions.
Define interleaved practice
Mixing different problems and materials into a single study session.
Define massed practice
studying information with little or no time between repetitions.
The most effective study techniques include:
Practice testing and distributed practice
