Chapter 7: Learning Flashcards
learning
a lasting change caused by experience-has to be inferred from behaviour, it cannot be directly observed
how do scientists study learning?
by measuring change in behavioural responses
what are two categories of learning?
associative and non-associative
associative learning
learning that involves forming associations between stimuli
non-associative learning
learning that does not involve forming new associations between stimuli
non-associative learning is a result following:
repeated exposure to a single stimulus or event, causes a relatively permanent change in the strength of the response
what are two types of non-associative learning?
habituation and sensitization
habituation
the process of habituating, in which individuals pay less attention to a stimulus after it is presented to them over and over again
overall habitation is a _____ response to stimulus
DECREASE
dishabituation
a form of non-associative learning whereby there is a recovery of attention to a novel stimulus following habituation
sensitization
a form of non-associative learning whereby a strong stimulus results in an exaggerated response to the subsequent presentation of weaker stimuli
sensitization involves an _______ in response with learning
INCREASE
horror movies manipulate:
our sensitization response
the majority learning is:
associative learning
what are two major types of associative learning and describe them:
classical (associate two stimuli, eventually respond the same way to both), operant/instrumental (associate stimuli with the consequences that follow)
conditioning
the association of events in the environment; a type of learning
classical conditioning
a form of associative learning between two previously unrelated stimuli that results in a learned response, discovered by Ivan Pavlov
natural reflex
an automatic involuntary response that typically occurs without learning
outline how classical conditioning works:
- a stimulus has to be present that can automatically trigger a response that does not have to be learned (UR)
- neutral stimulus is presented with the unconditioned stimulus (UR results)
- neutral simulus alone eventually elicits the unconditioned response (CR results)
unconditioned stimulus (US)
a stimulus that on its own elicits a response
unconditioned response (UR)
a physical response elicited by an unconditioned stimulus; it does not have to be learned
conditioned stimulus (CS)
a neutral stimulus that eventually elicits the same response as an unconditioned stimulus with which it has been paired
conditional response (CR)
a physical response elicited by a conditioned stimulus; it is acquired through experience and is usually the same as the unconditioned response
associations are more likely to be learned if:
CS-US pairings are higher
timing is most effective for CS-US pairing if:
CS occurs at most 1/2 second before US
stimulus generalization
what occurs when stimuli similar to the original conditioned stimulus trigger the same conditioned response
stimulus discrimination
what occurs when an organism learns to emit a specific behaviour in the presence of a conditioned stimulus, but not in the presence of stimuli similar to the conditioned stimuli
higher order conditioning
what occurs when a previously conditioned stimulus functions as if it were an unconditioned stimulus for further conditioning
extinction
reduction of a conditioned response after repeated presentations of the conditioned stimulus alone
extinction is not “forgetting” or “unlearning,” it is:
active inhibition of previously learned conditioned response
spontaneous recovery
re-emergence of a conditioned response after extinction has occurred- can be spontaneously recovered without any further pairing of the US-CS
acquisition
occurs as US and CS are repeatedly paired at the beginning of the learning process
phobia
a persistent, irrational, or obsessive fear of a specific object, activity, or situation that might arise as a result of fear conditioning
phobias occur when neutral stimulus is associated with:
a dangerous stimulus
systemic desensitization
a process used to condition extinction of phobias through gradual exposure to the feared object or situation
phobias involve abnormal activity in the:
amygdala
extinction training involves activity in the:
prefrontal cortex (inhibition of action)
conditioned taste aversion
a form of classical conditioning whereby a previously neutral stimulus (often an order or taste) elicits an aversive reaction after it’s paired with illness (nausea)
a taste of food/drink can be associated with illness up to ______ after ingestion
12 hours
taste aversion is learned easily due to:
survival value
drug tolerance (UR) is due to:
compensatory response (US) and location of injection (CS), ie. no compensatory response when injection occurs in new environment
withdrawals are due to exposures to drug-related cues (CS) leading to:
compensatory response (CR) causing cravings
