Chapter 7 - Learning

Question 1

associative learning

Answer 1

learning that certain events occur together. for example, classical conditioning (two stimuli) or operant conditioning (a response and its consequence)

Question 2

stimulus

Answer 2

any event or situation that evokes a response

Question 3

respondent behaviour

Answer 3

behaviour that occurs as an automatic response to some stimulus

Question 4

operant behaviour

Answer 4

behaviour that operates on the environment, producing consequences

Question 5

cognitive learning

Answer 5

the acquisition of mental info, whether by observing event, by watching others, or through language

Question 6

classical conditioning

Answer 6

learning to link two or more stimuli and anticipate events

Question 7

neutral stimulus

Answer 7

a stimulus that elicits no response before conditioning

Question 8

unconditioned stimulus

Answer 8

a stimulus that unconditionally-naturally and automatically-triggers an unconditioned response.

Question 9

unconditioned response

Answer 9

an unlearned, naturally occurring response (salivation) to an unconditioned stimulus (food in the mouth)

Question 10

conditioned response

Answer 10

a learned response to a previously neutral but now conditioned response

Question 11

conditioned stimulus

Answer 11

an originally irrelevant stimulus that, after association with an US, comes to trigger a conditioned response

Question 12

acquisition

Answer 12

in classical conditioning, initial stage when one links a neutral stimulus and an unconditioned stimulus so that the neural stimulus begins triggering the conditioned response. in operant conditioning, the strengthening of a reinforced response.

Question 13

higher-order conditioning

Answer 13

the conditioned stimulus in one conditioning experience is paired with a new neutral stimulus, creating a second often weaker conditioned stimulus. for example, a dog that hears a tone before food might then learn that a light predicts the tone and begin to respond to the tone alone.

Question 14

extinction

Answer 14

the diminishing of a conditioned response`

Question 15

spontaneous recovery

Answer 15

the reappearance, after a pause, of an extinguished conditioned response

Question 16

generalization

Answer 16

the tendency, once a response has been conditioned, for stimuli similar to the conditioned stimulus to elicit similar responses

Question 17

discrimination

Answer 17

in classical conditioning, the learned ability to distinguish between a conditioned stimulus and stimuli that do not signal an unconditioned stimulus.

Question 18

operant conditioning

Answer 18

skinners idea. behaviour is strengthened if followed by a reinforcer or diminished if followed by a punisher

Question 19

law of effect

Answer 19

rewarding behaviour is likely to occur and punishing behaviour is less likely to occur

Question 20

operant chamber

Answer 20

in operant conditioning research, a chamber containing a bar or key that an animal can manipulate to obtain a food or water reinforcer; attached devices record the animals rate of bar pressing or key pecking

Question 21

reinforcement

Answer 21

any event that strengthens the behaviour it follows

Question 22

shaping

Answer 22

an operant conditioning procedure in which reinforcers guide behaviour toward closer and closer approximations of the desired behaviour

Question 23

positive reinforcement

Answer 23

increasing behaviour by presenting positive reinforcers. It is any stimulus that when presented after a response, strengthens the response

Question 24

negative reinforcement

Answer 24

increasing behaviours by stopping or reducing negative stimuli. it is any stimulus that when removed after a response, strengthens that response

Question 25

primary reinforcer

Answer 25

a reinforcing stimulus that satisfies a biological need

Question 26

conditioned reinforcer

Answer 26

a stimulus that gains its reinforcing power through its association with a primary reinforcer

Question 27

reinforcement schedule

Answer 27

a pattern that defines how often a desired response will be reinforced

Question 28

continuous reinforcement schedule

Answer 28

reinforcing the desired response every time it occurs

Question 29

partial reinforcement schedule

Answer 29

reinforcing a response only part of the time; results in slower acquisition of a response but much greater resistance to extinction than does continuous reinforcement

Question 30

fixed ratio schedule

Answer 30

ever so many. for example, buying 9 coffees and getting 1 free

Question 31

variable ratio schedule

Answer 31

reinforcement after a random number of behaviours. for example, playing slot machines

Question 32

fixed interval schedule

Answer 32

reinforcement for behaviour after a fixed time, getting a discount every tuesday

Question 33

variable interval schedule

Answer 33

reinforcement for behaviour after a random amount of time, as when checking for a Facebook response

Question 34

punishment

Answer 34

an event that tends to decrease the behaviour it follows

Question 35

cognitive map

Answer 35

a mental representation of the layout of ones environment. for example, after a rat has gone through a maze once it has a cognitive map of it

Question 36

latent learning

Answer 36

learning that occurs but is not apparent until there is an incentive to demonstrate it

Question 37

intrinsic motivation

Answer 37

a desire to perform a behaviour effectively for its own sake

Question 38

extrinsic motivation

Answer 38

a desire to perform a behaviour to receive promised rewards or avoid threatened punishment

Question 39

modeling

Answer 39

the process of observing and imitating a specific behaviour

Question 40

mirror neurons

Answer 40

frontal lobe neurons that fire when performing certain actions or while watching others do that action. the brains mirroring of another action may enable imitation and empathy

Question 41

prosocial behaviour

Answer 41

positive, constructive, helpful behaviour. the opposite of anti social behaviour