Chapter 8 Key Terms

Question 1

a relatively permanent change in an organism’s behavior due to experience

Answer 1

learning

Question 2

learning that certain events occur together; the event may be two stimuli (as in classical conditioning) or a response and its consequences (as in operant conditioning)

Answer 2

Associative learning

Question 3

the process of learning associations

Answer 3

conditioning

Question 4

a type of learning in which an organism comes to associate stimuli; a neutral stimulus that signals an unconditioned stimulus (US) begins to produce a response that anticipates and prepares for the unconditioned stimulus; AKA: Pavlovian or respondent conditioning

Answer 4

classical conditioning

Question 5

the view that psychology (1) should be an objective science that (2) studies behavior without reference to mental processes; most research psychologists agree with __ but not with __

Answer 5

Behaviorism12

Question 6

in classical conditioning, the unlearned, naturally occurring response to the unconditioned stimulus (US), such as salivation when food is in the mouth

Answer 6

Unconditioned response (UR)

Question 7

in classical conditioning, a stimulus that unconditionally (naturally and automatically) triggers a response

Answer 7

Unconditioned stimulus (US)

Question 8

in classical conditioning, the learned response to a previously neutral (but now conditioned) stimulus (CS)

Answer 8

Conditioned response (CR)

Question 9

in classical conditioning, an originally irrelevant stimulus that, after association with an unconditioned stimulus (US), comes to trigger a conditioned response

Answer 9

Conditioned stimulus (CS)

Question 10

the initial stage in classical conditioning; the phase associating a neutral stimulus with an unconditioned stimulus so that the neutral stimulus comes to elicit a conditioned response; in operant conditioning, the strengthening of a reinforced response

Answer 10

acquisition

Question 11

the diminishing of a conditioned response; occurs in classical conditioning when an unconditioned stimulus (US) does not follow a conditioned stimulus (CS); occurs in operant conditioning when a response is no longer reinforced

Answer 11

extinction

Question 12

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

Answer 12

spontaneous recovery

Question 13

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

Answer 13

generalization

Question 14

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

Answer 14

discrimination

Question 15

a type of learning in which behavior is strengthened if followed by a reinforcer or diminished if followed by a punisher

Answer 15

Operant conditioning

Question 16

behavior that occurs as an automatic response to some stimulus; Skinner’s term for behavior learned through classical conditioning

Answer 16

Respondent behavior:

Question 17

behavior that operates on the environment, producing consequences

Answer 17

Operant behavior

Question 18

Thorndike’s principle that behaviors followed by favorable consequences become more likely, and that behaviors followed by unfavorable consequences become less likely

Answer 18

Law of effect

Question 19

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

Answer 19

Operant chamber (Skinner’s box)

Question 20

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

Answer 20

shaping

Question 21

in operant conditioning, any event that strengthens the behavior it follows

Answer 21

reinforcer

Question 22

increasing behaviors by presenting positive stimuli, such as food

Answer 22

Positive reinforcement

Question 23

any stimulus that, when presented after a response, strengthens the response

Answer 23

positive reinforcer

Question 24

increasing behaviors by stopping or reducing negative stimuli, such as shock; is not punishment

Answer 24

Negative reinforcement

Question 25

any stimulus that, when removed after a response, strengthens the response

Answer 25

negative reinforcer

Question 26

an innately reinforcing stimulus, such as one that satisfies a biological need

Answer 26

Primary reinforcer

Question 27

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

Answer 27

Conditioned (secondary) reinforcer

Question 28

reinforcing the desired response every time it occurs

Answer 28

Continuous reinforcement

Question 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

Answer 29

Partial (intermittent) reinforcement

Question 30

in operant conditioning, a reinforcement schedule that reinforces a response only after a specified number of responses

Answer 30

Fixed-ratio schedule

Question 31

in operant conditioning, a reinforcement schedule that reinforces a response after an unpredictable number of responses

Answer 31

Variable-ratio schedule

Question 32

in operant conditioning, a reinforcement schedule that reinforces a response only after a specified time has elapsed

Answer 32

Fixed-interval schedule

Question 33

in operant conditioning, a reinforcement schedule that reinforces a response at unpredictable time intervals

Answer 33

Variable-interval schedule

Question 34

an event that decreases the behavior that it follows

Answer 34

punishment

Question 35

a mental representation of the layout of one’s environment; for example, after exploring a maze, rats act as if they have learned one of it

Answer 35

Cognitive map

Question 36

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

Answer 36

Latent learning

Question 37

a desire to perform a behavior for its own sake

Answer 37

Intrinsic motivation

Question 38

a desire to perform a behavior due to promised rewards or threats of punishment

Answer 38

Extrinsic motivation

Question 39

learning by observing others

Answer 39

Observational learning

Question 40

the process of observing and imitating a specific behavior

Answer 40

modeling

Question 41

frontal lobe neurons that fire when performing certain actions or when observing another doing so; the brain’s mirroring of another’s action may enable imitation, language learning, and empathy

Answer 41

Mirror neurons

Question 42

positive, constructive, helpful behavior; the opposite of antisocial behavior

Answer 42

Prosocial behavior