Chapter Three: Learning and Memory Flashcards
What is learning? What are the types of learning?
Refers to a relatively permanent change in behaviour that is caused by experience
- Behavioural learning: takes place as a result of responses to external events
- Cognitive learning: stresses the importance of internal mental processes
Explain classical conditioning
Occurs when a stimulus that naturally elicits a response is paired with another stimulus that initially does not elicit a response on its own
- Stimulus generalization: the tendency of a stimuli to evoke a similar conditioned response
- Stimulus discrimination: occurs when a stimulus similar to a CS is not followed by a UCS
What is instrumental conditioning? What are the four types?
Occurs as the individual learns to perform behaviours that produce positive outcomes and to avoid behaviours that yield negative outcomes
- Positive reinforcement
- Negative reinforcement
- Punishment
- Extinction
What are the four types of reinforcement schedules?
- Fixed ratio: occurs after a fixed number of responses
- Variable ratio: occurs after a variable number of responses
- Fixed interval: occurs after a fixed amount of time
- Variable interval: occurs after a variable amount of time
What is observational learning?
Occurs when people watch the actions of others and note the reinforcements they receive for their behaviours
- The process of imitating is called modeling
Define memory and explain its process
Involves a process of acquiring information and storing it over time so that it will be available when needed
- Encoding: information is placed in memory
- Storage: information is retained in memory
- Retrieval: information stored in memory is found as needed