Chapter5 Flashcards
acquisition
The gradual formation of an association between the conditioned and unconditioned stimuli.
behavior modification
The use of operant-conditioning techniques to eliminate unwanted behaviors and replace them with desirable ones.
classical conditioning, or Pavlovian conditioning
A type of learned response that occurs when a neutral object comes to elicit a reflexive response when it is associated with a stimulus that already produces that response.
cognitive map
A visual/spatial mental representation of an environment.
conditioned response (CR)
A response that has been learned.
conditioned stimulus (CS)
A stimulus that elicits a response only after learning has taken place.
continuous reinforcement
A type of learning in which the desired behavior is reinforced each time it occurs.
extinction
A process in which the conditioned response is weakened when the conditioned stimulus is repeated without the unconditioned stimulus.
fixed schedule
A schedule in which reinforcement is consistently provided upon each occurrence.
habituation
A decrease in behavioral response following repeated exposure to nonthreatening stimuli.
interval schedule
A schedule in which reinforcement is available after a specific unit of time.
latent learning
Learning that takes place in the absence of reinforcement.
law of effect
Thorndike’s general theory of learning: Any behavior that leads to a “satisfying state of affairs” will more likely occur again, and any behavior that leads to an “annoying state of affairs” will less likely recur.
learning
An enduring change in behavior, resulting from experience.
long-term potentiation (LTP)
The strengthening of a synaptic connection so that postsynaptic neurons are more easily activated.
meme
A unit of knowledge transferred within a culture.
mirror neurons
Neurons that are activated during observation of others performing an action.
modeling
The imitation of behavior through observational learning.
negative punishment
Punishment that occurs with the removal of a stimulus and thus decreases the probability of a behavior’s recurring.
negative reinforcement
The increase in the probability of a behavior’s being repeated through the removal of a stimulus.
observational learning
Learning that occurs when behaviors are acquired or modified following exposure to others performing the behavior.
operant conditioning, or instrumental conditioning
A learning process in which the consequences of an action determine the likelihood that it will be performed in the future.
partial reinforcement
A type of learning in which behavior is reinforced intermittently.
partial-reinforcement extinction effect
The greater persistence of behavior under partial reinforcement than under continuous reinforcement.
phobia
An acquired fear that is out of proportion to the real threat of an object or of a situation.
positive punishment
Punishment that occurs with the administration of a stimulus and thus decreases the probability of a behavior’s recurring.
positive reinforcement
The increase in the probability of a behavior’s being repeated following the administration of a stimulus.
ratio schedule
A schedule in which reinforcement is based on the number of times the behavior occurs.
reinforcer
A stimulus that follows a response and increases the likelihood that the response will be repeated.
Rescorla-Wagner model
A cognitive model of classical conditioning; it states that the strength of the CS-US association is determined by the extent to which the unconditioned stimulus is unexpected.
sensitization
An increase in behavioral response following exposure to a threatening stimulus.
shaping
A process of operant conditioning; it involves reinforcing behaviors that are increasingly similar to the desired behavior.
spontaneous recovery
A process in which a previously extinguished response reemerges following presentation of the conditioned stimulus.
stimulus discrimination
A differentiation between two similar stimuli when only one of them is consistently associated with the unconditioned stimulus.
stimulus generalization
Occurs when stimuli that are similar but not identical to the conditioned stimulus produce the conditioned response.
unconditioned response (UR)
A response that does not have to be learned, such as a reflex
unconditioned stimulus (US)
A stimulus that elicits a response, such as a reflex, without any prior learning.
variable schedule
A schedule in which reinforcement is applied at different rates or at different times.
vicarious learning
Learning that occurs when people learn the consequences of an action by observing others being rewarded or punished for performing the action.
