Class 6- Learning and Memory Flashcards
When does nonassociative learning occur?
What are some examples?
Nonassociative learning occurs when an organism is repeatedly exposed to a given stimulus.
Examples include:
Habituation: becomes accustomed to the stimulus
Dishabituation: becomes habituated, stimulus is removed
Sensitization: demonstrates increased responsiveness to stimulus
Desensitization: demonstrates diminished reponse to stimulus
Describe classical conditioning.
Who founded it?
Classical conditioning is a process in which two stimuli are paired in such a way that the response to one of the stimuli changes.
Ian Pavlov explained this.
Unconditioned stimulus, unconditioned response, conditioned stimulus, conditioned response
Generalization: stimuli other than original conditioned stimulus elicits conditioned response
Discrimination: conditioned stimulus is distinguished from other stimuli and only thing to elicit conditioned response
Describe operant conditioning.
Who founded it?
Operant conditioning is a process in which reinforcement and punishment are employed to mold behavioral responses.
BF Skinner is associated.
Shaping: the rewarding of successive approximations
Extinction burst: initial increase in frequency and magnitude of behavior prior to the gradual decrease and extinction of behavior.
Superstitious behaviors: behaviors that have no impact on the reinforcement/ punishment, but have been associated with recieving the reinforcement/ punishment
What is aversive control?
Aversive control occurs when behavior is motivated by the threat of something unpleasant happening.
Tends to produce two types of learning:
Escape behavior: behavior to terminate an unpredicted, unpleasant stimulus
Avoidance behavior: behavior to prevent predicted, unpleasant stimulus from even happening
Species specific behaviors that intrude upon conditioned behaviors is called what?
Instinctive drift
Describe observational learning.
Who founded it?
Observational learning is a process in which learning occurs through the observation of another’s behavior.
Albert Bandura first demonstrated.
Biological processes that affect observational learning:
- Mirror neurons: first when performing and observing an action
- Vicarious emotions: when observing others emotional response, same areas of our brains activated
What is insight learning?
What is latent learning?
Insight learning is a process in which the solution to a problem suddenly comes to us (can be described as “flash of insight”). (Wolfgang Kohler)
Latent learning is a process in which learning is occuring but is not immediately obvious; later, when needed, the learning demonstrates itself.
What are the three stages of the memory process.
Encoding –> Storage –> Retrieval
Encoding involves the transfer of sensory memory into memory system.
Briefly describe the process of memory.
Define encoding. What are some encoding strategies?
Encoding is the process of changing/ transforming information into a form that is more easily stored.
Examples of encoding strategies include:
Rehearsal, organization, semantic, chuncking, dual-encoding, mnemonics, self-reference
Contrast the following three types of memory: sensory, working, long-term
Sensory memory: iconic, acoustic/echoic; decays quickly
Working memory: Rehearsal buffer (7 +/- 2 capacity); decays in 15-30 sec; encoding into STM is primarily acoustic; maintence rehearsal keeps in WM
Long-term memory: permanent storage; encoding into LTM is primarily semantic; unlimited capacity
What are the types of long-term memory? How do they relate?
What is retrieval? What are some types of retrieval?
Retrieval is the process of finding info stored in memory.
Examples of retrieval include:
Free recall, cued, recognition, relearning
What is a retrieval cue? What are some examples?
A retrieval cue is any stimulus that assists in memory retrieval.
Examples include:
Priming, context-dependent memory, state-dependent learning
Define displacement.
Displacement occurs in short-term memory in the rehearsal buffer when new (often related) information is substituted for actual information.
