Classical and Operant Conditioning

Question 1

classical conditioning

Answer 1

learning mechanism that pairs two stimuli to produce an involuntary response to a previously-neutral stimulus

Question 2

unconditioned stimulus

Answer 2

something that causes a natural response, such as a food that causes salivation

Question 3

unconditioned response

Answer 3

behavior or state that arises naturally after the experience of an unconditioned stimulus
eg salivating after sensing an appropriate food nearby

Question 4

neutral stimulus

Answer 4

something that can be detected by a sense but causes no natural response
eg smelling granite

Question 5

conditioned stimulus

Answer 5

something that naturally causes no response, but when it occurs at the same time or immediately before something that does elicit a response, it begins to cause that response on its own

Question 6

conditioned response

Answer 6

behavior or state that arises after the pairing of a neutral stimulus to an unconditioned stimulus

Question 7

generalization

Answer 7

the way in which a stimulus similar to the conditioned sitmulus tends to elicit a response similar tot he conditioned response

Question 8

discrimination

Answer 8

when an animal or person learns to respond to a particular set of stimuli and not other (potentially similar) stimuli

Question 9

extinction

Answer 9

the weakening of a learned response, causing the behavior triggered by a conditioned stimulus to be displayed less or not at all

Question 10

spontaneous recovery

Answer 10

the random display of a previously conditioned response after a period of extinction

Question 11

operant conditioning

Answer 11

learning mechanism that uses rewards and punishments to make a specific behavior more or less likely to occur again

Question 12

reinforcement

Answer 12

consequence of behavior that makes the behavior more likely to occur again

Question 13

positive reinforcement

Answer 13

consequence of a behavior that makes the behavior more likely to occur again through the addition of a pleasant stimulus
eg giving food after the specific behavior is performed

Question 14

negative reinforcement

Answer 14

consequence of behavior that makes the behavior more likely to occur again by removing an unpleasant stimulus
eg stop using an annoying air horn after the specific behavior is performed

Question 15

punishment

Answer 15

consequence of a behavior that makes the behavior less likely to occur again

Question 16

negative punishment

Answer 16

consequence of behavior that makes the behavior less likely to occur again by removing a pleasant stimuli
eg taking away a child’s access to dessert after the specific behavior has been performed

Question 17

positive punishment

Answer 17

consequence of behavior that makes the behavior less likely to occur again through the addition of an unpleasant stimulus
eg start using an annoying air horn after the specific behavior is performed

Question 18

shaping

Answer 18

learning a behavior through reinforcement of behaviors that progressively are more and more similar to the target behavior

Question 19

target behavior

Answer 19

action that has been selected to be changed or learned

ultimate goal of shaping is to perform a target behavior

Question 20

partial reinforcement schedule

Answer 20

situation in which a target behavior is rewarded only some of the times it is performed
typically results in a behavior that is more resistant to extinction than one that is reward every time

Question 21

fixed-ratio schedule

Answer 21

situation in which a behavior is not reinforced every time, but rather after a set number of responses
results in a relatively high response rate

Question 22

variable-ratio schedule

Answer 22

situation in which a behavior is not reinforced every time, but rather after a random number of responses
results in the highest response rate, even if the average number of reinforcements per performance of the action is equal to that of the fixed-ratio or interval schedules

Question 23

variable-interval schedule

Answer 23

situation in which a behavior is not reinforced every time, but rather after a random amount of time has passed
usually causes a relatively high rate of responding

Question 24

fixed-interval schedule

Answer 24

situation in which a behavior is not reinforced every time, but rather after a set amount of time if the behavior occurred at least once in that time
usually causes a slow rate of responding compared to variable-interval and ratio schedules

Question 25

innate behavior

Answer 25

responses to the environment that are genetically coded, intrinsic, consistent, not easily changed, and do not develop over time

Question 26

reflex

Answer 26

innate, involuntary, nearly instantaneous reaction to a stimulus that does not require conscious thought

Question 27

taxis

Answer 27

innate reaction that causes movement towards or away from a stimulus

Question 28

kinesis

Answer 28

innate reaction to a stimulus that causes a change in speed or rate of movement or causes random movement

Question 29

fixed action pattern

Answer 29

innate, involuntary reaction to a stimulus that does not require thought and results in a coordinated movements

Question 30

migration

Answer 30

instinctive, seasonal movement of an entire popularion

Question 31

circadian rhythm

Answer 31

natural physiological fluctuations that occur after a 24-hour cycle
innately controlled and influenced by external light sources

Question 32

learned behaviors

Answer 32

persistent changes in reactions to a stimuli as a result of experience
they are not innate
determined by environment and can develop through time and practice

Question 33

habituation

Answer 33

learning process in which an individual decreases their response to the same stimulus over time
aims to avoid unnecessary responses

Question 34

aversive control

Answer 34

use of negative reinforcement or positive punishment to affect behavior so that the behavior is performed less often
this change is motivated by the threat of an unpleasant outcome

Question 35

escape learning (escape conditioning)

Answer 35

change in behavior patterns that is motivated by the desire to avoid or remove an ongoing, unpleasant stimulus

Question 36

avoidance learning

Answer 36

change in behavior patterns that is motivated by the desire to not experience an unpleasant stimulus

Question 37

non-associative learning

Answer 37

change in behavior in response to an unchanging stimulus

eg habituation and sensitization

Question 38

sensitization

Answer 38

increase in the number of responses or the degree of responding by an individual with repeated exposure to the same stimulus

Question 39

biological predisposition to learning

Answer 39

idea that animals are innately more likely to learn associations that can occur in their natural environment

Question 40

taste aversion

Answer 40

individual will avoid a certain food because it made them sick in the past

Question 41

phobias

Answer 41

type of anxiety disorder characterized by irrational, excessive fear of a specific object or situation
more likely to occur towards a naturally threatening stimulus, such as heights or snakes