Comp 2 Practice Flashcards
What are the 3 levels of understanding we seek as (behavioral) scientists?
Description. Prediction Control
Description is
Facts about relations between variables
Prediction is
repeated observations reveal that 2 events consistently covary
Prediction of relative probability of one
event given the presence of another event
Control is
specific change with one variable can reliably be produced by a specific manipulations of another event
* Observer, Predict, then manipulate!
Be able to identify whether events exemplify contingency, contiguity, or both from examples I provide.
Contingency = one event is dependent on the other
* (If Y, then X)
* One cannot happen without the other.
Contiguity = events are temporally proximate
* Two things happen closely in time, but does not mean that one causes the other.
Define a functional relationship and provide examples of a functional relationship.
Interested in a FUNCTIONAL RELATIONSHIP
Demonstrate that it is our IV that is producing the changes in our DV
Cause-effect relationship. Scientifically controlled.
Causal relationship. Whatever you develop is the thing that is producing any changes in bx.
identify good and poor characteristics of a measurement system. Also, be able to identify an appropriate measurement system (e.g., permanent product, rate, inter-trial interval) for examples I provide.
Objective - the target behavior is clearly defined, observable, and quantifiable
Reliable - consistent across time and users
Valid - accurately measures the behavior it intends to measure
* Problems with survey. Is that what people would acutally do
Sensitive - reflects changes in the target behavior
Reflexes and Respondent Conditioning
* Identify examples of all three types of reflexes.
Simple Reflex
* 1 eliciting stimulus and 1 response
* E.g., Light in the eye - pupil constriction
* Its about the contingency
Fixed Action Patters (FAP)
* 1 eliciting stimulus and many responses
* E.g., Greylag goose and egg rolling
* Adaptive
Reaction Chains
* Many eliciting stimuli and many responses
* E.g., Nursing
Identify examples of the laws of reflexes and habituation.
threshold, intensity, latency
threshold
At weak intensities, a stimulus will not elicit a response - Point at which the response is noticed
Intensity
Magnitude: As the intensity of the US increases so does the magnitude of the UR. The louder the sound, the higher the jump
Latency
As the intensity of the US increases, the latency of the elicitation of the UR decreases-
Habituation
Magnitude of the UR decreases with repeated exposures to the US- the volcano, big cities, these people who live near them don’t notice the sound
Provide the definition of respondent conditioning.
Transfer of the control of behavior from one stimulus to another by an S-S pairing.
Respondent Extinction
Presenting the conditioned stimulus without the unconditioned stimulus, this leads to a decrease in the conditioned response.
Spontaneous Recovery
A response that was previously extinguished, being elicited by the Conditioned stimulus. Usually because of other stimuli evoking the behavior.
Respondent generalization
Occurs when an organism shows a conditioned response to values of the CS that were not trained
Respondent discrimination
Occurs when an organism shows a conditioned response to one stimulus but not to other similar events
Overshadowing
Two NSs predict a US, but only one becomes an effective CS. One NS “overshadows” the other NS with respect to becoming a CS. One fails to elicit a response. Most salient wins. 2 NS.
Blocking
a pre-established CS and an NS both predict a US, but the NS fails to become a CS. One is blocking any other stimulus from forming an association
Example of US - Unconditioned Stimulus
Food
Example of Unconditioned Response - UR
Salivation
Example of a Neutral Stimulus (NS)
Bell
Example of conditioned stimulus
What the bell will become
Conditioned Reinforcer
These stimulus function as a reinforcer only because of their prior pairing with other reinforcers
Unconditioned Reinforcer: A stimulus change that can increase the future frequency of behavior without prior pairing with other forms of reinforcement. Reinforcing value is unlearned
Automatic Reinforcer
the reinforcer is produced directly by the behavior
Social Reinforcer
the reinforcer is delivered by another person
Generalized Reinforcer
conditioned reinforcer that is paired with many reinforcers. Doesn’t depend on any one source of deprivation, hard to satiate. Money, tokens.
Conditioned Reinforcer
These stimulus function as a reinforcer only because of their prior pairing with other reinforcers
Unconditioned Reinforcer
A stimulus change that can increase the future frequency of behavior without prior pairing with other forms of reinforcement. Reinforcing value is unlearned
Automatic reinforcer
the reinforcer is produced directly by the behavior
Social Reinforcer the reinforcer is delivered by another person
Generalized Reinforcer
conditioned reinforcer that is paired with many reinforcers. Doesn’t depend on any one source of deprivation, hard to satiate. Money, tokens.
Define shaping. What two procedures are involved in shaping?
Definition: reinforcing successive approximations to the target/terminal behavior
Requires Differential Reinforcement:
Reinforcement of some responses and non-reinforcement (extinction) of others
Successive Approximation : intermediate form of the terminal R
Uses natural variability of the R
The variability is indirect effect of extinction
Define and provide original examples of operant extinction.
Definition: withholding reinforcement for a previously reinforced response
Effects: decreases in the behavior
One of the fundamental principles of behavior analysis
The counterpart to reinforcement
The most direct way of reducing behavior
Extinction burst
The target behavior may increase in frequency, duration, or magnitude at first when the reinforcer no longer follows it
Operant variability
The topography (form) of the behavior may change when the original form is no longer reinforced
Contingency vs. Contiguity
Contingency: one event is dependent on the other (if y, then x)
Contiguity: events are temporally proximate
*Both are important, but contingency is usually required for learning
Define a functional relationship
Demonstrate that it is the IV that is producing the changes in the DV. A cause-effect relationship.
Characteristics of a good measurement system
*Objective: the target behavior is clearly defined, observable, and quantifiable
*Reliable: consistent across time and users
*Valid: accurately measure the behavior it intends to measure
*Sensitive: reflects changes in the target behavior
Pro’s and con’s of permanent product recording
Pro’s: easy & efficient
Con’s: needs clear relationship between behavior and outcome
Pro’s and con’s of observational recording
Pro’s: accurate reflection of events
Con’s: time consuming
