Definitions for final test. Flashcards
Learned associations
Learning that certain events occur together. The events may be two stimuli or a response and its consequence.
Classical conditioning
A type of learning in which we link two or more stimuli; Pavlov’s dog experiment.
Exctinction
The diminishing of a conditioned response; in classical conditioning, a US response that doesn’t follow a CS. In operant conditioning, when a response is no longer reinforced.
Generalization
The tendency, once a response has been conditioned for stimuli similar to the conditioned stimulus to elicit similar responses.
Reinforcement
In operant conditioning, any even that strengthens the behavior it follows.
Operant conditioning
A type of learning in which a behavior becomes more likely to recur if followed by a reinforcer or less likely to recur if followed by a punisher.
Shaping
An operant conditioning procedure in which reinforcers guide behavior toward closer and closer approximations of the desired behavior.
Reinforcer schedules
A pattern that defines how often the desired response will be reinforced.
Continuous reinforcement
Reinforcing the desired response every time it occurs.
Fixed ratio schedule
A reinforcement schedule that reinforces a response only after a specified number of responses.
Variable ratio schedule
A reinforcement schedule that reinforces a response after an unpredictable number of responses
Fixed interval schedule
A reinforcement schedule that reinforces a response only a specified time has elapsed.
Variable interval schedule
a reinforcement schedule that reinforces a response at unpredictable time intervals.
Punishment
An event that tends to decrease the behavior that it follows.
Observational learning
Learning by observing others.
Mirror neurons
Frontal lobe neurons that some scientists believe fire when we perform specific tasks, and fire when watching others performing these tasks
Pro social behavior
Positive, constructive, helpful behavior. the opposite of antisocial behavior.
Vicarious punishment
Vicarious punishment occurs when watching others get in trouble for certain behaviors and learning from their punishments.
Recall
A measure of memory in which the person must retrieve information learned earlier, as on a fill in the blank test.
Recognition
A measure of memory in which the person identifies items previously learned, as on a multiple-choice test.
Ebbinghaus’ retention curve
Ebbinghaus found that the more times he practiced a list of nonsense syllables on day 1, the less time he required to relearn it on day 2. Speed of learning is one measure of memory retention.
Encoding
The process of getting information into the memory system
For example, by extracting memory.
Storage
The process of retaining encoded information over time.
Retrieval
The process of getting information out of memory storage.
Sensory memory
The immediate, very brief recording of sensory information in the memory system.
Short-term memory
Activated memory that holds a few items briefly, such as digits of a phone number while calling, before the information is stored or forgotten.
Long-term memory
The relatively permanent and limitless storage house of the memory system. Includes knowledge, skills, and experiences.
