Generalization & Discrimination

Question 1

Generalization

Answer 1

The transfer of past learning to novel events and problems.

Question 2

Discrimination

Answer 2

The process by which animals or people learn to respond differently to different stimuli.

Question 3

Generalization gradient

Answer 3

A curve showing how physical changes in stimuli (plotted on the horizontal axis) correspond to changes in behavioral responses (plotted on the vertical axis).

Question 4

Peak shift effect

Answer 4

a phenomenon in stimulus generalization that occurs after discrimination training involving two stimuli along a common dimension (e.g., brightness). The peak of the response gradient (i.e., the point at which the organism shows maximum response) is shifted in a direction away from the less favorable stimulus (e.g., a dim light) to a point beyond the value of the stimulus associated with reinforcement (e.g., beyond the value of a bright light to that of a very bright light).

Question 5

Consequential region

Answer 5

A set of stimuli in the world that share the same consequence as a stimulus whose consequence is already known.

Question 6

Stimulus control

Answer 6

The influence of cues in the world on an organism’s behavior.

Question 7

Errorless discrimination learning

Answer 7

A training procedure in which a difficult discrimination is learned by starting with an easy version of the task and proceeding to incrementally harder versions as the easier ones are mastered.

Question 8

Elemental model of stimulus generalization (Rescorla)

Answer 8

N/A

Question 9

Stimulus sampling theory (Bush & Mostellar)

Answer 9

a mathematical learning theory stating that stimuli are composed of hypothetical elements and that on any given learning trial one learns only a sample of those elements.

Question 10

Mere exposure effect

Answer 10

the finding that individuals show an increased preference (or liking) for a stimulus as a consequence of repeated exposure to that stimulus. This effect is most likely to occur when there is no preexisting negative attitude toward the stimulus object, and it tends to be strongest when the person is not consciously aware of the stimulus presentations.

Question 11

Acquired equivalence

Answer 11

A learning and generalization paradigm in which prior training in stimulus equivalence increases the amount of generalization between two stimuli, even if those stimuli are superficially dissimilar.