Lab Assessment

Question 1

What is learning?

Answer 1

A relatively permanent change in thought or behavior that results from experience.

Question 2

Know the difference between an unconditioned response and a conditioned response.

Answer 2

Unconditioned response (UCR): Automatic response to a stimulus that does not need to be learned
- salivating
Conditioned response (CR): Response elicited by a conditioned stimulus
- salivating

• “Unconditioned” = “Unlearned”

Question 3

What is extinction?

Answer 3

Extinction: Repeated presentation of CS without UCS will eventually eliminate response to CS.

Question 4

Know the difference between operant conditioning and classical conditioning.

Answer 4

Classical conditioning involves making associations with reflexive responses

Operant conditioning involves increasing or decreasing the likelihood of a deliberate response

Question 5

What is positive reinforcement?

Answer 5

Positive reinforcement is when the frequency of a behavior is increased because you give the person or animal something pleasurable.

Question 6

What is stimulus discrimination?

Answer 6

Stimulus discrimination: Ability to distinguish between the CS and other stimuli.

Question 7

At what phase of learning is it most important to use a continuous reinforcement schedule?

Answer 7

most effective during initial phases of learning,

Question 8

What is latent learning?

Answer 8

latent learning is the subconscious retention of information without reinforcement or motivation.

Question 9

What is observational learning?

Answer 9

observational learning is learning that occurs through observing the behavior of others

Question 10

What are successive approximations?

Answer 10

An approximation is just what it sounds like: something like the behavior you want, but not quite. The successive part means you’re going to start small and build up.

Question 11

What is a ratio run?

Answer 11

ratio run is the set of responses needed to produce one reinforcer

Question 12

Know the difference between habituation and dishabituation

Answer 12

habituation, a decrease in the strength of a reflex in response to the stimulus

Dishabituation is the term describing the phenomenon where the presentation of a new stimulus interferes with the habituation to a previous stimulus.

Question 13

What is a discriminative stimulus?

Answer 13

An example of a discriminative stimulus is when a child engages in the target behavior of cleaning their room when a parent is present, but not engaging in the behavior when the parent is not present.

Example from lab: the light either being on or off, depending on that means that the behavior would be changed

The light will become a discriminative stimulus (SD) that will elicit the behavior of lever pressing

Question 14

What is a behavioral chain?

Answer 14

Chaining is a type of intervention that aims to create associations between behaviors in a behavior chain.

STIMULUS –> RESPONSE –> STIMULUS –> RESPONSE –> STIMULUS

Question 15

Define shaping

Answer 15

Shaping: The differential reinforcement of only
that behavior that more and more closely resembles the terminal behavior.

Question 16

What is anthropomorphism?

Answer 16

the attribution of human characteristics or behavior to a god, animal, or object.

Question 17

What form of reinforcement is most likely to produce the strongest behavior?

Answer 17

variable ratio
postive reinforcement

Question 18

How do you describe animal behavior in operant conditioning? Is it voluntary or involuntary?

Answer 18

Operant conditioning is voluntary and depends on the consequences of a behavior.

Question 19

What are examples of fixed ratio, fixed interval, and variable ratio schedules?

Answer 19

Fixed Ratio (FR): Reinforcement is provided following a regular number of responses.
example: food stamps for places every 5 purchases you get a free one

Variable Ratio (VR): Reinforcement is provided after a specific number of responses on average, with the number varying randomly
example: slot machine

Fixed Interval (FI): Reinforcement is provided for producing the response at least once following a specified time interval.
example: checking mail box

Variable Interval (VI): Reinforcement is provided for producing the response at least once during an average time interval, with the interval varying randomly.
example: checking social media

Question 20

What are the different forms of reinforcement and punishment? Examples?

Answer 20

Positive reinforcement is when the frequency of a behavior is increased because you give the person or animal something pleasurable.

Negative Reinforcement is when the frequency of a behavior is increased because you take away something that is aversive.

Positive Punishment is when a behavior is decreased by giving an aversive response to the behavior.

Negative Punishment is when a behavior is decreased by taking away something pleasurable.