Learning Flashcards
Give the definition for “learning”.
A relatively enduring change in behavior, resulting from experience.
What are the 3 types of learning?
Nonassociative - responding after repeated exposure to a single stimulus, or event. Learning about the stimulus in the external world.
Associative - Linking two stimuli that occur together, conditioning.
Observational - acquiring/changing a behavior after exposure to another individual performing that behavior. (social learning)
Explain the difference between habituation and sensitization.
Nonassociative learning (both)
Habituation - behavioral response to stimuli decreases, reduction in neurotransmitter release
Sensitization - behavioral response to stimuli increases, increase in neurotransmitter release
What is the difference between classical and operant conditioning?
Classical - a type of associative learning in which the neutral stimulus comes to elicit a response after being associated with a stimulus that already produces that response.
Operant - learning that a behavior leads to a certain outcome.
What does the term acquisition mean and what is the critical element of it?
The gradual formation of an association between the conditioned and unconditioned stimuli.
It is important that the stimuli occur together in time = contiguity.
What does the term extinction mean?
A process in which the CR is weakened when the CS is repeated without the US.
What is the spontaneous recovery?
A process in which a previously extinguished CR reemerges after the presentation of the CS.
Explain what is the difference between stimulus generalization and stimulus discrimination.
Generalization = stimuli that are similar to the CS produce the CR as well
Discrimination = a differentiation between two similar stimuli when only one of them is consistently associated with the US.
What is the term for species being “genetically programmed to fear specific objects”?
Biological preparedness.
Why do animals learn some things quicker/better?
Learning is based on evolutionary significance.
Is US more easily conditioned when the stimulus occurs before or after?
Before.
What is the Rescoria-Wagner model?
A cognitive model of classical conditioning, it holds that learning is determined by the extent to which US is unexpected or surprising.
When is the prediction error negative and when is it positive?
Negative - absence of sth expected
Positive - sth unexpected (sooner)
What produces a prediction error?
The difference between the predicted outcome a and the actual one.
How is the acquired fear that is out of proportion to the real threat of sth called?
Phobia.
