Learning Flashcards
behaviorism
The view that psychology should be an objective science that studies behavior without reference to mental processes
classical conditioning
Forms associations between stimuli (a CS and the US it signals)
Respondent behavior - behavior that occurs as an automatic response to some stimulis
unconditioned stimulus (UCS)
Something that naturally causes a response
unconditioned response (UCR)
-Reaction to the unconditioned stimulus
conditioned stimulus (CS)
Previously neutral stimulus that causes a reaction
conditioned response (CR)
Reaction to the conditioned response
Pavlov’s experiment/Baby Albert experiment
UCS: food
UCR: drooling
C/N S: bell
CS: droolinh
acquisition
The initial stage, when one links a neural stimulus and a US so that the neutral stimulus begins triggering the conditioned response
extinction
The diminishing of a conditioned response
US does not follow CS, CS no longer signals US
spontaneous recovery
The reappearance after a pause of weakened CR
stimulus generalization
The tendency, once a response has been conditioned, for stimuli similar to the CS to elicit a similar response
Ex: fear of moving cars –> trucks
stimulus discrimination
The learned ability to distinguish between a CS and a stimuli that do not signal a US
Pavlov’s dogs learned to respond to the sound of a particular tone and not other tones
operant conditioning
Behavior is strengthened if followed by a reinforcer or diminished if followed by a punisher
BF Skinner
Thought that every learned behavior was developed through direct rewards and punishments
law of effect
Thorndike’s principle that behaviors followed by favorable consequences become more likely
shaping
An operant conditioning procedure in which reinforcers (food) guide behavior toward closer and closer approximations of the desired behavior
positive reinforcer
Increasing behaviors by presenting positive stimuli
Ex: food, hug, paycheck
negative reinforcer
Increasing behaviors by stopping or reducing negative stimuli
Any stimulus that, when removed after a response, strengthens the response
Ex: taking aspirin, pushing snooze
punishment
Anything in the environment that makes the behavior less likely to occur
Ex: earlier curfew, phone taken away, spanking
primary reinforcers
An innately reinforcing stimulus, such as one that satisfies a biological need
secondary reinforcers (conditioned reinforcers)
A stimulus that gains its reinforcing power through its association with a primary reinforcer
Ex: if light signals food, rat learns light = conditioned reinforcer
fixed-ratio
Reinforcement comes after a set number of repetitions of behavior
Ex: coffee punch card
variable-ratio
Reinforcement comes after an unknown number of repetitions of behavior
Ex: lottery/slot machine
fixed-interval
Reinforcement comes after a set amount of time passes
variable-interval
Reinforcement comes after am unknown amount of time passes
Ex: texting crush
Observational Learning/ Modeling
Learning by imitating what you see and developing new behaviors based on their observation
Albert Bandura’s Bobo Doll experiments
Experimental group watched an adult go into a room with toys and beat up a Bobo Doll
prosocial learning
Doing something that is helpful and good for society
TV and observational learning
Correlated with antisocial behavior
Increases likelihood of becoming a criminal
vicarious reinforcement
Watching someone else get rewarded (with the hope that it will increase the watcher’s behavior)
Child saw the model praised for his aggressive behavior
vicarious punishment
Watching someone else get punished (with the hope that it will decrease the watcher’s behavior)
Child saw model chastised for his aggressive behavior
Learning
A relatively permanent change in behavior due to experience
