Learning

Question 1

What is learning?

Answer 1

This is any relatively permanent change in behavior brought about by experience or practice.

Question 2

What happens with learning?

Answer 2

When people learn anything, some part of their brain is physically changed to record what they have learned.

Question 3

What is maturation?

Answer 3

Unlike learning, it is a change that is the result of a genetic blueprint. A change due to biology, not experience.

For example, a child will not learn how to walk; but their nervous system, muscle strength, and sense of balance will give the physical possibility to do so.

Question 4

Ivan Pavlov

Answer 4

Came up with the theory of classical conditioning.

Question 5

Classical conditioning

Answer 5

1. This is the pairing or association of two stimuli to learn a conditioned behavior.
2. This is learning to make an involuntary response to a stimulus other than the natural stimulus which normally produces a response.

Question 6

What is the definition of a Reflex, Stimulus and Response?

Answer 6

Reflex: this is an unlearned, involuntary response that is not under personal control or choice (it is biology).

Stimulus: this is an object,event or experience that causes a response.

Response: the reaction of an organism.

Question 7

Unconditioned Stimulus

Answer 7

This is the original, the naturally occurring stimulus. The object or experience that triggers an involuntary response.

Question 8

Unconditioned Response

Answer 8

This is the automatic and involuntary response to the unconditioned stimulus - it is biology and occurs because of genetic wiring in the nervous system.

Question 9

Neutral Stimulus

Answer 9

An object event or experience that would originally have no effect in triggering a response.

*only triggers a response when paired with UCS enough times.

Question 10

Conditioned Stimulus

Answer 10

This is the object, event or experience that was previously neutral.

• conditioned = learned
• unconditioned = unlearned

Question 11

Conditioned Response

Answer 11

This is the response given to the CS - it is not as strong as the UCR, but it is essentially the same response.

Question 12

Acquisition

Answer 12

This is the repeated pairing of the NS and UCS

Question 13

Stimulus Generalization

Answer 13

This is the tendency to respond to a stimulus that is only similar to the original conditioned stimulus with the conditioned response.

Question 14

Stimulus Discrimination

Answer 14

This is the tendency to stop making generalized responses to a stimulus that is similar to the original conditioned stimulus because the similar stimulus is never paired with the US.

Question 15

Extinction

Answer 15

This is when the learned response begins to weaken due to the absence of the CS being repeatedly presented in the absence of the UCS.

Question 16

Operant Conditioning

Answer 16

1. The learning of voluntary behavior through the effects of pleasant and unpleasant consequences to responses.
2. Learning that depends on the consequences (applies to voluntary behavior).

Question 17

Involuntary Behavior and Voluntary behavior?

Answer 17

1. In classical conditioning the response/behavior are involuntary - like the dogs salivating.
2. In operant conditioning, the behavior is voluntary - a dog choosing to sit.

Question 18

Thorndike’s law of effect

Answer 18

1. If a response is followed by a pleasurable consequence, it will tend to be repeated.
2. If a response is followed by an unpleasant consequence, it will tend not to be repeated.

Question 19

B.F. Skinner

Answer 19

Behaviorist that came up with the term operant conditioning (any behavior that s voluntary). He saw that learning depended on what happened after the response: the consequence.

Question 20

Reinforcement

Answer 20

Any event/stimulus, that when following a response, increases the probability that the response will occur again.

Question 21

Primary & Secondary Reinforcer

Answer 21

Primary reinforcer: any reinforcer that is naturally reinforcing by meeting a basic biological need, such as hunger, thirst, or touch.

secondary reinforcer: any reinforcer that becomes reinforcing after being paired with a primary reinforcer, such as praise, tokens, or GOLD STARS!

Question 22

Positive reinforcement

Answer 22

The reinforcement of a response by the addition or experience of a pleasurable stimulus.
**Increases the likelihood of a desired behavior through the use of praise and rewards.

Question 23

Negative reinforcement

Answer 23

The reinforcement of a response by the removal or avoidance of an unpleasant stimulus.
**Increases the likelihood of a desired behavior through removing, reducing or preventing an unpleasant stimulus from occurring (creates a positive consequence)

Question 24

Partial Reinforcement Effect

Answer 24

A response that is reinforced after some, but not all correct responses - tends to be very resistant to extinction.

Question 25

Continuous Reinforcement

Answer 25

Reinforcement of each and every correct response (desired behavior)

Question 26

Fixed Interval Schedule of Reinforcement

Answer 26

The interval of time that must pass before the reinforcement becomes possible is always the same.
**The time interval at which the reinforcement is enforced is the same.

Question 27

Variable Interval Schedule of Reinforcement

Answer 27

The interval of time that must pass before reinforcement becomes possible is different for each trial /event.

Question 28

Fixed Ratio Schedule Reinforcement

Answer 28

The number of responses required for reinforcement is always the same.

Question 29

Variable Ratio Schedule of Reinforcement

Answer 29

The schedule of reinforcement in which the number of responses required for reinforcement is different for each trial or event.

Question 30

Punishment

Answer 30

Any event or object that, when following a response, makes the response less likely to happen again.
**decreases the likelihood of an undesired behavior

Question 31

Types of Punishment

Answer 31

1. Punishment by application (positive) - the punishment of a response by the addition of an unpleasant stimulus.
2. Punishment by removal (negative) - the punishment of a response by the removal of a pleasurable stimulus.

Question 32

Severe Punishment

Answer 32

1. May cause avoidance of punisher instead of the behavior being punished.
2. May encourage lying to avoid punishment.
3. Creates fear and anxiety.

Question 33

Effective Punishment

Answer 33

1. Punishment should immediately follow the behavior it is mean to punish.
2. Punishment should be consistent.
3. Punishment of the wrong behavior should be paired, whenever possible, with reinforcement of the right behavior.

Question 34

Observational Learning

Answer 34

Learning new behavior by watching a model perform that behavior (can be desirable or not desirable)

• *Bobo Doll
• *4 elements of observational learning: Attention, Memory, Imitation and Desire