Learning

Question 0

Classical conditioning

Answer 0

originating with the Russian physiologist, Ivan Pavlov (1849—1936), C.C. is a form of learning in which an organism learns through establishing associations between different events and stimuli

Question 1

Learning

Answer 1

a relatively permanent change of behavior or knowledge due to experience or training vs. innate knowledge

Question 2

Unconditioned stimulus UCS

Answer 2

 any stimulus which evokes a natural/reflexive response

• Reflexes: innate responses/reactions to a stimulus

Question 3

Unconditioned response UCR

Answer 3

the natural, or reflexive response to an UCS

Question 4

Neutral stimulus NS

Answer 4

 any event or object which does not evoke any natural response

Question 5

Conditioned stimulus CS

Answer 5

 a formerly neutral stimulus which, after association with an unconditioned stimulus (US), produces a conditioned response

Question 6

Conditioned Response CR

Answer 6

 the learned response to a conditioned stimulus (CS)
 this response is almost identical to the US, except: • the conditioned behavior occurs in response to a conditioned stimulus as opposed to an unconditioned stimulus

Question 7

Extinction

Answer 7

a. in Classical Conditioning:
 when the unconditioned stimulus is separated from the conditioned stimulus
 resulting, over time, in the elimination of the conditioned response
b. In Operant Conditioning, extinction
 when an established behavior is no longer reinforced
 resulting, over time, in the cessation of the reinforced behavior

Question 8

Spontaneous Recovery

Answer 8

for no apparent reason, a conditioned response will re-appear after it has been extinguished

Question 9

Generalization

Answer 9

a. in Classical and Operant Conditioning:
 a conditioned response will occur as a response to conditioned stimuli other than, but similar to, the original conditioned stimulus

Question 10

Discrimination, differentiation

Answer 10

the ability to distinguish between a conditioned stimulus (CS) and other, similar stimuli

Question 11

Higher/second order conditioning

Answer 11

when a conditioned stimulus is paired with a neutral stimulus which results in the same conditioned response

Question 12

John watson

Answer 12

a. the key figure who established the Behavioral Approach to psychology in America
 Behaviorism adheres only to objective, observable behavior as the subject for scientific research
• rejects or ignores mental states or thought processes
 Behaviorism continues to be a dominant approach in American psychology, especially educational psychology
 Little Albert Experiment:
• Watson’s famous experiment
• proved he could condition the behavior of fear in a <12 month old boy

Question 13

Operant learning

Answer 13

theory of learning as formulated by B.F. Skinner (1904—1990), a Harvard professor, whose studies showed how a behavior is determined by the consequences which follow the behavior

Question 14

Positive reinforcement

Answer 14

 anything which is given or added which increases the likelihood that a behavior will be repeated, for example
• a reward or bonus for good behavior
• good grades or praise for academic effort

Question 15

Negative reinforcement

Answer 15

 anything which is removed that will increase the likelihood that a behavior will be repeated, for example:
• getting home before curfew to take away the possibility of being grounded

Question 16

Primary reinforcers

Answer 16

 anything that is a natural, innate, or unlearned reinforce, for example
• food
• sex

Question 17

Secondary reinforcers

Answer 17

 a learned reinforce

 reinforcer that is paired with a primary reinforcer

Question 18

Token economy

Answer 18

 in behavior modification, a subject behaves in a particular way in order to earn a voucher or token, or coupon, which may be used to purchase something he/she wants

Question 19

Continuous reinforcement

Answer 19

when a subject is reinforced every time he/she provides an appropriate response

Question 20

Intermittent reinforcement

Answer 20

when a subject is reinforced randomly

Question 21

Fixed Ratio FR

Answer 21

when a subject is reinforced after a set number of responses (ex., for every 10 coffees I buy, I get a free one)

Question 22

Fixed interval

Answer 22

when a subject is reinforced after a set period of time (every Friday at Starbucks I get 50% off for every coffee I buy)

Question 23

Variable ratio

Answer 23

when a subject is reinforced after a random number of responses (ex., I gamble at the slot machines because, after a random number of attempts, I might win some money)

Question 24

Variable interval

Answer 24

when a subject is reinforced after a random period of time (ex., even though the fish aren’t continually biting, I wait because, at some point, one will)

Question 25

Shaping

Answer 25

progressively molding or training an organism to perform a specific response by reinforcing any responses that incline toward or approximate the desired response

Question 26

Punishment

Answer 26

anything which decreases the likelihood of a behavior being repeated

Question 27

Positive

Answer 27

stopping behavior by administering something aversive

Question 28

Negative

Answer 28

stopping behavior by removing something positive

Question 29

Law of effect

Answer 29

observation by Edward Thorndike (1874—1949), Columbia University professor, that when a behavior is followed by a desirable consequence, it becomes associated with that situation so that the behavior becomes more likely to be performed again when the same situation is encountered

Question 30

Observational learning

Answer 30

when a subject learns by observing the behavior(s) of others

Question 31

Mirror neurons

Answer 31

subset of neurons in the frontal lobes which allow humans to learn by watching others; literally, the ability to experience, in the mind, what someone else is doing

Question 32

Benduras social cognitive theory

Answer 32

learning is the result of observation and modeling (ex., Bobo doll experiment) including:

a. Attention and motivation
b. Reciprocal determinism: blend of environmental, cognitive, and behavior factors
c. Self-regulation: perimeters of individual behaviors
d. Self-advocacy: awareness of personal capabilities

Question 33

Latent learning

Answer 33

as researched by Edward Tolman (1886—1959), a Cognitive Behaviorist, stated that learning, or conditioning, occurs without reference to performance. For example, by observing someone drive a car, I latently learn. Through circumstance or necessity, I someday actually perform what I know, that is, drive a car. The important point here is that learning occurred before actual performance; learning was latent

Question 34

Insight

Answer 34

based upon Wolfgang Kohler’s (1887—1967) observations of primates which demonstrated a type of learning which occurs suddenly, as a result of realizing possible solutions to a problem, and then putting the solutions together; opposed to a trial and error method of learning.