Learning

Question 1

Learning

Answer 1

A permanent change in behaviour due to experience.

Question 2

Classical conditioning

Answer 2

A procedure during which an animal or person learns to associate a reflex response with a new stimulus.

Question 3

Classical conditioning schedule

Answer 3

The steps in the procedure to condition a new response.

Question 4

Unconditioned stimulus USC.

Answer 4

The stimulus that produces a reflex response, such as the food for Pavlov’s dog.

Question 5

Unconditioned response UCR

Answer 5

The reflex response to an unconditioned stimulus presented, such as Pavlov’s dog’s salivation.

Question 6

Conditioned stimulus CS

Answer 6

A new stimulus presented with the UCS, such as the bell in Pavlov’s experiment.

Question 7

Conditioned response CR

Answer 7

The response that is learnt now occurs when the CS is presented with the UCS, such as the bell in Pavlov’s dog’s salivation.

Question 8

Extinction

Answer 8

A conditioned response dies out.

Question 9

Spontaneous recovery.

Answer 9

A conditioned response that had disappeared suddenly appears again.

Question 10

Generalisation

Answer 10

The conditioned response is produced when a similar stimulus to the original conditioned stimulus is presented.

Question 11

Discrimination

Answer 11

(With reference to conditioning) the conditioned response is only produced when a specific stimulus is presented.

Question 12

Operant conditioning

Answer 12

Learning due to the consequences of behaviour, through positive reinforcement or negative reinforcement.

Question 13

Law of Effect

Answer 13

Behaviours that are followed by rewards are usually repeated; those that are punished are not usually repeated.

Question 14

Punishment

Answer 14

A stimulus that weakens behaviour because it is unpleasant and we try to avoid it.

Question 15

Reinforcement

Answer 15

A consequence of behaviour that encourages or strengthens a behaviour. This might be seen as a reward.

Question 16

Positive reinforcement

Answer 16

A reward or pleasant consequence that increases the likelihood that behaviour or action will be repeated.

Question 17

Negative reinforcement

Answer 17

When an unpleasant experience is removed after a behaviour or action has been made. This increases the likelihood of that behaviour or action being repeated.

Question 18

Behaviour shaping.

Answer 18

Changing behaviour in small steps.

Question 19

Phobia

Answer 19

A persistent and irrational fear of an object, activity or situation. The typical symptoms are intense feelings of fear and anxiety to avoid the object, activity or situation.

Question 20

Flooding

Answer 20

A treatment for phobias that involves the immediate exposure of the person to the feared object, activity or event, until there is not fear response.

Question 21

Systematic desensitisation

Answer 21

A treatment for phobias in which the person is taught to relax and then gradually exposed to the feared object, activity or event.

Question 22

Hierarchy of fears

Answer 22

A series of feared events ranked from least frightening to most frightening.

Question 23

Aversion therapy

Answer 23

A treatment for addictions, such as drug and alcohol dependency, which makes the addict have an extremely negative reaction to the addictive substance.

Question 24

Primary reinforcer

Answer 24

A reward, such as food or water, that the animal or person needs in order to survive.

Question 25

Secondary reinforcer

Answer 25

A reward, such as money or token, that the animal or person can exchange for a primary reinforcer.

Question 26

Watson and Rayner 1920

Answer 26

Aim- to see if the emotional response to fear could be conditioned in a human being.

Method- Albert was 11 months old. He seemed to like a white laboratory rat and had no fear of any white fury objects. In the conditioning trials the rat was shown to Albert and, as he reached for it, a metal bar was hit very hard with a hammer, behind Albert’s back. This was done several times.

Results- after seven times, when the rat was presented again, Albert screamed and tried to get away. He did this even though the bar was not hit by the hammer and there was no loud noise. Albert also screamed when he was shown a Santa mask and a fur coat.

Conclusion- Watson and Rayner showed that fear responses could be learnt and even very young children can learn in the way suggested by classical conditioning.