Learning Flashcards
Covering material from Unit II of Introduction to Psychology
learning
a relatively permanent chance in performance potential that arises from experience
classical conditioning
a type of learning response; a neutral object comes to elicit a response when it is associated with a stimulus that already produces that response
unconditioned response (UR)
a response that does not have to be learned, such as a reflex
unconditioned stimulus (US)
a stimulus that elicits a response, such as a reflex, without an prior learning
conditioned stimulus (CS)
a stimulus that elicits a response only after learning has taken palce
conditioned response (CR)
a response to a conditioned stimulus, a response that has been learned
acquistion
the gradual formation of an association between the conditioned and unconditioned stimuli
extinction
a process in which the conditioned response is weakened when the conditioned stimulus is repeated without the conditioned stimulus
contiguity
the critical element in acquisition of a learned association; stimuli occur together in time
spontaneous recovery
a process in which a previously extinguished response reemerges after the presentation of the conditioned stimulus
stimulus generalization
learning that occurs when stimuli are similar but not identical to the conditioned stimulus produce the conditioned response
stimulus discrimination
a differentiation between two similar stimuli when only one of them is consistently associated with the unconditioned stimuli
second-order conditioning
when a conditioned stimulus becomes associated with other stimuli associated with the unconditioned stimulus
phobia
an acquired fear that is out of proportion tot he real threat of an object of a situation
Little Albert Study
study that demonstrated the role of classical conditioning in the development of phobias, conducted by John B. Watson. Watson paired a small rat (CS) and a loud noise (US) until eventually just the CS produced fear in little albert
systematic desensitization
behavioral therapist Joseph Wolpe developed a formal treatment based on counter-conditioning
conditioned food aversion
the association between eating a novel food and getting sick, even when the illness occurs hours after eating is so strong that food aversion can formed in one trial
biological preparedness
the theory that some animals are genetically programmed to fear certain objects that are potentially dangerous
Rescorla-Wagner model
a cognitive model of classical conditioning; it states that the strength of the CS_US association is determined by the extent tow which the unconditioned stimulus is unexpected or surprising
instrumental (operant) conditioning
a learning process in which the consequences of an action determine the likelihood that it will be performed in the future
puzzle box
a small cage with a trapdoor that would open if the animal inside performs a specific action
law of effect
Thondikes’ general theory of learning; Any behavior that leads to a “Satisfying state of affiars” is likely to occur again and any behavior that leads to an “annoying” state of affairs is less likely to occur again
reinforcer
a stimulus that follows a response and increases the likelihood that the response will be repeated
operant chamber
a small chamber with one level connected to a food supply and a second level connected to a water supply. the chamber assesses how quickly the animal learns to use the levers to receive food
positive punishment
the administration of a stimulus to decrease the probability of a behavior’s recurring
negative punishment
the removal of a stimulus to decrease the probability of a behavior’s recurring
positive reinforcement
the administration of a stimulus to increase the probability of a behavior’s being repeated
negative reinformcement
the removal of a stimulus to increase the probability of a behavior’s being repeated
shaping
reinforcing behaviors that are increasingly similar to the desired behavior
primary reinforcers
reinforcers necessary for survival like food or water
secondary reinforcers
events or objects that serve as reinforcers but do not actually satisfy biological needs
Premack principle
a more valued activity can be used to reinforce the performance of a less valued activity
continuous reinforcement
a type of learning in which behavior is reinforced each time it occurs
partial reinforcement
a type of learning in which behavior is reinforced intermittently
ratio schedule
a schedule in which reinforcement is based on the number of times the behavior occurs
interval schedule
a schedule in which reinforcement is provided after a specific unit of time
fixed schedule
a schedule in which reinforcement is provided after a specific number of occurrences on or after a specific amount of time
variable scedule
a schedule in which reinforcement is provided at different rates or at different times
partial-reinforcement extinction effect
the greater persistence of behavior under partial reinforcement than under continuous reinforcement
behavior modification
the use of operant conditioning techniques to eliminate unwanted behavior and replace them with desirable ones
cognitive map
a visual/spatial mental representation of an environment
latent learning
learning that takes place in the absence of reinforcement
insight learning
a solution suddenly emerges after either a period of inaction or contemplation of a problem
meme
a unit of knowledge transmitted within a culture
observational learning
the acquisition or modification of a behavior after exposure to at least one performance of that behavior
Bandura’s BoBo Doll Study
Bandura shows the influence of observational learning when children who saw adults aggressively play with a doll acted in a similarly agreessive way during their turn
Modeling
The imitation of observed behavior
Vicarious learning
Learning the consequences of an action by watching others being rewarded or punished for performing the action
mirror neurons
neurons that are activated when one observes another individual engage in an action and when one performs the action that was observed
latent learning
learning that takes place in the absence of reinforcement
Tolman’s Study of Latent Learning
Rats that were regularly reinforced for correctly running through a maze showed improved performance oner time compared with rather that did not receive reinforcement.
habituation
a decrease in behavior response after repeated exposure to a nonthreatening stimulus
sensitization
an increase in behavioral response after exposure to a threatening stimulus
long term potentiation (LTP)
the strengthening of a synaptic connection, making the postsynaptic neurons more easily activiated
