Learning and Ethology

Question 1

goal of behavior is to reduce biological drive

Answer 1

Hull’s theory of motivation (drive-reduction theory)

Question 2

Lorenz

Answer 2

understanding of animal behavior could be gained only out in the field

Question 3

learning connections between different events

Answer 3

Classical conditioning (respondent conditioning)

Question 4

stimuli that previously had no relation to a specific reflex could come to trigger that reflex

Answer 4

Pavlov

Question 5

Reflex

Answer 5

unlearned response that is elicited by a specific stimulus

Question 6

Acquisition

Answer 6

period during which an organism is learning the association of the stimuli

Question 7

stimuli similar to the conditioned stimulus to elicit the conditioned response

Answer 7

Generalization

Question 8

stimulus that can reflexively elicit a response

Answer 8

Unconditioned stimulus

Question 9

response reflexively elicited by and unconditioned stimulus

Answer 9

Unconditioned response

Question 10

stimulus that, after conditioning, is able to elicit a non-reflexive response

Answer 10

Conditioned stimulus

Question 11

response that, after conditioning, is elicited by a conditioned stimulus

Answer 11

Conditioned response

Question 12

Extinction (classical conditioning)

Answer 12

repeatedly presenting the conditioned stimulus without the unconditioned stimulus

Question 13

after extinction and a period of rest, presenting the conditioned stimulus without the unconditioned stimulus will again elicit a weak conditioned response

Answer 13

Spontaneous recovery

Question 14

Second-order conditioning

Answer 14

neutral stimulus is paired with a conditioned stimulus rather than an unconditioned stimulus

Question 15

Sensory preconditioning

Answer 15

two neutral stimuli are paired together and then one of the neutral stimuli is paired with an unconditioned stimulus

Question 16

if the conditioned stimulus is a good signal and it has informational value, or is a good predictor of the unconditioned stimulus, the conditioned stimulus and unconditioned stimulus will become associated

Answer 16

Contingency explanation of classical conditioning (Rescorla)

Question 17

conditioned stimulus is a good signal for unconditioned stimulus and provides nonredundant information about the occurrence of the unconditioned stimulus

Answer 17

Blocking

Question 18

Operant conditioning (instrumental conditioning)

Answer 18

learning the relationship between one’s actions and their consequences

Question 19

Law of effect

Answer 19

if a response is followed by an annoying consequence, the animal will be less likely to emit the same response in the future; Thorndike

Question 20

Positive reinforcement

Answer 20

probability that the desired response will be performed is increased by giving the organism something it wants whenever it makes the desired response; Skinner

Question 21

Negative reinforcement

Answer 21

the probability that the desired response will be performed is increased by taking away or preventing something undesirable whenever the desired response is made; Skinner

Question 22

behavior removes something undesirable

Answer 22

Escape

Question 23

organism gets a warning that an aversive stimulus will soon occur, and the appropriate response completely avoids the aversive stimulus

Answer 23

Avoidance

Question 24

Punishment

Answer 24

probability that a response will be made is decreased by giving the organism something undesirable whenever the response is made; Skinner

Question 25

Extinction (operant conditioning)

Answer 25

behavior that used to bring reward no longer does so

Question 26

Discriminative stimulus

Answer 26

stimulus condition that indicates that the organism’s behavior will have consequences

Question 27

it takes longer to extinguish a response while receiving only occasional reinforcement

Answer 27

Partial reinforcement effect

Question 28

organism receives reinforcement only after a fixed number of responses

Answer 28

Fixed-ratio reinforcement

Question 29

receives reinforcement after a varying number of responses

Answer 29

Variable ratio reinforcement

Question 30

reinforced on the first response after a fixed period of time has elapsed since the last reinforcement

Answer 30

Fixed-interval reinforcement

Question 31

reinforced for the first response made after a variable amount of time has elapsed since the last reinforcement

Answer 31

Variable interval reinforcement

Question 32

reinforced for every response

Answer 32

Continuous reinforcement schedule

Question 33

reinforce successive approximations to the desired behavior

Answer 33

Shaping

Question 34

reinforce the desired response while extinguishing others

Answer 34

Differential reinforcement

Question 35

Flooding

Answer 35

forcing the client to directly experience the feared object

Question 36

Implosion

Answer 36

forcing the client to imagine the feared object

Question 37

Systematic desensitization

Answer 37

forcing the client to imagine the feared object while trying to ensure that the client stays relaxed by using deep relaxation and an anxiety hierarchy; Wolpe

Question 38

Counter-conditioning

Answer 38

client cannot experience contradictory emotions simultaneously

Question 39

Conditioned aversion

Answer 39

pairing a desired conditioned stimulus with an aversive unconditioned stimulus

Question 40

negotiated agreement between two parties that explicitly states the behavioral change that is desired and indicates consequences of certain acts

Answer 40

Behavioral contract

Question 41

removing the client from the potentially reinforcing situation before they can receive reinforcement for the undesirable behavior

Answer 41

Time-out procedure

Question 42

given for desirable behaviors and are taken away for various undesirable behaviors

Answer 42

Token economies

Question 43

a more preferred activity can be used to reinforce a less preferred activity

Answer 43

Premack principle

Question 44

Insight

Answer 44

perception of the inner relationship between factors that are essential to solving a problem; Kohler

Question 45

Cognitive map

Answer 45

mental representation of a physical space; Tolman

Question 46

Biological constraints

Answer 46

different species have different inborn predispositions to learn different things in different ways

Question 47

Problem solving-Thorndike

Answer 47

due to trial and error learning

Question 48

animals are prepared to learn connections between certain stimuli

Answer 48

Preparedness (Garcia)

Question 49

instinctual ways of behaving are able to override behaviors learned through operant conditioning

Answer 49

Instinctual drift

Question 50

study of animal behavior under natural conditions

Answer 50

Ethology

Question 51

Fixed-action pattern (FAP)

Answer 51

a stereotyped behavior sequence that does not have to be learned by the animal

Question 52

Sign stimuli

Answer 52

features of a stimulus sufficient to bring about a particular FAP

Question 53

sign stimuli that triggers social behaviors between animals

Answer 53

Releaser

Question 54

Supernormal stimulus

Answer 54

stimulus that is more effective at triggering the FAP than the actual stimulus found in nature

Question 55

Innate releasing mechanism (IRM)

Answer 55

mechanism in the nervous system that connects sign stimuli with the correct FAPs

Question 56

Reproductive isolating mechanisms

Answer 56

behaviors that prevent animals of one species from attempting to mate with animals of a closely isolated species

Question 57

Reproductive fitness

Answer 57

number of offspring that live to be old enough to reproduce

Question 58

Theory of kin selection

Answer 58

animals act to increase their inclusive fitness rather than their reproductive fitness

Question 59

Inclusive fitness

Answer 59

takes into account not only the number of offspring who survive to reproductive age, but also the number of other relatives who survive to reproductive age

Question 60

behavior due to a complex and dynamic interplay between genetics and the environment

Answer 60

Sociobiology (Wilson)