Learning Psychology

Question 1

What does Tabula Rasa mean?

Answer 1

• ‘Blank state’.
• An absence of predetermined goals; a clean slate.

Question 2

What does Environmental determinism mean?

Answer 2

That behaviour is determined by forces outside the individual- our behaviour is caused by previous experience learned through classical and operant condition.

Question 3

What is operant conditioning?

Answer 3

Humans learn from their consequences.

Question 4

What classical conditioning?

Answer 4

Humans learn from association.

Question 5

What is social learning theory?

Answer 5

Humans learning through observation and imitation.

Question 6

What is the process of classical conditioning?

Answer 6

1. Before conditioning- the UCS triggers a reflex response such as salivation or anxiety. This is called the unconditioned response (UCR). An unrelated NS does not produce this response.
2. During conditioning- the UCS and the NS are experienced together. This is called pairing. The effect of pairing is greatest when the NS occurs just before the UCS. Usually pairing has to take place many times for conditioning to occur.
3. After conditioning- following pairing, the NS produces the same response as the UCS. The NS is now a conditioned stimulus (CS) and the response to it is called a conditioned response (CR).

Question 7

What’s the classical conditioning of this: Your cat anticipates being fed when you take a can of food from the cupboard.

Answer 7

1. UCS= cat food= UCR= cat salivating
2. NS= the opening of the canned cat food + UCS= cat food= cat salivating
3. CS= the opening of the can cat food= CR= cat salivating.