Learning Theory/Behavior Modification

Question 1

What is classical conditioning?

Answer 1

it is the first systematic study of basic laws of learning / conditioning

a learning process that occurs when 2 stimuli are paired together repeatedly

• 1st stimulus evokes natural response
• 2nd stimulus doesn’t
• After enough pairings, 2nd stimulus becomes conditioned and causes response to happen

Question 2

Who is Ivan Pavlov?

Answer 2

physiologist researching salivation in dogs

researched associative learning

contributed to development of behaviorism

Question 3

What is a neutral stimulus?

Answer 3

one that does not produce a response (bell)

Question 4

What is an unconditioned stimulus?

Answer 4

A feature of the environment that causes a natural reflex action. E.g. a puff of air blown into the eye causes an involuntary blink.

the object or event that originally produces the reflexive / natural response (food)

Question 5

What is an unconditioned response?

Answer 5

the response to the unconditioned stimulus (salivating)

Question 6

What is a conditioned stimulus?

Answer 6

the neutral stimulus that has become associated with the unconditioned stimulus (bell)

Question 7

What is a conditioned response?

Answer 7

the unconditioned response becomes conditioned once it is sufficiently paired with the conditioned stimulus

the behavior elicited by the C.S. (salivating when the bell rings)

Question 8

Describe behavioral therapy

Answer 8

based on theories of classical and operant conditioning

premise is that all behavior is learned

faulty learning is the cause of abnormal behavior

individual has to learn the correct or acceptable behavior

Question 9

What is flooding?

Answer 9

behavior modification technique

method for overcoming phobias

extreme form of desensitization by exposure

Question 10

What is systematic desensitization?

Answer 10

behavior modification technique based on classical conditioning

used in tx of anxiety disorders

1. pt. is progressively exposed to anxiety-inducing
   objects, images or situations;
2. pt. is encouraged to practice relaxation, other coping
   skills to manage or eliminate anxiety;
3. as pt. learns to cope, intensity of exposure is increased
   and process repeats

Question 11

Who is B.F. Skinner?

Answer 11

radical behaviorist

father of operant conditioning

we should look only at the external, observable causes of human behavior.

Question 12

What is Operant Conditioning

Answer 12

is a learning process through which the strength of a behavior is modified by reinforcement or punishment.

aka - instrumental conditioning

a method of learning that occurs through rewards and punishments for behavior

an association is made between a behavior and a consequence for that behavior

Question 13

What is the empty organism concept?

Answer 13

no internal processes or theoretical constructs are used to explain behavior

Question 14

What is the law of effect principle?

Answer 14

actions that are followed by desirable outcomes are more likely to be repeated while those followed by undesirable outcomes are less likely to be repeated

Question 15

What is respondent behavior?

Answer 15

those that occur automatically and reflexively

You don’t have to learn these behaviors, they simply occur automatically and involuntarily

Question 16

What are the schedules of reinforcement?

Answer 16

continuous - reinforcement always follows response
partial
-fixed ratio - reinforcement after specific # of responses
-fixed interval - reinforcement after specific amt of time
-variable ratio - reinforcement after varied # of responses
-variable interval - reinforcement after variable amt of time

Question 17

What is radical behaviorism?

Answer 17

is the school of thought pioneered by B. F. Skinner that argues that behavior, rather than mental states, should be the focus of study in psychology