Learning (unit 4) Flashcards
Learning
The process of acquiring through experience new and relatively enduring info or behaviors
We learn first by….
Association
Habituation
decreasing responsiveness w/ repeated exposure to a stimulus
Associative learning
learning that certain events occur together.
Stimulus
any event or situation that evokes a response
respondent behavior
a behavior that occurs as an automatic response to a stimulus
operant behavior
behavior that operates on the environment producing consequences
cognitive learning
the acquisition of mental info, weather by observing events, watching others, or through language
classical conditioning
a type of learning in which we link two or more stimuli; as a result, to illustrate with Pavlov’s classic experiment, the first stimulus (a tone) comes to elicit behavior (drooling) in anticipation of the second stimulus (food)
behaviorism
the veiw that psychology (1) should be and objective science that (2) studies behavior w/o reference to mental process.
neutral stimulus (NS)
in classical conditioning, a stimulus that elicits no response before conditioning
unconditioned response (UR)
in classical conditioning, an un-learned, naturally occurring response (such as drooling) to an unconditioned stimulus (US) (such as food)
unconditioned stimulus (US)
in classical conditioning, a stimulus that unconditionally- naturally and automatically- triggers an unconditioned response (UR)
conditioned response (CR)
in classical conditioning, a learned response to a previously neutral (but now conditioned) stimulus (CS)
Conditioned stimulus (CS)
in classical conditioning, an originally neutral stimulus, that after association with US , comes to trigger CR
Acquisition (aka initial learning)
In classical conditioning, the initial stage, when one links a NS and an US so that the NS begins to trigger the CR.
In operant conditioning, the strengthening of a reinforced response
high-order conditioning
A procedure in which the CS in one experience is paired w/ a new NS, creating a second CS.
Extinction
the diminishing of a CR; occurs in classical conditioning when an US does not follow CS.
Occurs in operant conditioning when a response is no longer reinforced
Spontaneous recovery
the reappearance, after a pause, of an extinct CR
Generalization
the tendency, once a response has been conditioned, for a stimulus similar to the CS to elicit a similar response
Discrimination
In classical conditioning, the learned ability to distinguish between a CS and a similar stimuli that doesn’t signal US
In operant conditioning, the ability to distinguish responses that are reinforced, and ones that aren’t
operant conditioning
A type of learning in which a behavior becomes more likely to recur if followed by a reward, or less likely to recur when followed by a punishment
Law of effect
Thorndike’s principle that behaviors followed by favorable consequences become more likely, and behaviors followed by unfavorable consequences become less likely.
operant chamber (AKA skinner box)
In operant conditioning, research, a chamber containing a bar or key that an animal can manipulate to obtain a reinforcement; attached devices record the animals rate of bar/key manipulation
Reinforcement
in operant conditioning, any event that strengthens the behavior it follows.
Shaping
An operant conditioning procedure in which reinforces guide behavior towards closer and closer approximations of the desired behavior.
Discriminative stimulus
in operant conditioning, a stimulus that elicits a response after association w/ reinforcement
positive reinforcement
any stimulus that, when presented after a response, strengthens the response
negative reinforcement
any stimulus that when removed after a response strengthens that response
primary reinforcer
an innately reinforcing stimulus, such as one that satisfies a biological need
conditioned reinforcer
a stimulus that gains its reinforcing power through association w/ a primary reinforcer
reinforcement schedule
a pattern that defines how often a desired response will be reinforced
continuous reinforcement schedule
reinforcing the desired response every time it occurs
partial (intermittent) reinforcement schedule
reinforcing the desired response only part of the time; slower acquisition, but leads to greater resistance to extinction
fixed-ratio schedule
a reinforcement schedule that reinforces a response only after a specified number of responses
variable -ratio schedule
a reinforcement schedule that reinforces a response after an unpredictable number or responses
fixed-interval schedule
a reinforcement schedule that reinforces a response only after a set amount of time has elapsed
variable-interval schedule
a reinforcement schedule that reinforces a response at unpredictable time intervals
Punishment
an event that tends to decrease the behavior it follows
positive punishment
administer an aversive stimulus that decreases the behavior it follows
negative punishment
Withdrawal a rewarding stimulus to decrease behavior
biofeedback
a system for electronically recording, amplifying, and feeding back info regarding a subtle psychological state, such as blood pressure and muscle tension
Preparedness
a biological predisposition to learn association, such as between taste and nausea , that have survival value
Instinctive drift
the tendency of learned behavior to gradually revert to biologically predisposed patterns
cognitive map
a mental representation of our surrounding environment.
latent learning
learning that occurs but is not apparent until there is an incentive to demonstrate it
insight
a sudden realization of a problems solution
Intrinsic motivation
a desire to perform a behavior effectively for its own sake
extrinsic motivation
a desire to perform a behavior to receive promised rewards, or avoid punishment
problem-focused coping
Attempting to alleviate stress directly by changing the stressor or the way we interact with it
emotion-focused coping
attempting to alleviate stress by avoiding or ignoring a stressor and attending to emotional needs related to our stress reaction
personal control
our sense of controlling our environment rather than feeling helpless
learned helplessness
the helplessness and passive resignation an animal or person learns when unable to avoid repeated aversive events
external locus of control
the perception that chance or outside forces beyond our personal control determine our fate
internal locus of control
the perception that we control our own fate
observational (social) learning
learning by observing and mimicking others
modeling
the process of observing and imitating a specific behavior
mirror neurons
frontal lobe neurons that some scientists believe fire when we perform certain actions, or observe others doing so. may enable empathy
Cathartic
we release pent up anger by aggression
Albert bandura’s social learning theory
observing and modeling play a big role in how and why we learn
prosocial behavior
positive, constructive, helpful behavior. the opposite of antisocial behavior
