MCAT Learning, Memory, and Cognition

Question 1

Attention: Selective attention v. Divided attention

Answer 1

Attention is the action of focusing on sensory stimuli while filtering out other stimuli.

Selective attention- focusing on only one sensory stimuli while filtering out others.

Divided attention- focusing on multiple sensory stimuli at once.

Question 2

Cocktail party phenomenon

Answer 2

When a stimulus that was in out unconscious is brought into our conscious. ( ie. were talking to someone at a party and someone call our name and it gains our attention).

Question 3

What are the factors that make multitasking between two stimuli easier?

Answer 3

• Easier if the stimuli are dissimilar. The attention needed for the stimuli are different.
• Less difficult tasks
• well practiced - if you’re knowledgable and well-versed with the tasks it makes it easier.

Question 4

Non- associative learning

Answer 4

Change in behavior due to the repeated presentation of a stimulus.

Question 5

Habituation

Answer 5

The decrease in a behavioral response with repeated stimuli.

Question 6

Dishabituation

Answer 6

A person responds to a repeated stimulus that they were once habituated too.

Question 7

Sensitization

Answer 7

The increase in a behavioral response as the stimuli are repeated.

Question 8

Desensitization

Answer 8

The behavioral response decreases to a once sensitized stimulus.

Question 9

Associative learning

Answer 9

Learning that happens with the association between stimuli.

Question 10

Classical conditioning

Answer 10

When a neural stimulus is associated with a unconditioned stimulus that causes an unconditioned response. Once paired it becomes the conditioned stimulus and causes the conditioned response.

Question 11

What experiments proved classical conditioning

Answer 11

Pavlov’s dogs in which the bell ( NS) was paired with food ( UCS) that causes salivation ( UCR). Results in bell ( CS) directly causing salivation ( CR).

Question 12

What is the first phase of classical conditioning?

Answer 12

Acquisition. The process of the neutral stimulus being continously presented with the UCS so that the NS becomes the CS.

Question 13

Extinction

Answer 13

Takes place after acquisition and involves the decrease in the conditioned response to the conditioned stimulus over time.

Question 14

Spontaneous recovery

Answer 14

After extinction if we allow a period of time to go by without any presentation and then present the CS we get recovery of the CR. Will eventually lead to extinction again.

Question 15

Discrimination v. Generalization

Answer 15

Discrimination is one responds to stimuli but doesn’t respond to similar stimuli.

Generalization is when one responds all similar stimuli to the original stimuli.

Question 16

Conditioned taste aversion

Answer 16

When a person stay away from food and drinks that has made them sick. This can be generalized to similar types of food.

Question 17

Watson’s “ Little Albert” experiment

Answer 17

Experiment that tested classical conditioning in humans with Albert.

A loud bell ( UCS) was presented with a white rat ( NS) which once paired caused Albert to cry ( UCR, CR).

Question 18

Specific phobias

Answer 18

When someone associate places and things to a traumatic event.

Question 19

B.F Skinner’s Operant Conditioning

Answer 19

Learning that involves in the change in behavior due to the outcome of an event.

Question 20

Positive reinforcement

Answer 20

Stimulus applied, behavior increases

Question 21

Negative reinforcement

Answer 21

Stimulus taken away, behavior increases

Question 22

Negative punishment

Answer 22

Stimulus taken away, behavior decreases

Question 23

Positive punishment

Answer 23

Stimulus applied, behavior decreases.

Question 24

Reinforcement schedules

Answer 24

Used to train or maintain behaviors

Question 25

Fixed - ratio schedule

Answer 25

Rewards is received after performing a set number of behaviors.

Question 26

Continous schedule

Answer 26

Rewards every response. The strongest and best reinforcement schedule.

Question 27

Variable - ratio schedule

Answer 27

Reward is given after performing behavior a varying number of times.
The most resistant to extinction.

Question 28

Variable- interval schedule

Answer 28

Reward is given after a varying amount of time. Independent of behavior.

Question 29

Fixed- interval schedule

Answer 29

Reward is given after a specified amount of time.

Question 30

Shaping

Answer 30

Training someone to perform a desired behavior by performing sequential steps that lead to that desired behavior.

Question 31

Extinction ( operant conditioning)

Answer 31

Decrease in behavior due to it not being reinforced.

Question 32

Primary reinforcer v. Secondary reinforcer

Answer 32

Primary reinforcer is a stimulus that is naturally rewarding to us.

Secondary reinforcer is a stimulus that is associated with the primary reinforcer but not in itself naturally rewarding.

Question 33

Escape learning v. Avoidance learning

Answer 33

Escape learning- learning that allows us to get out of or away from an unwanted stimulus.

Avoidance learning- learning that allows us to avoid an unwanted stimulus.

Question 34

Expectancy

Answer 34

When an organism learns to expect the unconditioned stimulus after presentation of the neutral stimulus.

Question 35

Biological preparedness

Answer 35

Evolutionary. Allows organisms to learn associations that enable them to survive. ( ie. seeing a berry of a particular color, human responds by not eating as they know it’ll make them sick).

Question 36

Instinctive drift

Answer 36

When an animal’s instincts overshadow their trained behavior.

Question 37

Observational learning. What facilitates it?

Answer 37

Learning by observing others. Happens through mirror neurons which fires when seeing someone perform a behavior when we do that behavior.