MCAT Learning, Memory, and Cognition Flashcards
Attention: Selective attention v. Divided attention
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.
Cocktail party phenomenon
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).
What are the factors that make multitasking between two stimuli easier?
- 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.
Non- associative learning
Change in behavior due to the repeated presentation of a stimulus.
Habituation
The decrease in a behavioral response with repeated stimuli.
Dishabituation
A person responds to a repeated stimulus that they were once habituated too.
Sensitization
The increase in a behavioral response as the stimuli are repeated.
Desensitization
The behavioral response decreases to a once sensitized stimulus.
Associative learning
Learning that happens with the association between stimuli.
Classical conditioning
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.
What experiments proved classical conditioning
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).
What is the first phase of classical conditioning?
Acquisition. The process of the neutral stimulus being continously presented with the UCS so that the NS becomes the CS.
Extinction
Takes place after acquisition and involves the decrease in the conditioned response to the conditioned stimulus over time.
Spontaneous recovery
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.
Discrimination v. Generalization
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.
Conditioned taste aversion
When a person stay away from food and drinks that has made them sick. This can be generalized to similar types of food.
Watson’s “ Little Albert” experiment
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).
Specific phobias
When someone associate places and things to a traumatic event.
B.F Skinner’s Operant Conditioning
Learning that involves in the change in behavior due to the outcome of an event.
Positive reinforcement
Stimulus applied, behavior increases
Negative reinforcement
Stimulus taken away, behavior increases
Negative punishment
Stimulus taken away, behavior decreases
Positive punishment
Stimulus applied, behavior decreases.
Reinforcement schedules
Used to train or maintain behaviors
Fixed - ratio schedule
Rewards is received after performing a set number of behaviors.
Continous schedule
Rewards every response. The strongest and best reinforcement schedule.
Variable - ratio schedule
Reward is given after performing behavior a varying number of times.
The most resistant to extinction.
Variable- interval schedule
Reward is given after a varying amount of time. Independent of behavior.
Fixed- interval schedule
Reward is given after a specified amount of time.
Shaping
Training someone to perform a desired behavior by performing sequential steps that lead to that desired behavior.
Extinction ( operant conditioning)
Decrease in behavior due to it not being reinforced.
Primary reinforcer v. Secondary reinforcer
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.
Escape learning v. Avoidance learning
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.
Expectancy
When an organism learns to expect the unconditioned stimulus after presentation of the neutral stimulus.
Biological preparedness
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).
Instinctive drift
When an animal’s instincts overshadow their trained behavior.
Observational learning. What facilitates it?
Learning by observing others. Happens through mirror neurons which fires when seeing someone perform a behavior when we do that behavior.
Common fate
gestalt principle in which we view multiple objects moving in the same direction we see them moving in the same direction as a group.
i.e. group of birds moving in V- formation.
Invariance
Even when an object is warped, turned, or distorted we still view it as the same object.
