PSYC 7 Flashcards
The process of acquiring through experience new and relatively enduring information or behaviors.
Learning
Learning that certain events occur together. The events may be two stimuli (as in classical conditioning) or a response and its consequences (as in operant conditioning).
Associative Learning
Any event or situation that evokes a response.
Stimulus
The acquisition of mental information, whether by observing events, by watching others, or through language.
Cognitive Learning
A type of learning in which one learns to link two or more stimuli and anticipate events.
Classical Conditioning
The view that psychology (1) should be an objective science that (2) studies behavior without reference to mental processes. Most research psychologists today agree with (1) but not with (2).
Behaviorism
Behavior that occurs as an automatic response to some stimulus.
Respondent Behavior
In classical conditioning, a stimulus that elicits no response before conditioning.
Neural Stimulus (NS)
In classical conditioning, an unlearned, naturally occurring response (such as salivation) to an unconditioned stimulus (US) (such as food in the mouth).
Unconditioned Response (UR)
In classical conditioning, a stimulus that unconditionally - naturally and automatically - triggers a response (UR).
Unconditioned Stimulus (US)
In classical conditioning, a learned response to a previously neutral (but now conditioned) stimulus (CS).
Conditioned Response (CR)
In classical conditioning, an originally irrelevant stimulus that, after association with unconditioned stimulus (US), comes to trigger a conditioned response (CR).
Conditioned Stimulus (CS)
In classical conditioning, the initial stage, when one links a neutral stimulus and an unconditioned stimulus so that the neutral stimulus begins triggering the conditioned response. In operant conditioning, the strengthening of a reinforced response.
Acquisition
The diminishing of a conditioned response; occurs in classical conditioning when an unconditioned stimulus does not follow a conditioned stimulus; occurs in operant conditioning when a response is no longer reinforced.
Extinction
The reappearance, after a pause, of an extinguished conditioned response.
Spontaneous Recovery
The tendency, one a response has been conditioned, for stimuli similar to the conditioned stimulus to elicit similar responses.
Generalization
In classical conditioning, the learned ability to distinguish between a conditioned stimulus and stimuli that do not signal an unconditioned stimulus.
Discrimination
The process of acquiring new and relatively enduring information or behaviors.
Learning
Learning that certain events occur together. The events may be two stimuli (as in classical conditioning) or a response and its consequences (as in operant conditioning).
Associative Learning
Any event or situation that evokes a response.
Stimulus
A type of learning in which behavior is strengthened if followed by a reinforcer or diminished if followed by a punisher.
Operant Conditioning
Thorndike’s principle that behaviors followed by favorable consequences become more likely, and that behaviors followed by unfavorable consequences become less likely.
Law of Effect
In operant conditioning research, a chamber (also known as a Skinner box) containing a bar or key that an animal can manipulate to obtain a food or water reinforcer; attached devices record the animal’s rate of bar pressing or key pecking.
Operant Chamber
In operant conditioning, any even that strengthens the behavior it follows.
Reinforcement
An operant conditioning procedure in which reinforcers guide behavior toward closer and closer approximations of the desired behavior.
Shaping
Increasing behaviors by presenting positive reinforcers. A positive reinforcer is any stimulus that, when presented after a response, strengthens the response.
Positive Reinforcement
Increasing behaviors by stopping ore reducing negative stimuli. A negative reinforcer is any stimulus that, when removed after a response, strengthens the response. (Note: Negative reinforcement is not punishment.)
Negative Reinforcement
An innately reinforcing stimulus, such as one that satisfies a biological need.
Primary Reinforcer
A stimulus that gains its reinforcing power through its association with a primary reinforcer; also known as a secondary reinforcer.
Conditioned Reinforcer
Reinforcing the desired response every time it occurs.
Continuous Reinforcement
A pattern that defines how often a desired response will be reinforced.
Reinforcement Schedule
Reinforcing a response only part of the time; results in slower acquisition of a response but much greater resistance to extinction than does continuous reinforcement.
Partial (Intermittent) Reinforcement
In operant conditioning, a reinforcement schedule that reinforces a response after an unpredictable number of responses.
Variable-Ratio Schedule
In operant conditioning, a reinforcement schedule that reinforces a response only after a specified time has elapsed.
Fixed-Interval Schedule
In operant conditioning, a reinforcement schedule that reinforces a response at unpredictable time intervals.
Variable-Interval Schedule
An event that tends to decrease the behavior it follows.
Punishment
Behavior that occurs as an automatic response to some stimulus.
Respondent Behavior
Behavior that operates on the environment, producing consequences.
Operant Behavior
The process of acquiring new and relatively enduring information or behaviors.
Learning
The acquisition of mental information, whether by observing events, by watching others, or through language.
Cognitive Learning
A mental representation of the layout of one’s environment. For example, after exploring a maze, tats act as if they have learned cognitive map of it.
Cognitive Map
Learning that occurs but is not apparent until there is an incentive to demonstrate it.
Latent Learning
A desire to perform a behavior effectively for its own sake.
Intrinsic Motivation
A desire to perform a behavior to receive promised rewards or avoid threatened punishment.
Extrinsic Motivation
Learning by observing others.
Observational Learning
The process of observing and imitating a specific behavior.
Modeling
Frontal lobe neurons that some scientists believe fire when performing certain actions or when observing another doing so. The brain’s mirroring of another’s action may enable imitation and empathy.
Mirror Neurons
Positive, constructive, helpful behavior. The opposite of antisocial behavior.
Prosocial Behavior
