PSYCHOLOGY | Unit 3 AOS 2: Learning and Memory

Question 1

What is learning?

Answer 1

A relatively permanent change in behaviour that occurs as a result of experience.

Question 2

What is the behaviorist approach to learning?

Answer 2

States that learning occurs through interacting with the external environment.

Question 3

A stimulus

Answer 3

Any event that occurs in the learner’s internal or external environment that is detected by the nervous system.

Question 4

A response

Answer 4

A behaviour produced by the learner due to perceiving the stimulus, which can be voluntary or involuntary.

Question 5

Classical conditioning

Answer 5

A simple form of learning that occurs through the repeated association between a neutral stimulus (NS) and an unconditioned stimulus (UCS) to produce a conditioned response (CR).

Question 6

What are the distinguishing features of classical conditioning?

Answer 6

• the response is involuntary / reflexive
• the learner is passive
• the stimulus is presented BEFORE the response

Question 7

What is classical conditioning usually coordinated by?

Answer 7

The autonomic nervous system

Question 8

The 5 elements of classical conditioning

Answer 8

NS, UCS, UCR, CS, CR

Question 9

Neutral stimulus (NS)

Answer 9

A stimulus that does not naturally cause a reflex response.
eg; sound, image or smell.

Question 10

Unconditioned stimulus (UCS)

Answer 10

Any stimulus which consistently produces a naturally occurring, automatic (reflex) response.
eg; puff of air or a loud noise.

Question 11

Conditioned stimulus (CS)

Answer 11

Stimulus that is neutral at the start of the conditioning process and does not normally produce the UCR, but through repeated association with the UCS, it triggers the CR.
eg; sound, smell, image.

Question 12

Unconditioned response (UCR)

Answer 12

A reflexive response which occurs automatically when the UCS is presented.
eg; eye blink due to puff of air

Question 13

Conditioned response (CR)

Answer 13

Learned reflex response that is produced by the CS alone. Occurs after the CS has been associated with the UCS.
SAME AS THE NS.

Question 14

Operant conditioning

Answer 14

A learning process where likelihood of a particular behaviour occuring is determined by its consequences.

Question 15

What are the distinguishing features of operant conditioning?

Answer 15

• the response is voluntary
• learner is active ( engages with environment to perform behaviour )
• stimulus is presented AFTER the response

Question 16

What is operant conditioning usually coordinated by?

Answer 16

The somatic nervous system

Question 17

What does the ABC model consist of?

Answer 17

Antecedent, Behaviour and Consequence

Question 18

Antecedent

Answer 18

The stimulus that triggers the voluntary response

Question 19

Behaviour

Answer 19

The voluntary response

Question 20

Consequence

Answer 20

The environmental event that follows the voluntary reponse

Question 21

Positive reinforcement

Answer 21

Adding a pleasant stimulus, which increases the likelihood of the behaviour occurring again in the future. eg; working hard for a sac and getting a good mark.

Question 22

Negative reinforcement

Answer 22

Removing an unpleasant stimulus, which increases the likelihood of the behaviour occurring again in the future. eg; taking Panadol to get rid of a headache.

Question 23

Positive punishment

Answer 23

The addition of an undesirable stimulus which decreases the likelihood of the behaviour occurring again in the future.

Question 24

Negative punishment

Answer 24

The removal of a desirable consequence which decreases the likelihood of the behaviour occurring again in the future. eg; If you fail a test, your parents will confiscate your phone.

Question 25

Reinforcement

Answer 25

Any stimulus that increases the likelihood of the behaviour occurring again.

Question 26

Punishment

Answer 26

Any stimulus that decreases the likelihood of the behaviour occurring again.