Quiz 4 Review

Question 1

Operant conditioning – Shaping

Answer 1

rewarding behaviors that come closer and closer to a target behavior

Question 2

Limitations of Operant Conditioning

Answer 2

o Behaviorists thought all learning resulted from reinforcement or punishment
o But – what’s reinforcing depends on the individual
- SOR psychology
- Stimulus –> organism –> response
o But – learning often occurs without R or P
- Latent Learning: motivations
- Insight Learning
- Observational Learning

Question 3

Observational learning

Answer 3

• Learning by watching others

Question 4

Bobo doll exp

Answer 4

o Preschool children watched actors behave aggressively toward a “Bobo doll”
o Then played w/ Bobo themselves
* Children who watched others behave aggressively toward Bobo also behaved aggressively
o Proof of observational learning
* Children also invented NEW ways to attack Bobo

Question 5

Taste Aversion

Answer 5

a conditioned disgust reflex to certain foods after sickness (evolutionary adaptive)

Question 6

how does taste aversion differ from classical conditioning

Answer 6

o Needs only one pairing of CS and UCS
o CS and UCS can be widely separated in time
o Can be extremely specific, resistant to generalization

Question 7

Taste aversion in cancer treatment

Answer 7

o Chemotherapy induces nausea and vomiting
o Many patients develop food aversions
o Treatment involves eating a “scapegoat” food before treatment to avoid aversion to favorite foods

Question 8

The nervous system is made primarily of:

Answer 8

• Neurons
• Glial cells

Question 9

Neurons

Answer 9

• nerve cells specialized for communication
  o The brain contains about 85 billion neurons, that form about 160 trillion connections
  o Part of neurons:
• Cell body: central region of cell
• Dendrites: receive outside signals
• Axon: delivers signals to other cells (underneath myelin sheath)
• Myelin sheath: glial cells that help speed signal transmission
• Axon terminals: end of axon where signal is released

Question 10

Collectively, neurons

Answer 10

• Monitor our internal and external environments
• Control our behavior
• Create our mental experiences

Question 11

Communication between neurons: Two parts

Answer 11

• Electrical signal within the neuron
   Action potential: all-or-none electrical impulse that neurons use to communicate (travels down axon)
   Absolute refractory period: recovery time when another AP is not possible
• Chemical communication between neurons
   Synapse: junction between two communicating neurons
   Neurotransmitter: chemical signal
   Synaptic cleft: space between two neurons where neurotransmitter is released

Question 12

Glial cells: support cells

Answer 12

o Provide support and nutrients for neurons
o Form myelin
o Form the blood-brain barrier
- Blood-brain barrier: prevents harmful substances from entering the brain