Simple mechanisms of learning Flashcards
What is habituation?
Habituation is a decrease in the strength of an elicited behavior following repeated presentations of the eliciting stimulus.
What is sensitization?
Sensitization is an increase in the strength of an elicited behavior following repeated presentations of the eliciting stimulus.
What happens when the stimulus is not presented for a period of time?
The effects of habituation & sensitization usually disappear.
What happens in a long-term habituation?
The response slowly decreases as a result of repeated stimulation, & one’s ability to respond to the stimulus then slowly recovers in the absence of repeated stimulation.
What happens in short-term habituation?
The response quickly decreased as a result of repeated stimulation, & one’s ability to respond to the stimulus then quickly recovers in the absence of repeated stimulation.
True or false: Sensitization tends to be stimulus specific, while habituation often to generalize to other stimuli?
False. Sensitization often generalizes to other stimuli, while habituation tends to be stimulus specific.
What is dishabituation?
It is a phenomenon that happens when habituated responses reappear following the presentation of a seemingly irrelevant novel stimulus.
True or false: A low-intensity stimulus typically results in sensitization, while a high-intensity stimulus typically results in habituation?
False. A low-intensity stimulus typically results in habituation, while a high-intensity stimulus typically results in sensitization.
True or false: If a stimulus is currently irrelevant, we tend to habituate to it, & if a stimulus is currently irrelevant, we tend not to habituate to it?
True.
True of false: If a stimulus is extremely relevant, we may become habituated to it?
False. If a stimulus is extremely relevant, & even dangerous, we may become sensitized to it.
What does the opponent-process propose?
That an emotional event elicits two competing processes, which are an a-process (primary process) that is directly elicited by the event & a b-process (opponent process) that is elicited by the a-process & serves to counteract the a-process.
What are the a-process & b-process’s important characteristics?
The a-process correlates closely with the presence of the emotional event;
The b-process is slow to increase & slow to decrease;
With repeated presentations of the emotional event, the b-process increases both in strength & duration.
