SLS20 Chapter 7

Question 1

learning

Answer 1

Experience that results in a relatively permanent change in the state of the learner

Question 2

classical conditioning

Answer 2

When a neutral stimulus produces a response after being paired with a stimulus that naturally produces a response

Question 3

unconditioned stimulus (US)

Answer 3

Something that reliably produces a naturally occurring reaction in an organism

Question 4

unconditioned response (UR)

Answer 4

A reflexive reaction that is reliably produced by an unconditioned stimulus

Question 5

conditioned stimulus (CS)

Answer 5

A stimulus that is initially neutral and produces no reliable response in an organism

Question 6

conditioned response (CR)

Answer 6

A reaction that resembles an unconditioned response but is produced by a conditioned stimulus

Question 7

acquisition

Answer 7

The phase of classical conditioning when the CS and the US are presented together

Question 8

second-order conditioning

Answer 8

Conditioning where the US is a stimulus that acquired its ability to produce learning from an earlier procedure in which it was used as a CS

Question 9

extinction

Answer 9

The gradual elimination of a learned response that occurs when the US is no longer presented

Question 10

spontaneous recovery

Answer 10

The tendency of a learned behavior to recover from extinction after a rest period

Question 11

generalization

Answer 11

A process in which the CR is observed even though the CS is slightly different from the original one used during acquisition

Question 12

discrimination

Answer 12

The capacity to distinguish between similar but distinct stimuli

Question 13

biological preparedness

Answer 13

A propensity for learning particular kinds of associations over others

Question 14

operant conditioning

Answer 14

A type of learning in which the consequences of an organism’s behavior determine whether it will be repeated in the future

Question 15

law of effect

Answer 15

The principle that behaviors that are followed by a “satisfying state of affairs” tend to be repeated and those that produce an “unpleasant state of affairs” are less likely to be repeated

Question 16

operant behavior

Answer 16

Behavior that an organism produces that has some impact on the environment

Question 17

reinforcer

Answer 17

Any stimulus or event that functions to increase the likelihood of the behavior that led to it

Question 18

punisher

Answer 18

Any stimulus or event that functions to decrease the likelihood of the behavior that led to it

Question 19

positive reinforcement

Answer 19

rewarding stimulus is presented

Question 20

negative reinforcement

Answer 20

Unpleasant stimulus is removed

Question 21

positive punishment

Answer 21

Unpleasant stimulus is administered

Question 22

negative punishment

Answer 22

Rewarding stimulus is removed

Question 23

overjustification effect

Answer 23

Circumstances when external rewards can undermine the intrinsic satisfaction of performing a behavior

Question 24

fixed interval schedule (FI)

Answer 24

An operant conditioning principle in which reinforcements are prsented at fixed time periods, provided that the appropriate response is made

Question 25

variable interval schedule (VI)

Answer 25

An operant conditioning principle in which behavior is reinforced based on an average time that has expired since the last reinforccement

Question 26

fixed ratio schedule (FR)

Answer 26

An operant conditioning principle in which behavior is reinforced based on an average time that has expired since the last reinforcement

Question 27

variable ratio schedule (VR)

Answer 27

An operant conditioning principle in which the delivery of reinforcement is based on a particular average number of responses

Question 28

intermittent reinforcement

Answer 28

An operant conditioning principle in which only some of the responses made are followed by reinforcement

Question 29

Intermittent-reinforcement effect

Answer 29

The fact that operant behaviors that are maintained under intermittent reinforcement schedules resist extinction better than those maintained under continuous reinforcement

Question 30

shaping

Answer 30

Learning that results from the reinforcement of successive steps to a final desired behavior

Question 31

latent learning

Answer 31

A condition in whihc something is learned but it is not manifested as a behavioral change until sometime in the future (ex. rats in maze without food, then with food)

Question 32

cognitive map

Answer 32

A mental representation of the physical features of an environment (ex. rats in mazes)

Question 33

observational learning

Answer 33

A condition in which learning takes place by watching the actions of others

Question 34

diffusion chain

Answer 34

A process in which individuals initially learn a behavior by observing another individual perform that behavior, and then serve as a model from which other individuals learn the behavior

Question 35

implicit learning

Answer 35

Learning that takes place largely without awareness of the process or the products of information acquisition

Question 36

habituation

Answer 36

A general process in which repeated or prolonged exposure to a stimulus results in a gradual reduction in response