Unit 3 Part 2 Review

Question 1

backward conditioning

Answer 1

Conditioning that occurs when the conditioned stimulus is presented after the unconditioned stimulus, in effect announcing that the unconditioned stimulus has occurred.

Question 2

blocking

Answer 2

Occurs when one of the two stimuli presented together has undergone previous or blocking conditioning, thereby preventing the second stimulus from being conditioned.

Question 3

bridge

Answer 3

Also called bridging stimulus. A conditioned reinforcer that takes the place of immediate reinforcement and links the occurrence of some target behavior with a delayed reinforcer.

Question 4

chaining

Answer 4

A pattern of interconnecting discriminative signals and conditioned reinforcers that allows the trainer to connect a repertoire of behaviors together without requiring the presentation of a primary reinforcer for each behavior in the sequence.

Question 5

classical conditioning

Answer 5

A type of learning in which a neutral stimulus is paired with a stimulus that causes an unconditioned response.

Question 6

conditioned response (CR)

Answer 6

A learned response that results from pairing a conditioned stimulus (CS) with an unconditioned stimulus (US).

Question 7

conditioned stimulus (CS)

Answer 7

A stimulus that causes a conditioned response.

Question 8

consequence

Answer 8

An event that follows a behavior.

Question 9

contingency

Answer 9

The dependence of one event upon another.

Question 10

continuous reinforcement

Answer 10

A schedule of reinforcement in which each correct response is reinforced.

Question 11

delay conditioning

Answer 11

the conditioned stimulus is presented shortly before the unconditioned stimulus and then briefly overlaps the unconditioned stimulus before both are discontinued.

Question 12

demonstrative corrections

Answer 12

corrections used to gently or firmly compel the dog to perform on occasions when it refuses to obey a command.

Question 13

dependent variable

Answer 13

That which a researcher is interested in or is trying to explain. It usually refers to the animal’s response or change in behavior.

Question 14

discrimination

Answer 14

The ability to tell the difference between closely related signals.

Question 15

discriminative stimulus

Answer 15

A signal that a particular contingency is in effect.

Question 16

elicit

Answer 16

To bring forth or call out.

Question 17

execution commands

Answer 17

commands that present the appropriate words and/or hand signals to elicit selected behaviors.

Question 18

extinction

Answer 18

A process by which a particular behavior decreases or disappears. Extinction causes the conditioned stimulus to lose its ability to elicit the conditioned response.

Question 19

generalization

Answer 19

Refers to the fact that the dog will respond to stimuli resembling the conditioned stimulus in much the same way as it responds to the conditioned stimulus itself.

Question 20

imperative reprimands

Answer 20

Usually vocal restrictive corrections that are used to constrain the dog from engaging in some undesirable action. For example, “No.”

Question 21

independent variable

Answer 21

Something a researcher introduces into an experiment to see what effect it has on the dependent variable.

Question 22

insight

Answer 22

The sudden understanding of a problem.

Question 23

instructive reprimands

Answer 23

Vocal demonstrative corrections serving the simultaneous function of a reprimand and command. For example, “Off” or “Leave it.”

Question 24

instrumental behavior

Answer 24

Behavior motivated to control and maximize desirable outcomes, while avoiding or escaping undesirable ones. It’s characteristically voluntary, goaldirected, and strengthened or weakened by the consequences it produces or controls.

Question 25

law of effect

Answer 25

A law formulated by Edward Thorndike, which states that behaviors that are followed by pleasant events are more likely to be repeated in the future. On the other hand, behaviors that are followed by unpleasant events are less likely to be repeated in the future.

Question 26

latent inhibition

Answer 26

A retardation of conditioning that results from a neutral stimulus being repeatedly presented in the absence of an unconditioned stimulus.

Question 27

learned irrelevance

Answer 27

Occurs when signals are repeatedly presented without any relationship to reinforcement and are therefore regarded as irrelevant to the dog. In other words, learned irrelevance occurs when both a neutral stimulus and an unconditioned stimulus are presented, but in such a manner that the neutral stimulus doesn’t predict the occurrence (or nonoccurrence) of the unconditioned stimulus.

Question 28

neutral stimulus

Answer 28

A stimulus that typically elicits an orienting response and doesn’t produce a conditioned response.

Question 29

operant conditioning

Answer 29

A type of learning in which behavior is strengthened when it’s followed by reinforcement and weakened when it’s followed by punishment. Operant conditioning deals with nonreflexive behavior.

Question 30

orienting response

Answer 30

The momentary turning of attention toward some stimulus in the environment.

Question 31

overshadowing

Answer 31

Occurs when one stimulus is significantly more salient or “attention-grabbing” than the other(s).

Question 32

pairing

Answer 32

The presenting of a conditioned stimulus near or at the same time as an unconditioned stimulus.

Question 33

Premack principle

Answer 33

Of any two responses, the one that’s more likely to occur can be used to reinforce the response that’s less likely to occur.

Question 34

preparatory commands

Answer 34

Commands that communicate to the dog that it must pay close attention and wait in readiness for a command.

Question 35

reflex

Answer 35

An involuntary response to a stimulus.

Question 36

reinforcer

Answer 36

Something that supports or strengthens something else. In dog training, a reinforcer is something the dog wants. A trainer can use the reinforcer to strengthen a desired behavior.

Question 37

restrictive corrections

Answer 37

Corrections that constrain the dog from doing something that it would prefer to do, while reinforcing some alternative behavior.

Question 38

retroactive punishment

Answer 38

Punishment directed against an action that occurred in the past. Also called retribution. This type of punishment isn’t effective in dog training and isn’t recommended.

Question 39

salient

Answer 39

Noticeable or prominent; attention-getting.

Question 40

sensory preconditioning

Answer 40

Eliciting a conditioned response to a neutral stimulus (NS1) by pairing it with a second neutral stimulus (NS2), then classically conditioning the NS2. Because the NS1 was paired with the NS2, it elicits a similar conditioned response.

Question 41

shaping

Answer 41

Reinforcement through successive approximations to reach a behavior that isn’t likely to be spontaneously produced.

Question 42

simultaneous conditioning

Answer 42

a procedure in classical conditioning that involves presenting both the conditioned stimulus and the unconditioned stimulus at the same time. This form of conditioning doesn’t work because the neutral stimulus isn’t predictive of the unconditioned stimulus.

Question 43

spontaneous recovery

Answer 43

The reappearance of a behavior after extinction and a rest, even though the dog hasn’t been reinforced during the intervening period.

Question 44

systematic desensitization

Answer 44

a system used to decrease fears by consistently producing a response that’s incompatible with fear in the presence of fear-eliciting stimulation. It involves gradually exposing the dog to the fearful situation in small increments while eliciting the behavior that’s incompatible with fear.

Question 45

targeting

Answer 45

Training the dog to follow a hand or object in order to facilitate movements that lead the dog to perform a desirable action.

Question 46

trace conditioning

Answer 46

A type of classical conditioning in which the conditioned stimulus is presented for a brief period just before the unconditioned stimulus.

Question 47

unconditioned reflex

Answer 47

The combination of an unconditioned stimulus and an unconditioned response.

Question 48

unconditioned response (UR)

Answer 48

A reflexive response to an unconditioned stimulus.

Question 49

unconditioned stimulus (US)

Answer 49

A stimulus that causes a specific reflexive response without requiring learning or conditioning.

Question 50

variable

Answer 50

Any factor in an experiment that changes or can be changed; a characteristic that can occur in different amounts or kinds.