Unit 4 Learning

Question 1

Learning

Answer 1

process of acquiring new and relatively enduring information or behaviors through experience

Question 2

Habituation

Answer 2

decreasing responsiveness as a result of repeated exposure to a stimulus

Question 3

Associated learning

Answer 3

learning that certain events occur together (two stimuli, or a response and its consequence)

Question 4

respondent behavior

Answer 4

behavior that occurs as an automatic response to some stimulus; produced by classical conditioning

Question 5

operant behavior

Answer 5

behavior that operates on the environment, producing consequences; produced by operant conditioning

Question 6

cognitive learning

Answer 6

acquisition of mental information, whether by observing events, watching others, or through language

Question 7

behaviorism

Answer 7

John B. Watson’s view that psychology should be 1) an objective science that 2) studies behavior without reference to mental process

Question 8

neutral stimuli(NS)

Answer 8

In classical conditioning, a stimulus that elicits no response before conditioning

Question 9

unconditioned response(UR)

Answer 9

In classical conditioning, an unlearned, naturally occurring response to an unconditioned stimulus(US)

Question 10

Conditioned response(CR)

Answer 10

In classical conditioning, a learned response to a previously neutral but not conditioned stimulus(CS)

Question 11

Acquisition

Answer 11

In classical condition: the initial stage when a neutral stimulus is linked to an unconditioned stimulus so the NS triggers the conditioned response

In operant conditioning: the strengthening of a reinforced response

Question 12

Extinction

Answer 12

diminishing of a conditioned response

In classical conditioning: occurs when a CS is not followed by a US

In operant conditioning: occurs when a response is no longer reinforced

Question 13

Spontaneous Recovery

Answer 13

the reappearance of a weakened CR after a pause of the extinguished CR

Question 14

Generalization

Answer 14

the tendency for stimuli similar to the CS to elicit similar responses

In operant conditions: occurs when responses learned in one situation occur in other similar situations

Question 15

Discrimination

Answer 15

In classical conditioning: the learned ability to distinguish b/w a CS and similar stimuli that do not signal an US

In operant conditioning: ability to distinguish responses that are reinforced from similar responses that are not reinforced

Question 16

Operant conditioning

Answer 16

a type of learning that increases the occurrence of a behavior followed by a reinforcer and decreases the occurrence of one followed by a punisher

Question 17

law of effect

Answer 17

Edward Thorndike’s principle; stated that rewarded behaviors were likely to recur and punished behaviors were less likely to

Question 18

operant chambering

Answer 18

the Skinner box; included a food/water reinforcer and a lever/bar for the animal to manipulate

Question 19

reinforcement

Answer 19

any event that leads to an increase in the preceding behavior

Question 20

shaping

Answer 20

reinforcing desired behavior in successive approximations

Question 21

discriminative stimulus

Answer 21

stimulus that is associated with a reinforcer, therefore eliciting a response