unit 4 vocab

Question 1

the process of acquiring new and relatively enduring information or behaviors

Answer 1

learning

Question 2

decreasing responsiveness with repeated exposure to a stimulus

Answer 2

habituation

Question 3

learning that certain events occur together. The events may be two stimuli (as in classical conditioning) or a response and its consequences (as in operant conditioning).

Answer 3

associative learning

Question 4

any event or situation that evokes a response

Answer 4

stimulus

Question 5

behavior that occurs as an automatic response to some stimulus

Answer 5

respondent behavior

Question 6

behavior that operates on the environment, producing consequences

Answer 6

operant behavior

Question 7

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

Answer 7

cognitive behavior

Question 8

a type of learning in which one learns to link two or more stimuli

Answer 8

classical conditioning

Question 9

the view that psychology (1) should be an objective science that (2) studies behavior without reference to mental processes. Most research psychologists today agree with (1) but not with (2).

Answer 9

behaviorism

Question 10

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

Answer 10

neutral stimulus

Question 11

in classical conditioning, an unlearned, naturally occurring response to an unconditioned stimulus

Answer 11

unconditioned response

Question 12

in classical conditioning, a stimulus that unconditionally—naturally and automatically—triggers a response.

Answer 12

unconditioned stimulus

Question 13

a learned response to a previously neutral stimulus

Answer 13

conditioned response

Question 14

in classical conditioning, an originally neutral stimulus that, after association with an unconditioned stimulus, comes to trigger a conditioned response

Answer 14

conditioned stimulus

Question 15

In classical conditioning, the initial stage, when one links a neutral stimulus and an unconditioned stimulus so that the neutral stimulus begins triggering the conditioned response. In operant conditioning, the strengthening of a reinforced response.

Answer 15

acquisition

Question 16

a procedure in which the conditioned stimulus in one conditioning experience is paired with a new neutral stimulus, creating a second (often weaker) conditioned stimulus. For example, an animal that has learned that a tone predicts food might then learn that a light predicts the tone and begin responding to the light alone. (Also called second-order conditioning.)

Answer 16

higher order conditoning

Question 17

the diminishing of a conditioned response; occurs in classical conditioning when an unconditioned stimulus (US) does not follow a conditioned stimulus (CS); occurs in operant conditioning when a response is no longer reinforced.

Answer 17

extinction

Question 18

the reappearance, after a pause, of an extinguished conditioned response

Answer 18

spontaneous recovery

Question 19

the tendency, once a response has been conditioned, for stimuli similar to the conditioned stimulus to elicit similar responses

Answer 19

generalization

Question 20

in classical conditioning, the learned ability to distinguish between a conditioned stimulus and stimuli that do not signal an unconditioned stimulus

Answer 20

discrimination

Question 21

a type of learning in which a behavior becomes more likely to recur if followed by a reinforcer or less likely to recur if followed by a punisher

Answer 21

operant conditioning

Question 22

Thorndike’s principle that behaviors followed by favorable consequences become more likely, and that behaviors followed by unfavorable consequences become less likely

Answer 22

law of effect

Question 23

in operant conditioning research, a chamber (also known as a Skinner box) containing a bar or key that an animal can manipulate to obtain a food or water reinforcer; attached devices record the animal’s rate of bar pressing or key pecking.

Answer 23

operant chamber

Question 24

in operant conditioning, any event that strengthens the behavior it follows

Answer 24

reinforcement

Question 25

an operant conditioning procedure in which reinforcers guide behavior toward closer and closer approximations of the desired behavior

Answer 25

shaping

Question 26

in operant conditioning, a stimulus that elicits a response after association with reinforcement (in contrast to related stimuli not associated with reinforcement)

Answer 26

discriminative stimulus

Question 27

increasing behaviors by presenting positive reinforcers. A positive reinforcer is any stimulus that, when presented after a response, strengthens the response.

Answer 27

positive reinforcement

Question 28

Increasing behaviors by stopping or reducing aversive stimuli. A negative reinforcer is any stimulus that, when removed after a response, strengthens the response. (Note: negative reinforcement is not punishment.

Answer 28

negative reinforcement

Question 29

an innately reinforcing stimulus, such as one that satisfies a biological need

Answer 29

primary reinforcer

Question 30

a stimulus that gains its reinforcing power through its association with a primary reinforcer; also known as a secondary reinforcer

Answer 30

conditioned reinforcer

Question 31

a pattern that defines how often a desired response will be reinforced

Answer 31

reinforcement schedule

Question 32

reinforcing the desired response every time it occurs

Answer 32

continuous reinforcement schedule

Question 33

reinforcing a response only part of the time; results in slower acquisition of a response but much greater resistance to extinction than does continuous reinforcement

Answer 33

partial reinforcement schedule

Question 34

in operant conditioning, a reinforcement schedule that reinforces a response only after a specified number of responses

Answer 34

fixed ratio schedule

Question 35

a reinforcement schedule that reinforces a response after an unpredictable number of responses

Answer 35

variable ratio schedule

Question 36

in operant conditioning, a reinforcement schedule that reinforces a response only after a specified time has elapsed

Answer 36

fixed interval schedule

Question 37

in operant conditioning, a reinforcement schedule that reinforces a response at unpredictable time intervals

Answer 37

variable interval schedule

Question 38

an event that tends to decrease the behavior that it follows

Answer 38

punishment

Question 39

a system for electronically recording, amplifying, and feeding back information regarding a subtle physiological state, such as blood pressure or muscle tension

Answer 39

biofeedback

Question 40

a biological predisposition to learn associations, such as between taste and nausea, that have survival value

Answer 40

preparedness

Question 41

the tendency of learned behavior to gradually revert to biologically predisposed patterns

Answer 41

instinctive drift

Question 42

a mental representation of the layout of one’s environment

Answer 42

cognitive map

Question 43

learning that occurs but is not apparent until there is an incentive to demonstrate it

Answer 43

latent learning

Question 44

a sudden realization of a problem’s solution

Answer 44

insight

Question 45

a desire to perform a behavior effectively for its own sake

Answer 45

intrinsic motivation

Question 46

a desire to perform a behavior to receive promised rewards or avoid threatened punishment

Answer 46

extrinsic motivation

Question 47

Attempting to alleviate stress directly by changing the stressor or the way we interact with that stressor.

Answer 47

problem focused coping

Question 48

attempting to alleviate stress by avoiding or ignoring a stressor and attending to emotional needs related to one’s stress reaction

Answer 48

emotion based coping

Question 49

our sense of controlling our environment rather than feeling helpless

Answer 49

personal control

Question 50

the hopelessness and passive resignation an animal or human learns when unable to avoid repeated aversive events

Answer 50

learned helplessness

Question 51

the perception that chance or outside forces beyond your personal control determine your fate.

Answer 51

external locus of control

Question 52

the perception that we control our own fate

Answer 52

internal locus of control

Question 53

the ability to control impulses and delay short-term gratification for greater long-term rewards

Answer 53

self control

Question 54

learning by observing others

Answer 54

observational learning

Question 55

the process of observing and imitating a specific behavior

Answer 55

modeling

Question 56

frontal lobe neurons that some scientists believe fire when performing certain actions or when observing another doing so. The brain’s mirroring of another’s action may enable imitation and empathy

Answer 56

mirror neurons

Question 57

positive, constructive, helpful behavior. The opposite of antisocial behavior

Answer 57

prosocial behavior