Week 4: Learning

Question 1

Perceptual Learning

Answer 1

occurs when aspects of our perception changes as a function of experience

Question 2

Implicit Learning

Answer 2

occurs when we acquire info without intent that we cannot easily express

Question 3

Implicit Memory

Answer 3

a type of long-term memory that doesn’t require conscious thought to encode; the type of memory one makes without intent

Question 4

Nonassosciative Learning

Answer 4

occurs when a single repeated exposure leads to a change in behaviour

Question 5

Habitualization

Answer 5

when our response lessens w exposure - occurs when the response to a stimulus decreases w exposure

Question 6

Sensitization

Answer 6

occurs when response to a stimulus increases w exposure

Question 6

Classical Conditioning

Answer 6

Learning by association; ex. dog learns to associate a bell (neutral stimulus) with food (unconditioned stimulus) and starts salivating (response) when it hears the bell

stimulus-stimulus associative learning

Question 7

Working Memory

Answer 7

the form of memory we use to hold onto info temporarily, usually for the purposes of manipulation

Question 8

Chunk

Answer 8

the process of grouping info together using our knowledge - experts use this

Question 9

Encoding

Answer 9

the pact of putting info into memory

Question 10

Incidental Learning

Answer 10

occurs when we acquire info without the intention to learn that we cannot easily express

Question 11

Intentional Learning

Answer 11

any type of learning that happens when motivated by intention

Question 12

Metacognition

Answer 12

describes the knowledge and skills people have in monitoring and controlling their own learning and memory

Question 13

Transfer-appropriate processing

Answer 13

a principle that states that memory is “better” when the test taps the same type of knowledge as the original encoding activity

Question 14

Unconditioned Stimulus (US)

Answer 14

stimulus that elicits an unconditioned response (food - salivation); the response before the conditioning occurs

Question 15

Unconditioned Response (UR)

Answer 15

an innate response that is elicited by a stimulus before (or in the absence of) conditioning

Question 16

Conditioned Stimulus (CS)

Answer 16

an initially neutral stimulus (bell, light) that elicits a conditioned response after it has been associated w an unconditioned stimulus

Question 17

Conditioned Response

Answer 17

the response elicited by the conditioned stimulus after classical conditioning has taken place

Question 18

Operant Conditioning

Answer 18

occurs when a behaviour (as opposed to a stimulus) is associated w the occurrence of a significant event; rat in lab presses lever in a cage to receive food experiment

learning through rewards and punishments; associating a behaviour with a significant event

stimulus-response associative learning

Question 19

Operant

Answer 19

a behaviour controlled by its consequences; ex. rat’s lever-pressing, which is controlled by the presentation of the reinforcer (reward)

Question 20

Reinforcers

Answer 20

any consequence of a behaviour that strengthens the behaviour or increases the likelihood that it will be performed again (rewards)

Question 21

Law of Effect

Answer 21

when a behaviour has a positive (satisfying) effect or consequence, it is likely to be repeated in the future; responses followed by discomfort will be weakened

Question 21

Punishers

Answer 21

a stimulus that decreases the strength of an operant behaviour when it is made a consequence of the behaviour

Question 22

Taste Aversion Conditioning

Answer 22

the phenomenon in which a taste is paired w sickness, and this causes the organism to reject/dislike that taste in the future

Question 23

Fear Conditioning

Answer 23

type of classical conditioning in which the conditioned stimulus is associated w an aversive unconditioned stimulus - ex. foot shock; as a consequence of learning, the CS comes to evoke fear

involved in development of anxiety disorders in humans

Question 24

Blocking

Answer 24

in classical conditioning - the finding that no conditioning occurs to a stimulus if it is combined w a previously conditioned stimulus during conditioning trials; suggests that info, surprise value, or prediction error is important in conditioning

Question 24

Conditioned Compensatory Responses

Answer 24

a conditioned response that opposes the unconditioned response - in classical conditioning; functions to reduce the strength of the unconditioned response

often seen in conditioning when drugs aer used as unconditioned stimuli

Question 25

Prediction error

Answer 25

the chance that a conditioned stimulus won’t lead to the expected outcome; necessary to create classical conditioning

Question 26

Preparedness

Answer 26

idea that an organism’s evolutionary history can make it easy to learn a particular association

ex. you’re more likely to associate the taste of tequilla, and not the circumstances surrounding drinking it, w getting sick

Question 27

Extinction

Answer 27

after conditioning, the response to the CS can be eliminated if the CS is presented repeatedly with out the unconditioned stimulus; or if the behaviour is no longer reinforced

ex. pavlov rings bell for dog but theres no food
ex. rat pushes lever but theres no food

Question 28

Spontaneous Recovery

Answer 28

recovery of an extinguished response that occurs with the passage of time after extinction

Question 29

Renwal effect

Answer 29

after extinction, if the CS is tested in a new context (new room/location), the CR can also returned

Question 30

Stimulus Control

Answer 30

when an operant behaviour is controlled by a stimulus that precedes it

Question 31

Discriminative Stimulus

Answer 31

in operant conditioning, a stimulus that signals whether the response will be reinforced; it’s said to “set the occasion” for the operant response

Question 32

Categorize

Answer 32

to sort or arrange different items into classes or categorize

Question 32

Quantitative Law of Effect

Answer 32

law acknowledges the fact that the effects of reinforcing one behaviour depend crucially on how much reinforcement is earned for the behaviour’s alternatives

ex. pigeon learns pecking one light will reward two food pellets, whereas other light only rewards one - pigeon will only peck the first light

Question 32

Reinforcer Devaluation Effect

Answer 32

the finding that an animal will stop performing an instrumental response that once led to a reinforcer is separately made aversive or undesirable

Question 33

goal-directed

Answer 33

behaviours influenced by the current value of its associated goal

Question 34

Habit

Answer 34

instrumental behaviour that occurs automatically in the presence of a stimulus and is no longer influenced by the animal’s knowledge of the value of the reinforcer

Question 35

Observational Learning

Answer 35

Learning by observing the behavior of others.

Question 36

Social Learning Theory

Answer 36

The theory that people can learn new responses and behaviors by observing the behavior of others.

Question 36

Social Models

Answer 36

authorities that are the targets for observation and who model behaviours

Question 37

Vicarious reinforcement

Answer 37

learning that occurs by observing the reinforcement or punishment of another person

Question 38

Knowledge Emotions

Answer 38

family of emotions associated w learning, reflecting, exploring; come about when unexpected things happen in the environment - motivate people to explore the unfamiliar, builds knowledge

Question 39

Appraisal Theories

Answer 39

propose that each emotion is caused by a group of appraisals (evaluations/judgements) of what events in the world mean for our goals and well-being

is this relevant to me, does it further or hinder my goals, etc.

Question 39

Functionalist Theories of Emotion

Answer 39

theories of emotion that emphasize the adaptive role of an emotion in handling common problems throughout evolutionary history

Question 40

Surprise

Answer 40

an emotion rooted in expectancy violation that orients people toward the unexpected event

Question 41

Interest

Answer 41

emotion associated w curiosity and intrigue, interest motivates engaging w new things and learning more about them

Question 42

Intrinsically Motivated

Answer 42

learning that is “for its own sake” - learning motivated by curiosity and wonder, instead of rewards or social approval

Question 43

Coping Potential

Answer 43

people’s beliefs about their ability to handle challenges

Question 43

Trait Curiosity

Answer 43

stable individual-differences in how easily and how often people become curious

Question 44

Openness to experience

Answer 44

one of five major factors of personality; associated w higher curiosity, creativity, open-mindedness; more likely to experience interest/awe

Question 45

Confusion

Answer 45

emotion associated w conflicting and contrary info; hard to understand; motivates people to work through problems and foster deeper learning

Question 46

Facial Expressions

Answer 46

part of the expressive component of emotions, communicate inner feelings to others

Question 47

Accomodation

Answer 47

changing one’s beliefs about the world in light of a new experience

Question 48

Chills

Answer 48

a feeling of goosebumps, often experienced during moments of awe