Year 12 Psychology - Learning

Question 1

What is learning?

Answer 1

The acquisition of knowledge or skills through experience, practice or study or by being taught.

Question 2

CLASSICAL CONDITIONING

Answer 2

Learning by association when two unrelated stimuli’s are paired.

Question 3

Who founded classical conditioning?

Answer 3

Ivan Pavlov

Question 4

Neutral Stimulus (NS)?

Answer 4

Stimulus that does not evoke a response

Question 5

Unconditioned Stimulus (UCS)?

Answer 5

Stimulus innately capable of eliciting a response

Question 6

Conditioned Stimulus (CS)?

Answer 6

Stimulus that evokes a response because it has been repeatedly paired with an unconditioned stimulus

Question 7

Unconditioned Response (UCR)?

Answer 7

An innate reflex response elicited by an unconditioned stimulus.

Question 8

Conditioned Response (CR)?

Answer 8

A learned response elicited by a conditioned stimulus

Question 9

What are the principals of classical conditioning?

Answer 9

• Acquisition
• Contiguity
• Contingency
• Stimulus Generalisation
• Stimulus Discrimination
• Extinction
• Spontaneous Recovery

Question 10

Acquisition?

Answer 10

Refers to the first stages of learning when a response is established.
In classical conditioning it refers to the period of time when the stimulus comes to evoke the conditioned response.

Question 11

Contiguity?

Answer 11

Stimuli are contiguous if they occur together in time & space.
The UCS and the CS have to happen closely in time.
CS begins just before the UCS and stops at the same time as the UCS.
No more than 0.5 seconds

Question 12

Contiguity in classical and operant?

Answer 12

Refers to the timing between the presentation of the two stimuli (classical) or between a behaviour and consequence (operant)

Question 13

Contingency?

Answer 13

The predictability of the occurrence of one stimulus from the presence of another.
Pavlov: can predict the food from the bell
E.G A flash of lightening usually is followed by the sound of thunder. Therefore, if you see lightening you might put your hands over your ears or lean away in anticipation of the thunder.

Question 14

Stimulus Generalisation?

Answer 14

Stimuli are generalised when they are similar to the original conditioned stimulus.
E.G Dog salivates to any loud sound (bell, click, bang)
Feeling fearful when next to any car with spotlights.

Question 15

Stimulus Discrimination?

Answer 15

Occurs when a learned response to a specific stimulus does not respond in the same way to a new stimuli that are similar to the original stimulus.
E.G - Knowing the difference between the sound of your mobile and phone phone when it rings.
- Dog salivating to only the sound of the bell.

Question 16

Extinction?

Answer 16

The gradual weakening or suppression of a previously conditioned response.
E.G - If you have a classically conditioned fear of a dentists drill and later start working as a dental assistant, your fear would gradually diminish.

Question 17

Spontaneous Recovery?

Answer 17

The reappearance of a previously extinguished conditioned response after a period of non-exposure to the conditioned stimulus.
E.G - Couples often see each other after a long period of time (after a break up) and experience feelings and often rekindle their relationship.

Question 18

Types of prejudice?

Answer 18

Racism
Sexism
Homophobia
Religious Intolerance

Question 19

Learning Prejudice

Answer 19

Before
member of disliked group (ns) –> NR
parents negative reaction (ucs) –> Child upset and fearful (ucr)
During
Member of disliked group (cs) + parents negative reaction (ucs) –> child is upset and fearful (ucr)
After
Member of disliked group (cs) –> child upset and fearful (cr)

Question 20

Phobias?

Answer 20

A phobia is an irrational and excessive fear of an object or situation.

Question 21

Advertising?

Answer 21

Product = CS
The feeling = CR
Product paired with other stimuli emotions (Positive or negative)