Chapter 7: Learning

Front 1

Learning

Back 1

enduring changes in behaviour that occur with experience

Front 2

Association

Back 2

process by which two pieces of information from the environment are repeatedly linked so that we begin to connect them in our minds

Front 3

Conditioning

Back 3

a form of associative learning in which behaviours are triggered by associations with events in the environment

Front 4

Classical Conditioning

Back 4

form of associative learning in which a neutral stimulus becomes associated with a stimulus to which one has an automatic, inborn response

Front 5

Unconditioned Response (UR)

Back 5

the automatic, inborn reaction to a stimulus

Front 6

Unconditioned Stimulus (US)

Back 6

the stimulus that always produces the same unlearned response

Front 7

Conditioned Stimulus (CS)

Back 7

a previously neutral stimulus that an individual learns to associate with the unconditioned response

Front 8

Conditioned Response (CR)

Back 8

a behaviour that an individual learns to perform when presented with the conditioned stimulus

Front 9

Stimulus Generalization

Back 9

extension of the association between unconditioned stimulus and conditioned stimulus to include a broad array of similar stimuli

Front 10

Stimulus Discrimination

Back 10

restriction of a conditioned response (such as salivation) to the exact conditioned stimulus to which it was conditioned

Front 11

Extinction

Back 11

the weakening and disappearance of a conditioned response, which occurs when the unconditioned stimulus is no longer paired with the conditioned stimulus

Front 12

Spontaneous Recovery

Back 12

the sudden reappearance of an extinguished response

Front 13

Higher-Order Conditioning

Back 13

a form of conditioning whereby a neutral stimulus is paired with a conditioned stimulus

Front 14

Law Of Effect

Back 14

the consequences of a behaviour increase (or decrease) the likelihood that the behaviour will be repeated

Front 15

Operant Conditioning

Back 15

learning based upon the consequences of behaviour

Front 16

Reinforcer

Back 16

an internal or external event that increases the frequency of behaviour

Front 17

Primary Reinforcer

Back 17

innate, unlearned reinforcers that satisfy biological needs (food, water, sex)

Front 18

Secondary (or Conditioned) Reinforcer

Back 18

reinforcers that are learned by association, usually via classical conditioning

Front 19

Positive Reinforcement

Back 19

the presentation or addition of a stimulus after a behaviour occurs that increases how often that behaviour will occur

Front 20

Negative Reinforcement

Back 20

removal of a stimulus after a behaviour to increase the frequency of behaviour

Front 21

Punishment

Back 21

stimulus, presented after a behaviour, that decreases the frequency of behaviour

Front 22

Positive Punishment

Back 22

the addition of a stimulus that decreases behaviour

Front 23

Negative Punishment

Back 23

the removal of a stimulus to decrease behaviour

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Skinner Box

Back 24

simple chamber used for operant conditioning of small animals

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Shaping

Back 25

the reinforcement of successive approximations of a desired behaviour

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Continuous Reinforcement

Back 26

reinforcement of a behaviour every time it occurs

Front 27

Intermittent Reinforcement

Back 27

reinforcement of a behaviour - but not after every response

Front 28

Schedules of Reinforcement

Back 28

patterns of reinforcement distinguished by whether reinforcement occurs after a set number of responses or after a certain amount of time has passed since the last reinforcement

Front 29

Fixed Ratio (FR) Schedule

Back 29

pattern of intermittent reinforcement in which reinforcement follows a set number of responses

Front 30

Variable Ratio (VR) Schedule

Back 30

pattern of intermittent reinforcement in which the number of responses needed for reinforcement changes

Front 31

Fixed Interval (FI) Schedule

Back 31

pattern of intermittent reinforcement in which responses are always reinforced after a set period of time has passed

Front 32

Variable Interval (VI) Schedule

Back 32

pattern of intermittent reinforcement in which responses are reinforced after time periods of different duration have passed

Front 33

Instinctive Drift

Back 33

learned behaviour that shifts toward instinctive, unlearned behaviour tendencies

Front 34

Biological Constraint Model

Back 34

view on learning proposing that some behaviours are inherently more likely to be learned than others

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Imprinting

Back 35

the rapid and innate learning of the characteristics of a caregiver very soon after birth

Front 36

Ethology

Back 36

the scientific study of animal behaviour

Front 37

Latent Learning

Back 37

learning that occurs in the absence of reinforcement and is not demonstrated until later, when reinforcement occurs

Front 38

Conditioned Taste Aversion

Back 38

the learned avoidance of a particular taste or food

Front 39

Enactive Learning

Back 39

learning by doing

Front 40

Observational Learning

Back 40

learning by watching the behaviour of others

Front 41

Social Learning Theory

Back 41

a description of the kind of learning that occurs when we model or imitate the behaviour of others

Front 42

Modelling

Back 42

the imitation of behaviours performed by others

Front 43

Drug Replacement Therapy

Back 43

a treatment for addiction that involves a less harmful form of the drug to avoid withdrawal

Front 44

Behaviour Modification

Back 44

the application of operant conditioning principles to change behaviour