Chapter 7: Learning

Front 1

Learning

Back 1

The process of acquiring new and relatively enduring information or behaviors.

Front 2

Associative learning

Back 2

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).

Front 3

Stimulus

Back 3

Any event or situation that evokes a response.

Front 4

Cognitive learning

Back 4

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

Front 5

Classical conditioning

Back 5

A type of learning in which one learns to link two or more stimuli and anticipate events.

Front 6

Behaviorism

Back 6

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

Front 7

Neutral stimulus

Back 7

In classical conditioning, a stimulus that gets no response before conditioning.

Front 8

Unconditioned response

Back 8

In classical conditioning, an unlearned, naturally occurring response such as salivation, to an unconditioned stimulus such as food in the mouth.

Front 9

Unconditioned stimulus

Back 9

In classical conditioning, a stimulus that unconditionally --naturally and automatically-- triggers a response.

Front 10

Conditioned response

Back 10

In classical conditioning, a learned response to a previously neutral stimulus.

Front 11

Conditioned stimulus

Back 11

In classical conditioning, an originally irrelevant stimulus, that after association with an unconditioned stimulus, comes to trigger a conditioned response.

Front 12

Acquisition

Back 12

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.

Front 13

Higher-order conditioning

Back 13

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.)

Front 14

Extinction

Back 14

The diminishing of a conditioned response; which 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

Front 15

Spontaneous recovery

Back 15

The reappearance, after a pause, of an extinguished conditioned response.

Front 16

Generalization

Back 16

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

Front 17

Discrimination

Back 17

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

Front 18

Operant conditioning

Back 18

A type of learning in which behavior is strengthened if followed by a reinforcer or diminished if followed by a punisher.

Front 19

Law of effect

Back 19

Thorndike's principal that behaviors followed by favorable consequences become more likely, and that behaviors followed by unfavorable consequences become less likely.

Front 20

Operant chamber

Back 20

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

Front 21

Reinforcement

Back 21

In operant conditioning procedure in which reinforcers guide behaviors by presenting positive reinforcers. A positive reinforcer is any stimulus that, when presented after a response, strengthens the response.

Front 22

Positive reinforcement

Back 22

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

Front 23

Negative reinforcement

Back 23

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

Front 24

Primary reinforcer

Back 24

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

Front 25

Reinforcement schedule

Back 25

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

Front 26

Partial (intermittent) reinforcement

Back 26

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

Front 27

Fixed-ratio schedule

Back 27

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

Front 28

Variable-ratio schedule

Back 28

In operant conditioning, a reinforcement schedule that reinforces a response after an unpredictable number of responses.

Front 29

Fixed-interval schedule

Back 29

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

Front 30

Variable-interval schedule

Back 30

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

Front 31

Punishment

Back 31

An event that tends to decrease that behavior that it follows.

Front 32

Respondent behavior

Back 32

Behavior that occurs as an automatic response to some stimulus.

Front 33

Operant behavior

Back 33

Behavior that operates on the environment, producing consequences.

Front 34

Cognitive map

Back 34

A mental representation of the layout of one's environment. For example, after exploring a maze, rats act as if they have learned a cognitive map of it.

Front 35

Latent learning

Back 35

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

Front 36

Intrinsic motivation

Back 36

A desire to perform a behavior effectively for its own sake.

Front 37

Extrinsic motivation

Back 37

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

Front 38

Observational learning

Back 38

Learning by observing others.

Front 39

Modeling

Back 39

The process of observing and imitating a specific behavior.

Front 40

Mirror neurons

Back 40

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

Front 41

Prosocial behavior

Back 41

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

Front 42

Continuous Reinforcement

Back 42

Reinforcing the desired response every time it occurs.