Learning & Behavior - Experimental Psychology - Chapter 5-6

Front 1

Natural Reinforcers

Back 1

Reinforcers that are naturally provided for a certain behavior; that

Front 2

Compensatory-Response Model

Back 2

A model of conditioning in which a CS that has been repeatedly associated with the primary response (a-process) to a US will eventually come to elicit a compensatory response (b-process).

Front 3

Counterconditioning

Back 3

The procedure whereby a CS that elicits one type of response is associated with an event that elicits an incompatible response.

Front 4

Flooding Therapy

Back 4

A behavioral treatment for phobias that involves prolonged exposure to a feared stimulus, thereby providing maximal opportunity for the conditioned fear to be extinguished

Front 5

Incubation

Back 5

The strengthening of a conditioned fear response as a result of brief exposures to aversive CS.

Front 6

Overexpectation Effect

Back 6

The decrease in the conditioned response that occurs when two separately conditioned CSs are combined into a compound stimulus for further pairing with the US.

Front 7

Preparatory-Response theory

Back 7

A theory of classical conditioning that proposes that the purpose of the CR is to prepare the organism for the presentation of the US.

Front 8

Preparedness

Back 8

An inherited predisposition within a species to learn certain kinds of associations more easily than others.

Front 9

Reciprocal Inhibition

Back 9

The process whereby certain responses are incompatible with each other, and the occurrence of one response necessarily inhibits the other.

Front 10

Rescorla-Wagner Theory

Back 10

A theory of classical conditioning that proposes that a given US can support only so much conditioning and that this amount of conditioning must be distributed among the various CSs available.

Front 11

Selective Sensitization

Back 11

An increase in one's reactivity to a potentially fearful stimulus following exposure to an unrelated stressful event.

Front 12

S-R (stimulus-response) Model

Back 12

As applied to classical conditioning, this model assumes that the NS becomes directly associated with UR and therefore comes to elicit the same response as the UR.

Front 13

S-S (stimulus-stimulus) Model

Back 13

A model of classical conditioning that assumes that the NS becomes directly associated with the US, and therefore comes to elicit a response that is related to the US.

Front 14

Stimulus-Substitution Theory

Back 14

A theory of classical conditioning that proposes that the CS acts as a substitute for the US.

Front 15

Systematic Desensitization

Back 15

A behavioral treatment for phobias that involves pairing relaxation with a succession of stimuli that elicit increasing levels of fear.

Front 16

Temperament

Back 16

An individual's base level of emotionality and reactivity to stimulation that, to a large extent, is genetically determined.

Front 17

Avoidance Behavior

Back 17

Behavior that occurs before the aversive stimulus is presented and thereby prevents its delivery.

Front 18

Contrived Reinforcers

Back 18

Reinforcers that have been deliberately arranged to modify a behavior; they are not a typical consequence of the behavior in that setting. Also called artificial reinforcers.

Front 19

Discriminative Stimulus

Back 19

A stimulus in the presence of which responses are reinforced and in the absence of which they are not reinforced; that is, a stimulus that signals the availability of reinforcement.

Front 20

Discriminative Stimulus for Extinction

Back 20

A stimulus that signals the absence of reinforcement.

Front 21

Discriminative Stimulus for Punishment

Back 21

A stimulus that signals that a response will be punished.

Front 22

Escape Behavior

Back 22

A behavior that results in the termination of an aversive stimulus.

Front 23

Extrinsic Reinforcement

Back 23

The reinforcement provided by a consequence that is external to the behavior, that is, an extrinsic reinforcer.

Front 24

Generalized (generalized secondary) Reinforcer

Back 24

A type of secondary reinforcer that has been associated with several other reinforcers.

Front 25

Intrinsic Reinforcement

Back 25

Reinforcement provided by the mere act of performing the behavior; the performance of the behavior is inherently reinforcing.

Front 26

Law of Effect

Back 26

As stated by Thorndike, the proposition that behaviors that lead to a satisfying state of affairs are strengthened of "stamped in," while behaviors that lead to an unsatisfying or annoying state of affairs are weakened or "stamped out."

Front 27

Negative Punishment

Back 27

The removal of a stimulus (one that is usually considered unpleasant or rewarding) following a response, which then leads to a decrease in the future strength of that response.

Front 28

Negative Reinforcement

Back 28

The removal of a stimulus (one that is usually considered unpleasant or aversive) following a response, which that leads to an increase in the future strengths.

Front 29

Operant Behavior

Back 29

A class of emitted responses that result in certain consequences, in turn, affect the future probability or strength of those responses.

Front 30

Operant Conditioning

Back 30

A type of learning win which the future probability of a behavior is affected by its consequences.

Front 31

Positive Punishment

Back 31

The presentation of a stimulus (one that is usually considered unpleasant or aversive) following a response, which then leads to a decrease in the future strength of that response.