Psy 458 Chapter 4

Front 1

surprisingness of the US

Back 1

The difference between the actual magnitude of the unconditional stimulus and that which is predicted by conditional stimuli present on a conditioning trial. In the Rescorla-Wagner model, learning only occurs if there is a discrepancy between the unconditional stimulus that is predicted and the one that actually occurs.

Front 2

protection from extinction

Back 2

In classical conditioning, the finding that extinction trials with a conditioned excitor may be ineffective at reducing conditional responding if the excitor is combined with a conditioned inhibitor during extinction.

Front 3

overexpectation effect

Back 3

In classical conditioning, the finding that two conditional stimuli that have been separately paired with an unconditional stimulus may actually lose some of their potential to elicit conditional responding if they are combined and the compound is paired with the same unconditional stimulus.

Front 4

contextual stimuli (or context)

Back 4

External or internal stimuli that are in the background whenever learning or remembering occurs.

Front 5

comparator theories

Back 5

A theory of classical conditioning which proposes that the strength of the response to a conditional stimulus depends on a comparison of the strength of that stimulus's association with the unconditional stimulus and that of another stimulus.

Front 6

negative transfer

Back 6

When learning one task interferes with learning or the performance of a second task.

Front 7

Hall-Pearce negative transfer

Back 7

Interference with conditioning that is produced by pairing a conditional stimulus with a weak unconditional stimulus before pairing it with a stronger unconditional stimulus.

Front 8

short-term memory

Back 8

A theoretical part of memory that has a small capacity and can retain information only briefly. Also used to characterize situations in which an experience has only a short-lasting effect on behavior.

Front 9

long-term memory

Back 9

A theoretical part of memory that has a very large capacity and can retain information over long periods or retention intervals. Also used to characterize situations in which an experience as a long-lasting effect on behavior.

Front 10

priming or primed

Back 10

When a node or representation has been activated in short-term memory

Front 11

self-generated priming

Back 11

Activation of an item, node, or representation in short-term memory that occurs when the item is presented.

Front 12

retrieval-generated priming

Back 12

Activation of an item, node, or representation in short-term memory that occurs when a cue that is associated with that item is presented. The result is retrieval of the item from long-term memory into short-term memory.

Front 13

nodes

Back 13

Memory representations of items in the world.

Front 14

standard operating procedures (SOP)

Back 14

An established procedure to be followed in carrying out a given operation or in a given situation. In SOP theory of classical conditioning, the standard dynamics of memory.

Front 15

A1

Back 15

In SOP theory, the maximal state to which elements in a memory node can be activated when the corresponding conditional stimulus or unconditional stimulus is presented.

Front 16

A2

Back 16

In SOP theory, a secondary, or lower state of activation to which elements decay after they have been in A1. A retrieval cue also activates elements in an associated node to the level of A2.

Front 17

inactive

Back 17

Resting state of a memory representation or node. In SOP theory, it is the final state to which elements in a node decay after they have been in A1 and then A2.

Front 18

external inhibition

Back 18

Weakening of a conditional response elicited by a conditional stimulus when a neutral stimulus is added. Usually thought to occur through generalization decrement; that is, the organism does not generalize well between the conditional stimulus alone and its combination with the second stimulus.

Front 19

configural theory

Back 19

A theory that assumes that, when organisms receive classical conditioning with a compound conditional stimulus, they associate the entire compound with the unconditional stimulus rather than forming separate associations between each of its elements and the unconditional stimulus.

Front 20

elemental theories

Back 20

A theory that assumes that, when organisms receive conditioning with a compound conditional stimulus, they associate each element of the compound separately with the unconditional stimulus.

Front 21

positive patterning

Back 21

In classical conditioning, a procedure in which two conditional stimuli are presented with the unconditional stimulus when they are presented together, but without the unconditional stimulus when they are presented alone.

Front 22

negative patterning

Back 22

In classical conditioning, a procedure in which two conditional stimuli are paired with the unconditional stimulus when they are presented alone, but occur without the unconditional stimulus when they are combined. It is difficult for an elemental theory to explain why an organism can respond accordingly.