Ap Psych, Chapter 8 - Learning

Front 1

learning

Back 1

relatively permanent change in an organism's behavior due to experience

-much of what we do, we learn to do from experience

Front 2

associative learning

Back 2

learning that certain events occur together

-seeing lightning and knowing that thunder will follow

Front 3

classical conditioning

Back 3

a type of learning in which an organism comes to associate stimuli

-also called "Pavlovian Conditioning"

Front 4

behaviorism

Back 4

the view that psychology should be an objective science that studies behavior w/o reference to mental processes

-named by John B. Watson

Front 5

unconditioned response (UCR)

Back 5

the unlearned, naturally occurring response to the unconditioned stimuli

-dog's mouth salivates when eating food

Front 6

unconditioned stimulus (UCS)

Back 6

a stimulus that naturally and automatically triggers a response

-the food is the UCS, which makes the dog salivate

Front 7

conditioned response (CR)

Back 7

the learned response to a previously neutral stimulus

-ringing a bell when the dog receives food will eventually make the dog salivate upon just hearing the bell

Front 8

conditioned stimulus

Back 8

the previously neutral stimulus that triggers the conditioned response

-ringing a bell when the dog receives food makes the dog associate food with the bell, thus making the dog salivate upon hearing the bell

Front 9

acquisition

Back 9

the initial stage learning of a stimulus-response relationship

-the first stage in classical conditioning

Front 10

extinction

Back 10

the diminishing of a conditioned response over time

-comes back immediately

Front 11

spontaneous recovery

Back 11

the reappearance of a conditioned response after a rest period

-suggests that extinction was suppressing the CR, not eliminating it

Front 12

generalization

Back 12

the tendency for similar stimuli to generate the same response as the conditioned stimulus

-two different bell tones will still make the dog salivate

Front 13

discrimination

Back 13

the ability to differ between stimuli

-at one pitch, the bell will make the dog salivate; at another, the dog will not.

Front 14

operant conditioning

Back 14

a type of learning in which behavior is strengthened if followed by a reinforcer/weakened if followed by a punisher

-reward/punishment system

Front 15

respondent behavior

Back 15

behavior that happens as an automatic response to some stimulus

-Skinner's term for behavior learned through classical conditioning

Front 16

operant behavior

Back 16

behavior that operates on the environment producing consequences

Front 17

law of effect

Back 17

rewarded behavior is likely to reoccur/punished behavior is less likely to reoccur

-Edward L. Thorndike elaboration w/ B. F. Skinner

Front 18

operant chamber

Back 18

a chamber w/ bar or key that animals try to manipulate to get a treat/reward

-the "Skinner Box"

Front 19

shaping

Back 19

reinforcers guide behavior closer to the goal

-food is an example of a reinforcer

Front 20

reinforcer

Back 20

any even that strengthens the behaviors it follows

-food, reward, etc

Front 21

primary reinforcer

Back 21

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

-food, water, shelter, love

Front 22

conditioned reinforcer

Back 22

stimulus that gained its reinforcing power through its association w/ primary reinforcers

-also known as a secondary reinforcer; money, good grades, a pleasant tone of voice

Front 23

continuous reinforcement

Back 23

reinforcing a desired response every time it happens

-dog sits, treat is given...dog sits again, treat is given again

Front 24

partial reinforcement

Back 24

reinforcing a response only sometimes

-also called intermittent reinforcement

Front 25

fixed-ratio schedule

Back 25

a schedule of reinforcement that reinforces a behavior only after a certain number of times

-one enforcer per 30 responses, etc...

Front 26

variable-ratio schedule

Back 26

a schedule of reinforcement that reinforces a response at random number of repeated behaviors

-random treats/rewards are given for behavior repeated

Front 27

fixed-interval schedule

Back 27

a schedule of reinforcement that reinforces a response only after a specific time has elapsed

Front 28

variable-interval schedule

Back 28

a schedule of reinforcement that reinforces a response at unpredictable time intervals

Front 29

punishment

Back 29

an even that decreases the behavior that it follows

Front 30

cognitive map

Back 30

mental representation of the layout of one's environment

-rats, after exploring a maze, seem to have created a cognitive map of it

Front 31

latent learning

Back 31

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

-dog won't do trick until knowledge of treat in hand

Front 32

overjustification effect

Back 32

the effect of promising a reward for doing what one already likes to do

-person may start to do the thing just for the reward instead of the sake of doing it

Front 33

intrinsic motivation

Back 33

a desire to perform a behavior for its own sake to be effective

Front 34

extrinsic motivation

Back 34

a desire to perform a behavior due to promised rewards/threats of punishment

Front 35

observational learning

Back 35

learning by watching others

-monkey see, monkey do

Front 36

modeling

Back 36

the process of observing and imitating a behavior

-boy watches dad hit mom, boy hits sister

Front 37

mirror neurons

Back 37

frontal lobe neurons that fire when performing certain actions or when observing another doing so

-enables imitation, language learning, and empathy

Front 38

prosocial behavior

Back 38

positive, constructive, helpful behavior

-opposite of anti-social