Essentials Of Psychology: Concepts And Applications Chapter 5

Front 1

Learning

Back 1

a relatively permanent change in behavior acquired through experience

Front 2

Unconditioned Stimulus (US)

Back 2

a stimulus that elicits a reflexive (unlearned) behavior

Front 3

Unconditioned Response (UR)

Back 3

an reflexive (unlearned) response to a stimulus

Front 4

Neutral Stimulus (NS)

Back 4

a stimulus that before conditioning does not produce a particular response

Front 5

Conditioned Response (CR)

Back 5

an acquired or learned response to a conditioned stimulus

Front 6

Conditioned Stimulus (CS)

Back 6

elicits a conditioned response only after it has been paired with an unconditioned stimulus

Front 7

Extinction

Back 7

gradual weakening and eventual disappearance of a conditioned response when CS is repeatedly presented without US

Front 8

Spontaneous Recovery

Back 8

recovered conditioned response when a conditioned stimulus is presented later after extinction

Front 9

Reconditioning

Back 9

relearning a conditioned response after extinction

Front 10

Stimulus Generalization

Back 10

the tendency of stimuli similar to a conditioned stimulus to elicit a conditioned response; the greater the difference from the original CS the weaker the CR is

Front 11

Stimulus Discrimination

Back 11

the ability to differentiate between related stimuli

Front 12

Stimulus Characteristics that Strengthen Conditioned Responses

Back 12

how often (frequency) CS and US are paired; CS presented first and maintained during US; intensity of the US

Front 13

Conditioned Emotional Reaction (CER)

Back 13

fear response produced by pairing CS with US (classical conditioning)

Front 14

Phobias

Back 14

excessive fears

Front 15

Behavior Therapy

Back 15

a form of therapy that involves the systematic application of the principles of learning

Front 16

Conditioned Taste Aversion

Back 16

disliking a formerly liked or neutral taste through classical conditioning

Front 17

Immune System

Back 17

the body's system of defence against disease

Front 18

Law of Effect

Back 18

responses that have a satisfying effect are more likely to recur (reinforcement); conversely responses that have an unpleasant effect are less likely to recur (punishment) (Thorndike 1874-1947)

Front 19

Operant Conditioning

Back 19

process of learning in which the consequences of a response determine the probability that the response will be repeated; also called instrumental learning

Front 20

Radical Behaviourism

Back 20

behavior in animals and humans is completely determined by environmental and genetic influences

Front 21

Skinner Box

Back 21

experimental apparatus for studying relationships between reinforcement and behaviour

Front 22

Reinforcer

Back 22

a stimulus or event that increases the likelihood that the behaviour it follows will be repeated

Front 23

Superstitious Behavior

Back 23

behaviour acquired through coincidental association of a response and a reinforcement

Front 24

Negative Reinforcement

Back 24

a response strengthened by the removal of an aversive stimulus (e.g. learning to take a Tylenol because of its effect of lessening a headache)

Front 25

Primary Reinforcers

Back 25

satisfiers of basic biological needs or drives (e.g. food, sex)

Front 26

Secondary Reinforcers

Back 26

things that become associated with primary reinforcers through learning (e.g. money, good grades, smiles, praise)

Front 27

Discriminative Stimulus

Back 27

cue (at a particular time) that signals reinforcement is available if a particular response is made

Front 28

Shaping

Back 28

series of reinforcements at closer and closer steps (successive approximation) to a desired response

Front 29

Extinction (Operant Conditioning Version)

Back 29

responses weakened/eliminated by repeated unreinforced response

Front 30

Schedule of Continuous Reinforcement

Back 30

reinforcement follows every instance of operant response

Front 31

Schedule of Partial Reinforcement

Back 31

only some of operant responses are reinforced

Front 32

Fixed-Ratio (FR) Schedule

Back 32

reinforcement is given only after a certain number of responses; response rate is high, constant (e.g. factory workers paid by the piece)

Front 33

Variable-Ratio (VR) Schedule

Back 33

reinforcement is given after a variable number of responses; high steady rate of response; more resistant to extinction (e.g. slot machine)

Front 34

Fixed-Interval (FI) Schedule

Back 34

reinforcement only given after fixed amount of time has elapsed; produces called response pattern (e.g. regular performance review improves performance just before review

Front 35

Variable-Interval (VI) Schedule

Back 35

reinforcement given after variable amount of time (within range); produces slow but steady response

Front 36

Escape Learning

Back 36

organism gradually understands how to stop aversive stimulus by performing operant response

Front 37

Avoidance Learning

Back 37

organism learns to avoid aversive response by performing operant response (e.g. sunscreen when out in bright sunlight)

Front 38

Punishment

Back 38

the introduction of an aversive stimulus (positive, e.g. spanking) or removal of a reinforcing stimulus (negative, e.g. turning off TV after bad behavior) after a response occurs, leading to weakening/suppression of that response

Front 39

Behaviour Modification (B-Mod)

Back 39

the systematic application of learning principles to strengthen adaptive behavior and weaken maladaptive behaviour

Front 40

Programmed Instruction

Back 40

learning of complex material broken down into series of small steps

Front 41

Computer Assisted Instruction

Back 41

computer guides student through increasingly challenging questions

Front 42

Contingency

Back 42

connection between desired behaviour and reinforcement

Front 43

Cognitive Learning

Back 43

involves processes that cannot be directly observed (thinking, information processing, problem solving, mental imaging)

Front 44

Insight Learning

Back 44

the process of mentally working through a problem until the sudden realization of a solution occurs

Front 45

Latent Learning

Back 45

learned behaviour that is revealed only when it is reinforced

Front 46

Cognitive Map

Back 46

mental representation of an area that helps an organism navigate its way from one point to another

Front 47

Observational Learning

Back 47

acquiring new behaviours by imitating behaviours we see in others (also called vicarious learning or modelling)