Classical and Operant Conditioning Vocabulary

A comprehensive set of vocabulary flashcards covering key terms in classical and operant conditioning.

Classical Conditioning

A learning process in which an unconditioned stimulus becomes associated with a neutral stimulus, resulting in a conditioned response.

Acquisition

The initial stage of learning, where a neutral stimulus comes to trigger a conditioned response.

Unconditioned Stimulus (US)

A stimulus that naturally triggers a response without any conditioning.

Unconditioned Response (UR)

An unlearned, naturally occurring response to an unconditioned stimulus.

Conditioned Response (CR)

A learned response to a previously neutral stimulus that has been paired with an unconditioned stimulus.

Conditioned Stimulus (CS)

A previously neutral stimulus that, after association with an unconditioned stimulus, comes to trigger a conditioned response.

Extinction

The diminishing of a conditioned response when the unconditioned stimulus no longer follows the conditioned stimulus.

Spontaneous Recovery

The reappearance of a conditioned response after a rest period following extinction.

Discrimination (CC)

The ability to distinguish between a conditioned stimulus and other similar stimuli.

Generalization

The tendency to respond to stimuli that are similar to the conditioned stimulus.

Higher-Order Conditioning

A procedure in which a neutral stimulus becomes a conditioned stimulus through association with an already established conditioned stimulus.

Counterconditioning

A behavioral therapy technique that replaces an undesirable response to a stimulus with a desirable one by associating the stimulus with a positive; competing response.

Taste Aversion (Conditioned)

A learned aversion to a specific taste that results from it being associated with negative reaction, such as sickness.

Preparedness (Biological)

A biological predisposition to learn associations that enhance survival.

Habituation

A decrease in the response to a stimulus after repeated presentations.

Operant Conditioning

A learning process in which behavior is shaped and maintained by consequences (reinforcements or punishments).

Reinforcement

Any event that strengthens or increases the likelihood of a behavior.

Punishment

An event that decreases the behavior it follows.

Law of Effect

The principle that behaviors followed by favorable consequences become more likely, while behaviors followed by unfavorable consequences become less likely.

Primary Reinforcer

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

Shaping

An operant conditioning procedure in which successive approximations of a desired behavior are reinforced.

Instinctive Drift

The tendency of learned behaviors to revert to biologically predisposed patterns.

Learned Helplessness

The condition in which an individual learns to feel helpless or unable to change a situation after experiencing repeated failures.

Continuous Reinforcement

A schedule of reinforcement in which every occurrence of the desired behavior is reinforced.

Partial Reinforcement

A schedule of reinforcement in which only some responses are reinforced.

Social Learning Theory

The theory that social behaviors are learned through observation and imitation.

Vicarious Conditioning

Learning that occurs by observing the consequences of others' actions.

Modeling

The process of learning behaviors by observing and imitating others.

Insight Learning

A type of problem solving that occurs suddenly through understanding the relationships between various parts of a problem.

Latent Learning

Learning that occurs without apparent reinforcement and is not immediately reflected in behavior.