Chapter 5 Intro To Pysch

learning

A systematic, relatively permanent change in behavior that occurs through experience.

associative learning

Learning that occurs when an organism makes a connection, or an association, between two events.

observational learning

Learning that occurs through observing and imitating another’s behavior.

Behavioral

A theory of learning that focuses solely on observable behaviors, discounting the importance of such mental activity as thinking, wishing, and hoping.

classical conditioning

Learning process in which a neutral stimulus becomes associated with an innately meaningful stimulus and acquires the capacity to elicit a similar response.

unconditioned stimulus (US)

A stimulus that produces a response without prior learning.

unconditioned response (UR)

An unlearned reaction that is automatically elicited by the unconditioned stimulus.

neutral stimulus (NS)

A stimulus that does not naturally trigger a response before conditioning. After being paired with an unconditioned stimulus, it can become a conditioned stimulus.

conditioned stimulus (CS)

A previously neutral stimulus that eventually elicits a conditioned response after being paired with the unconditioned stimulus.

conditioned response (CR)

The learned response to the conditioned stimulus that occurs after a conditioned stimulus–unconditioned stimulus pairing.

operant conditioning

A form of associative learning in which the consequences of a behavior change the probability of the behavior’s occurrence.

reinforcement

The process by which a stimulus or an event (a reinforcer) following a particular behavior increases the probability that the behavior will happen again.

positive reinforcement

The presentation of a stimulus following a given behavior in order to increase the frequency of that behavior.

negative reinforcement

The removal of a stimulus following a given behavior in order to increase the frequency of that behavior.

punishment

A consequence that decreases the likelihood that a behavior will occur.

positive punishment

The presentation of a stimulus following a given behavior in order to decrease the frequency of that behavior.

negative punishment

The removal of a stimulus following a given behavior in order to decrease the frequency of that behavior.

shaping

Rewarding successive approximations of a desired behavior.