Psychology of Learning: Classical, Operant, Observational, and Cognitive Learning

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering classical conditioning, operant conditioning, social/observational learning, and cognitive learning based on the lecture slides.

Learning

The process through which we acquire new behaviors, knowledge, skills, attitudes, and preferences.

Classical Conditioning

Also known as Pavlovian conditioning; a form of learning proposed by Ivan Pavlov where a neutral stimulus becomes associated with a meaningful stimulus, leading to a response or behavior.

Pavlov's Experiment

An experiment that demonstrated classical conditioning by showing that dogs learn to salivate when hearing a bell because the sound predicts the presentation of food.

Unconditioned Stimulus (UCS)

A stimulus that naturally and automatically causes a specific response without prior conditioning (e.g., dog food in Pavlov's experiment).

Unconditioned Response (UCR)

A natural, unlearned response produced automatically by an unconditioned stimulus (e.g., salivation by a dog in response to food).

Neutral Stimulus (NS)

A non-associated stimulus that initially produces no specific response prior to conditioning (e.g., the sound of a bell before conditioning).

Conditioning

The learning process of repeatedly pairing a neutral stimulus with an unconditioned stimulus (e.g., repeatedly pairing the sound of a bell with the presentation of food).

Conditioned Stimulus (CS)

A previously neutral stimulus that, after association with an unconditioned stimulus, triggers a learned response (e.g., the sound of the bell triggering salivation).

Conditioned Response (CR)

The learned response to a previously neutral, now conditioned stimulus (e.g., a dog salivating to the sound of a bell).

Operant Conditioning

A learning theory proposed by B.F. Skinner stating that learning occurs through consequences; behaviors increase with reinforcement/rewards and decrease with punishment.

Skinner Box

An experimental chamber used by B.F. Skinner where rats learn to press a lever to receive a food pellet, demonstrating how consequences shape behavior.

Positive Reinforcement

The addition of something pleasant following a behavior to increase the likelihood of that behavior occurring again (e.g., receiving a food pellet after pressing a lever).

Negative Reinforcement

The removal of something unpleasant following a behavior to increase the likelihood of that behavior occurring again (e.g., turning off an extremely bright light).

Positive Punishment

The addition of something unpleasant following a behavior to decrease the likelihood of that behavior occurring again (e.g., receiving a mild electrical shock after pressing a lever).

Negative Punishment

The removal of something pleasant following a behavior to decrease the likelihood of that behavior occurring again (e.g., taking away someone's driver's license).

Social/Observational Learning

A theory proposed by Albert Bandura asserting that learning occurs by observing others, enabling individuals to learn new behaviors without direct personal experience.

Bobo Doll Experiment

Bandura's experiment where children observed adults acting aggressively or non-aggressively toward an inflatable doll; children exposed to aggression imitated those actions, with boys showing more physical aggression and girls showing more verbal aggression.

Cognitive Learning

Learning that involves internal mental processes, specifically understanding, reasoning, and memory.

Latent Learning

A form of cognitive learning that is not immediately expressed or demonstrated in behavior until there is motivation to do so.

Insight Learning

The sudden realization of a solution to a problem, often described as an 'aha! moment' or a light bulb turning on.

Cognitive Maps

Mental representations of physical spaces that aid in navigation and spatial orientation (e.g., navigating through a corn maze).

Cognition

The mental processes involved in acquiring knowledge, which includes perceiving, recognizing, conceiving, and reasoning.

Metacognition

The process of thinking about one's own thinking, such as reflecting on learning processes to improve understanding.

Information Processing

The brain's process of receiving, storing, and retrieving information, similar to how a computer processes data.

Active Learning

The process of actively engaging with information and constructing our own understanding rather than passively receiving it.

Prior Knowledge

The process of building upon existing knowledge and experiences when acquiring new information.