Behaviorist & Social-Cognitive Theories

These flashcards cover key terms and concepts related to behaviorist and social-cognitive theories, including important figures, learning processes, and conditioning techniques.

Behaviorism

A theory that focuses on observable behaviors and the environmental factors that influence them, as opposed to inner mental processes.

Classical Conditioning

A learning process that occurs when a neutral stimulus becomes associated with an unconditioned stimulus to elicit a conditioned response.

Operant Conditioning

A process of learning where the consequences of one's behavior influence whether that behavior is repeated.

Unconditioned Stimulus (UCS)

A stimulus that naturally and automatically triggers a response without any prior learning.

Conditioned Response (CR)

A learned response to a previously neutral stimulus that has been conditioned.

John B. Watson

The founder of behaviorism who emphasized the study of observable behavior and conducted the Little Albert experiment.

Counterconditioning

A behavioral technique that replaces an unwanted response to a stimulus with a wanted response.

Systematic Desensitization

A therapeutic technique that uses relaxation combined with gradual exposure to anxiety-inducing stimuli.

Self-Efficacy

Belief in one's ability to succeed in specific situations or accomplish a task.

Reciprocal Determinism

The theory that behavior, personal factors, and environmental influences all interact and influence each other.

Vicarious Reinforcement

Learning that occurs by observing the reinforcement of others' behavior.

Locus of Control

A psychological concept that refers to the extent to which individuals believe they can control events affecting them.

Expectancy (E)

The expectation about the probability that a behavior will result in a specific outcome.

Reinforcement Value (RV)

The value or desirability of the outcome resulting from a behavior.

Bobo Doll Study

An experiment by Bandura demonstrating that children learn aggression through observational learning.

Mediational Processes

Cognitive processes that occur between observing a behavior and performing that behavior, including attention and retention.

Positive Reinforcement

Adding something positive to increase the likelihood of a behavior being repeated.

Negative Punishment

Removing something positive to decrease the likelihood of a behavior being repeated.

Habituation

A decrease in response to a stimulus after repeated presentations.

Sensitization

An increased response to a stimulus after exposure to an intense or noxious event.

Shaping

A technique in operant conditioning where successive approximations of a desired behavior are reinforced.