Learning - Psychology 101

What is learning?

Learning is the process by which behavior is modified through experience.

What perspective defines learning by observable behavior?

The behaviorist perspective.

What is behaviorism?

An approach to psychology that emphasizes measurable behaviors over internal processes.

What is conditioning?

The process by which we learn associations between stimuli we experience.

What is a stimulus?

Any phenomenon or event recognized in the environment.

What is extinction in learning?

The weakening or "un-learning" of a previously learned association when reinforcement stops.

What is classical conditioning?

A form of learning in which a natural response to one stimulus is transferred to another through repeated association.

In classical conditioning

what is an unconditioned stimulus (US)?, A stimulus that naturally produces a response without learning.

What is an unconditioned response (UR)?

The natural, automatic response to an unconditioned stimulus.

What is a neutral stimulus (NS)?

A stimulus that produces no response before conditioning.

What is a conditioned stimulus (CS)?

A previously neutral stimulus that now elicits a response after being paired with an unconditioned stimulus.

What is a conditioned response (CR)?

The learned response to a previously neutral stimulus.

Who discovered classical conditioning?

Ivan Pavlov.

What did Pavlov observe in his dogs?

They began to salivate in response to sounds or sights associated with feeding before receiving food.

What is evaluative conditioning?

When emotional or value-based responses are conditioned, such as liking or disliking something based on past experiences.

Give an example of evaluative conditioning.

Feeling disgust toward a food that once made you sick, or feeling comfort from a dessert your grandmother used to make.

What are the steps of classical conditioning?

Identify the unconditioned response, pair a neutral stimulus with the unconditioned stimulus repeatedly, then remove the unconditioned stimulus to see if the neutral one now produces the response.

What was the "Little Albert" experiment?

A study where a child was conditioned to fear a white rat by pairing it with a loud noise.

What did the Little Albert experiment demonstrate?

That phobias can develop through classical conditioning.

What is generalization in conditioning?

When a conditioned response spreads to similar stimuli.

What is discrimination in conditioning?

When a conditioned response occurs only to a specific stimulus, not to similar ones.

What is operant conditioning?

A type of learning in which behavior is influenced by the consequences that follow it.

How does operant conditioning differ from classical conditioning?

Classical focuses on stimuli before behavior, while operant focuses on consequences after behavior.

What is reinforcement?

A consequence that makes a behavior more likely to occur again.

What is positive reinforcement?

Adding a pleasant stimulus to increase a behavior.

What is negative reinforcement?

Removing an unpleasant stimulus to increase a behavior.

Give examples of negative reinforcement.

Taking a painkiller to remove pain, washing a dog to remove odor, or going to therapy to relieve emotional distress.

What is primary reinforcement?

Reinforcement that satisfies basic biological needs like food, warmth, or social contact.

What is secondary reinforcement?

Reinforcement that gains value through association with primary needs, like money or praise.

How can secondary reinforcement develop?

Through classical conditioning or shared social experience.

What are reinforcement schedules?

The patterns that determine when reinforcement is given.

What are the two main types of reinforcement schedules?

Fixed (predictable) and variable (random).

What is the difference between ratio and interval schedules?

Ratio is based on number of behaviors; interval is based on time passed since the last reinforcement.

What type of schedule produces faster initial learning?

Fixed schedules.

Which schedule makes behaviors more resistant to extinction?

Variable schedules.

Which schedule produces higher response rates?

Ratio-based schedules.

Which schedule produces slower response rates?

Interval-based schedules.

What is punishment?

A consequence that makes a behavior less likely to occur again.

What is positive punishment?

Adding an unpleasant stimulus to reduce a behavior.

What is negative punishment?

Removing a pleasant stimulus to reduce a behavior.

Give an example of positive punishment.

Getting a speeding ticket or being yelled at for breaking a rule.

Give an example of negative punishment.

Losing access to your phone after breaking curfew.

How does reinforcement differ from punishment?

Reinforcement increases behavior, while punishment decreases it.

What are the limitations of conditioning?

It's effective for simple behaviors but not for explaining complex or self-directed behaviors like planning and strategy.

What do we need to explain complex learning beyond conditioning?

Internal representations such as knowledge, memory, and mental strategies.