Unit 3: Part 3: Conditioning and Learning

acquisition

the initial stage, when one links a neutral stimulus and an unconditioned response

association

connecting different events that occur in sequence

associative learning

learning that certain events occur together

behavioral perspective

focus on observable behaavior

biological preparedness

the idea that people and animals are inherently inclined to form associations between certain stimuli

classical conditioning

a type of learning in which one learns to link two or more stimuli and anticipate events

conditioned response (CR)

a learned response to a previously neutral stimulus

conditioned stimulus (CS)

an originally irrelevant stimulus that, after association with a US, triggers a CR

counterconditioning

a technique where an undesirable response to a stimulus is re-conditioned away

extinction

the weakening and disappearance of a conditioned stimulus

habituation

when a person becomes less responsive to a repeated stimulus over time

higher-order conditioning

when a conditioned stimulus is paired with a new stimulus, creating a second conditioned response

neutral stimulus (NS)

a stimulus that initially doesn’t trigger a particular response

one-trial conditioning

learning that occurs after just one instance of pairing a stimulus with a response

one-trial learning

learning something after just one exposure

spontaneous recovery

when a previously extinguished response reappears suddenly

stimulus discrimination

differentiating between different stimuli

stimulus generalization

after a response has been conditioned, a similar stimulus can trigger the same response

taste aversion

avoiding a certain taste if something bad happens or you don’t like it

unconditioned response (UR)

an unlearned, naturally occuring response to an unconditioned stimulus

unconditioned stimulus (US)

a stimulus that naturally triggers a response

operant conditioning

learning a behavior by associating it with a response/punishment

law of effect

behaviors followed by favorable consequences will reinforce the behavior, opposite is true to behaviors followed by negative responses

operant chamber

the box Skinner used to condition rats to press a leaver for food

reinforcement

an event that strengthens the behavior it follows

shaping

when reinforcers guide behavior toward closer and closer behaviors to the desired one

discriminative stimulus

elicits a response without reinforcement

positive reinforcement

any stimulus that strengthens the response when given after the behavior

negative reinforcement

when a negative thing is removed strengthening the behavior

primary reinforcers

an innately reinforcing stimulus that satisfies a biological need

conditioned reinforcers

gains reinforcing power through its association with a primary reinforcer

reinforcement schedule

a pattern fro how often a behavior is reinforced

continuous reinforcement

reinforcement every time a behavior is presented

partial reinforcement

reinforcement after every few times, not every time

fixed ratio schedule

every so many (doesn’t change)

variable-ratio schedule

after an unpredictable number (random)

fixed-interval schedule

every so often (doesn’t change)

variable-interval schedule

unpredictably often (random)

punishment

an event that tends to decrease the behavior that it follows

positive punishment

administer an aversive stimulus

negative punishment

withdraw a rewarding stimulus

instinctive drift

the tendency of learned behavior to gradually revert to biologically predisposed patterns

cognitive map

a mental representation of the layout of one’s environement

latent learning

learning that occurs but is not apparent until there is an incentive to demonstrate it (rate knowing path of a maze, not running until food)

insight

a sudden realization of a problem’s solution

intrinsic motivation

a desire to perform a behavior effectively for its own sake

extrinsic motivation

a desire to perform a behavior to receive promised rewards pr avoid threatened punishment (outside motivation)

coping

alleviating stress using emotional, cognitive, o r behavioral methods

problem-focused coping

attempting to alleviate stress directly-by changing the stressor or the way we interact with that stressor

emotion-focused coping

attempting to alleviate stress by avoiding or ignoring a stressor and attending to emotional needs related to one’s stress

learned helplessness

the hopelessness someone learns when unable to avoid a negative thing

external locus of control

the perception that chance or outside forces beyond our personal control determine our fate

internal locus of control

the perception that you control your own fate

self-control

the ability to control impulses and delay short-term gratification for greater, long-term rewards