Learning and Memory Test 1

Conditioned Stimulus

A once‑neutral thing that now triggers a learned response.

Unconditioned Stimulus

Something that naturally causes a reaction (like food).

unconditioned response

The natural reaction to the US (like salivating to food)

conditioned response

The learned reaction to the CS

Conditioned reflex

A learned automatic reaction.

unconditioned reflex

A natural automatic reaction

generalization

Responding the same way to similar stimuli

discrimination

Learning to respond only to one specific stimulus

extinction

When the learned response fades because the CS is no longer paired with the US

spontaneous recovery

The return of a faded CR after a break.

aversion therapy

Pairing something pleasant with something unpleasant to stop the behavior

systematic desensitization

Gradually pairing a feared thing with relaxation to reduce fear

conditioned inhibition

A cue that signals “the US will NOT happen.”

blocking

When an already‑learned CS prevents learning a new CS

configural conditioning

Learning a combination of cues as a single pattern

latent inhibition

When a familiar stimulus is harder to condition because you’ve seen it before without consequences

opponent process learning

Emotional reactions swing in opposite directions (e.g., fear → relief), and the opposite reaction strengthens over time

shaping

Rewarding small steps toward a final behavior

chaining

• Linking small behaviors together to form a sequence.

positive reinforcement

Adding something good to increase behavior

negative reinforcement

Removing something bad to increase behavior

positive punishment

Adding something unpleasant to decrease behavior

negative punishment

Taking away something pleasant to decrease behavior

escape response

Doing something to stop an unpleasant event

avoidance response

Doing something to prevent the unpleasant event from happening

fixed ratio

Reward after a set number of behaviors

variable ratio

Reward after a changing number of behaviors

fixed interval

Reward after a set amount of time

ABC

Antecedent → Behavior → Consequence (the basic behavior sequence).

antecedent intervention

Changing triggers to prevent unwanted behavior

latent learning

Learning that happens without reinforcement and shows up later

discounting the future

Preferring smaller rewards now over bigger rewards later

precommitment

Making a plan to prevent future temptation

premack principle

Using a preferred activity to reinforce a less‑preferred one

equilibrium theory

Behavior is reinforced when it helps restore balance among activities

absolute associations

Responding to the exact stimulus

transpositions

Responding based on relationships (e.g., “choose the bigger one”) rather than the exact stimulus

second order conditioning

When a new neutral stimulus becomes a CS by being paired with an existing CS

Continuous reinforcement

Reward every time

variable interval

Reward after changing time intervals

Response cost intervention

Removing a reward after bad behavior