Unit 5: Behavioral Psychology

classical conditioning

what: form of learning — an automatic response to a stimulus that previously meant nothing because it was associated with a naturally occurring stimulus/response

M: Classical - Can

unconditioned stimulus (UCS)

what: stimulus that triggers an AUTOMATIC natural response

unconditioned response (UCR)

what: automatic unlearned response to the UCS

neutral stimulus (NS)

what: stimulus that causes no automatic response BUT BECOMES the CS after pairing

Conditioned response (CR)

what: the original UCR that now is automatic after the CS

conditioned stimulus (CS)

what: the original NS that now produces a NEW conditioned (learned) response

taste aversion

what: an unwanted (ex. nausea, sickness) conditioned response to a specific food or substance as a result of classical conditioning

• evidence of one-trial learning and biological preparedness

one-trial learning

What: full strength classical conditioning that occurs after one pairing-without the need for future pairings

Example: taste aversion, fear

biological preparedness

what: species are biologically predisposed (genetically more likely) to learn classically conditioned responses which enhance the likely of survival

• taste aversion to avoid dangerous foods

• phobias (fear) to clearly dangerous stimulus (spiders, snakes, etc)

operant conditioning

what: type of learning in which the behavioral consequence of VOLUNTARY behaviors (ex. rewards) modify behavior (if A: response then B: consequence)

M: operant - punish rants

law of effect

what: behaviors with reinforcing consequences are more likely to be repeated while behaviors punishing consequences are not as likely to be repeated

• basis of operant conditioning

• immediately MORE EFFECTIVE than delayed

shaping

what: the process of reinforcing behaviors that are close to the target behavior — called successive approximations — until the behavior is FULLY learned

successive approximations

what: behaviors that are close to the target behavior

instinctive drift

what: occurs when an animal returns to a “naturally innate” behavior after shaping

• only some behaviors last after shaping

reinforcement

what: consequence AFTER a desirable target behavior to increase that behavior

primary reinforcer

what: innately reinforcing consequence (biological necessities) such as food or water

secondary reinforcer

what: a consequence you’ve LEARNED to want such as money praise or tokens

M: $econdary

positive reinforcement

+ Desirable

Give a treat :)

negative reinforcement

- Undesirable

Remove homework :)

punishment

what: consequence AFTER an Undesirable behavior to decrease that behavior

positive punishment

+Undesirable

Give a detention >:(

negative punishment

-Desirable

Remove senior privs >:(

continuous reinforcement

what: when reinforcement is delivered after EVERY correct target behavior

• Fastest to extinction IF reinforcement ends

partial schedules of reinforcement

consists of ratio schedule of reinforcement and interval schedule of reinforcement

ratio-schedule of reinforcement

what: occurs when reinforcement is delivered based on the number of target behaviors done

• produces more total target behavior than interval

fixed-ratio schedule of reinforcement

what: occurs when reinforcement is available as a consequence for the target behavior after a set (fixed) number of behaviors

• slight pauses after reinforcement then continues again

Example: read 10 pages exactly — reinforce with cookie

variable-ratio reinforcement

what: occurs when reinforcement is available as a consequence for the target behavior after a RANDOM number of behaviors

• steady and fastest rate of learning

• MOST resistant to extinction

Example: play slots a random number before winning

interval-schedule of reinforcement

what: occurs when reinforcement is delivered on a time-basis schedule

fixed-interval schedule of reinforcement

what: occurs when reinforcement is available as a consequence for the target behavior after a SET amount of TIME has passed

• behavior increases RIGHT when SET time is up BUT decreases after (scalloped graph)

Example: daily login (24 hours) bonus

variable-interval schedule of reinforcement

what: occurs when reinforcement is available as a consequence for the target behavior after a RANDOM amount of time has passed

• steady BUT slowest response rate

Example: text messages occur after RANDOM passages of time

superstitious behavior

what: occurs when one repeats a behavior because reinforcement was received accidentally or by total luck (“unrelated”)

“wearing green socks because you won last time”

learned helplessness

what: occurs when an organism believes punishment is inescapable BECAUSE they have been previously punished AND stops a behavior although success could be obtained

• dog / electric fence study

social-learning

Proposes: Individuals learn through imitating others who model receiving reinforcement or punishment

vicarious conditioning

what: “experiencing” the consequences of behavior by observing

• basis of social learning

modeling

process of demonstrating a target behavior so others imitate that behavior (LIVE or VIRTUAL models)

• more likely to imitate models in which you share similarities

Bobo Doll Study

what: increased imitation of aggression toward the Bobo punching doll in children who observed adult aggression

latent learning

what: learning that takes place without reinforcement BEFORE the subject realizes it and is not immediately reflected in behavior (ex. never asked about it)

Examples: foreign languages spoken by family, cognitive maps

M: LATEnt learning — “later learning” - Layout/Language

cognitive map

what: example of latent learning — mental representation of the geographic layout (Ex. college campus)

• mice without a reward still experience latent learning in mazes

insight learning

what: occurs when one suddenly learns the solution to a problem WITHOUT any form of learning (classical, operant, or social learning)

“A-Ha! Moment!”

M: inSIGHT - Sight -Light

habituation

what: decreased response to a stimulus after repeated presentations

example: ticking clock, beeping fire alarm, toys

M: “I’ve HAB enough”

behavioral perspective/psychology

what: scientific study of learned OBSERVABLE behaviors

acquisition

what: when a new response has been learned

extinction

what: elimination of a learned response after the pairing or reinforcement has stopped

spontaneous recovery

what: reappearance of the learned response after extinction without further conditioning

stimulus generalization

what: responding with a learned response to a different but similar stimulus

Example: flinching to “pan” (classical), making every bed (operant)

stimulus discrimination

what: responding with the learned response in ONLY the way that was LEARNED

Example: Flinch after ONLY “Can” (classical), making ONLY your bed (operant

higher-order conditioning

what: occurs when the conditioned stimulus (CS) from one situation becomes the unconditioned stimulus (UCS) of another learning scenario