AP Psych - 3.7-3.9 (conditioning, behavioral)

behavioral perspective

A psychological approach that focuses on observable behaviors and the role of learning in shaping behavior.

classical conditioning

A type of learning in which an organism comes to associate two stimuli, leading to a learned response.

association

The process of linking two stimuli or events together in the mind.

acquisition

The initial stage in classical conditioning where the association between a neutral stimulus and an unconditioned stimulus is learned.

associate learning

Learning that occurs when a connection is made between two events or stimuli.

unconditioned stimulus

A stimulus that naturally triggers a response without prior conditioning.

unconditioned response

The natural, unlearned reaction to an unconditioned stimulus.

conditioned response

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

conditioned stimulus

A previously neutral stimulus that, after association with an unconditioned stimulus, triggers a conditioned response.

extinction

The gradual weakening and disappearance of a conditioned response when the conditioned stimulus is no longer paired with the unconditioned stimulus.

spontaneous recovery

The reappearance of an extinguished conditioned response after a period of rest.

stimulus discrimination

The learned ability to differentiate between similar stimuli and respond only to the conditioned stimulus.

stimulus generalization

The tendency for a conditioned response to be triggered by stimuli similar to the conditioned stimulus.

higher order conditioning

A process in which a conditioned stimulus is paired with a new neutral stimulus, creating a second conditioned stimulus.

counterconditioning

A therapeutic technique in which a conditioned response is replaced with a new response to a conditioned stimulus.

taste aversion

A type of classical conditioning in which an individual develops a dislike or aversion to a food that caused illness.

one-trial conditioning

Learning that occurs with just a single pairing of the stimulus and response.

biological preparedness

The innate tendency of animals to learn certain associations, such as taste and illness, more easily than others.

habituation

The decreasing response to a stimulus after repeated exposure.

operant conditioning

A type of learning in which behavior is strengthened if followed by reinforcement or diminished if followed by punishment.

reinforcement

Any consequence that strengthens or increases the frequency of a behavior.

punishment

Any consequence that weakens or decreases the frequency of a behavior.

law of effect

Thorndike’s principle that behaviors followed by favorable consequences are more likely to occur, while those followed by unfavorable consequences are less likely to occur.

positive reinforcement

Adding a pleasant stimulus to increase the likelihood of a behavior.

negative reinforcement

Removing an unpleasant stimulus to increase the likelihood of a behavior.

primary reinforcers

Stimuli that satisfy basic biological needs and are inherently reinforcing, such as food or water.

secondary reinforcers

Stimuli that acquire reinforcing qualities through association with primary reinforcers, like money or praise.

reinforcement discrimination

The ability to distinguish between reinforced and non-reinforced behaviors.

reinforcement generalization

The tendency to respond in similar ways to stimuli that are similar to a previously reinforced stimulus.

shaping

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

instinctive drift

The tendency of animals to revert to instinctual behaviors after learning new behaviors.

superstitious behavior

A behavior that is repeated because it is mistakenly associated with reinforcement.

learned helplessness

The phenomenon where exposure to uncontrollable events leads to passive behavior and a lack of motivation.

reinforcement schedules

Patterns that define how often a response is reinforced, affecting the rate and strength of behavior.

continuous reinforcement

A reinforcement schedule in which every instance of the desired behavior is reinforced.

partial reinforcement

A reinforcement schedule in which only some responses are reinforced, making the behavior more resistant to extinction.

fixed interval

A reinforcement schedule that rewards the first response after a fixed period.

variable interval

A reinforcement schedule that rewards the first response after varying, unpredictable time intervals.

fixed ratio

A reinforcement schedule that provides reinforcement after a fixed number of responses.

variable ratio

A reinforcement schedule that provides reinforcement after an unpredictable number of responses.

social learning theory

A theory that proposes learning occurs through observation and imitation of others.

vicarious conditioning

Learning that occurs by observing the reinforcement or punishment of another person’s behavior.

modeling

The process of learning behaviors by observing and imitating others.

insight learning

A sudden realization of a problem's solution without trial-and-error behavior.

latent learning

Learning that occurs without reinforcement and is not immediately demonstrated in behavior.

cognitive maps

Mental representations of physical spaces, which help an organism navigate the environment.