AP Psychology Unit 3B Test Review

learning

the process of acquiring through evidence new and relatively enduring information and behaviors

habituation

decreasing responsiveness with repeated stimulation

associative learning

learning that certain events occur together. Events can be two stimuli or a response and the consequences

stimulus

any event or situation that envokes a response

respondent behavior

behavior that occurs as an automatic response to a stimulus.

operant behavior

behavior that happens in an environment, which produces a consequence

cognitive learning

the acquisition of mental information by observing others in some way

classical conditioning

a type of learning in which we link two or more stimuli together

behaviorism

the view that psychology studies behavior without reference to mental processes.

neutral stimulus

a stimulus that has no conditioned response prior to learning

unconditioned response (UCR)

a response resulting from an unconditioned stimulus prior to learning (instinctual response)

Unconditioned stimulus

a stimulus that automatically provokes a reflexive response (instinctual stimulus)

Conditioned Stimulus

an originally neutral stimulus that gains power to cause the response

conditioned response

a response to a previously neutral stimulus that has now become associated with the unconditioned stimulus

acquisition

the process of pairing the NS with the UCS

higher-order conditioning

a conditioned stimulus becomes associated with a new unconditioned stimulus.

extinction

the diminishing of a learned response, when an unconditioned stimulus doesn’t follow a conditioned stimulus

spontaneous recovery

the response after a rest period of an extinguished conditioned response

generalization

the tendency for stimuli similar to the CS to elicit similar responses given the response has been conditioned

discrimination

the ability to distinguish between two similar stimuli

preparedness

a biological predisposition to learn associations that have survival value

operant conditioning

a type of learning in which behavior will occur more with a reward/reinforcer but will occur less with a punishment

law of effect

Thorndike’s principle that behavior followed by favorable acts will occur more as opposed to behavior followed by punishments

operant chamber

a chamber containing a bar or key that an animal can manipulate to get a food or water reinforcer; attached devices record animal’s pressing or key pecking

reinforcement

any event that strengthens the behavior it follows

shaping

a procedure in which researchers guide behavior closer and closer approximating the desired behavior

discriminative stimulus

a stimulus that has a response after being associated with a reinforcement

positive reinforcement

add a desirable stimulus

ex: pet a dog that comes when you call it

negative reinforcement

remove an aversive stimulus like sickness or pain

primary reinforcer

an instinctual reinforcing stimulus; usually to satisfy a biological need

conditioned reinforcer

a stimulus that gains its reinforcing power through its association with a primary reinforcer

reinforcement schedule

a pattern that defines how often a desired response will be reinforced

continuous reinforcement schedule

reinforcing the desired response every time it occurs

partial reinforcement schedule

reinforcing a response only a part of the time; results in slower acquisition but greater resistance to extinction

fixed-ratio schedules

a reinforcement schedule that reinforces a response only after a specific # of responses

variable-ratio schedule

a reinforcement schedule that reinforces a response after an unpredictable # of responses

fixed-interval schedule

a reinforcement schedule that reinforces a response only after a specific time has passed

variable-interval schedule

a reinforcement schedule that reinforces a response at unpredictable time intervals

punishment

an event that tends to decrease the behavior it follows

instinctive drift

the tendency of learned behavior to gradually revert to instinctual patterns

cognitive map

a mental representation of one’s environment layout

latent learning

learning that occurs but won’t show unless the person wants to demonstrate it

insight learning

solving problems through hidden sights

observational learning

learning by observing others

modeling

the process of learning and imitating a behavior

mirror neurons

neurons that fire when we perform an action when we observe someone else doing the same action

prosocial behavior

positive, constructive, helpful behavior

antisocial behavior

negative, destructive, harmful behavior