Psych Exam #2 re-do

Zeitgeber or “Time Giver”

An external cue that influences the biological timing mechanisms, such as light and temperature.

Operant Conditioning

A learning process through which the strength of a behavior is modified by reinforcement or punishment.

Scalar Timing Theory

A theory suggesting that animals use internal 'ticks' to measure short intervals of time.

Associative Learning

Learning that involves the association between two separate stimuli, used in classical conditioning.

Fixed Action Patterns

Instinctive behavioral sequences that are triggered by specific stimuli.

Self Awareness

The recognition of oneself as an individual distinct from the environment and other individuals.

Theory of Mind

The ability to attribute mental states, such as beliefs and desires, to oneself and others.

Mark Test

A test used to determine self-awareness, where an individual recognizes a mark placed on its body in a mirror.

Cardinality

The understanding that the last number in a counting sequence represents the total number of objects.

Contingency

The relationship between a behavior and its consequences, crucial for effective learning in conditioning.

Insight Learning

A type of learning that occurs when a solution to a problem suddenly becomes apparent.

More or Less Judgment

The ability to evaluate quantities in terms of relative numbers, such as determining which is more or less.

Lekking

A mating behavior in which males display to attract females, often in communal areas.

Transitive Inference

The ability to deduce new relationships from previously learned relationships.

Classical Conditioning

A learning process that pairs a neutral stimulus with an unconditioned stimulus to create a conditioned response.

Food Caching

The behavior of hiding food for later use, often observed in some bird species.

Pigeon’s Relative Judgment

The ability of pigeons to make judgments about quantities based on relative size.

Superstitious Behavior

Actions that are wrongly believed to influence outcomes due to accidental reinforcement.

Deception in Animal Behavior

The use of misleading signals or actions to influence the behavior of other animals.

Social Complexity Hypothesis

Proposes that social living and complex social interactions drive the evolution of cognitive abilities.

Cognitive Processes in Social Cognition

Mental activities related to learning and interacting with other individuals of the same species.

Cognitive Flexibility

The mental ability to switch between thinking about different concepts or to think about multiple concepts simultaneously.

Chorusing

A coordinated vocal behavior often used by social animals for communication.

Play Behavior

A form of play that is common in various animal species and often relates to development and survival skills.

Latency of Approach

The time taken for an animal to react and approach a stimulus after it has been presented.

Biebach’s Garden Warbler Study

Research examining the time intervals and migratory behavior of the garden warbler.

Psychic Secretions

A term used by Pavlov to describe the conditioned responses in dogs that occur before the unconditioned stimulus is presented.

Grelag Goose Releasing Stimulus

A stimulus that triggers a fixed action pattern in greylag geese.

Operant Conditioning Core Terms

Positive and Negative reinforcement and punishment

Contiguity

the sequential occurrence or proximity of stimulus and response, causing their association in the mind

Mirror Recognition Aspects

Social responses, physical inspection, repetitive testing behavior, contingency testing, self directed behavior