Copy of Unit 3.2 Vocabulary - Learning

Learning

Process of acquiring through experience new and relatively enduring information or behaviors.

Associative Learning

Learning that certain events occur together, may involve two stimuli or a response and its consequences.

Stimulus

An event or situation that evokes a response.

Respondent Behavior

Behavior that occurs as an automatic response to some stimulus.

Operant Behavior

Behavior that operates on the environment, producing consequences.

Cognitive Learning

The acquisition of mental information, by observing events, watching others, or through language.

Classical Conditioning

A type of learning in which we link two or more stimuli, illustrated by Pavlov's experiment.

Behaviorism

The view that psychology should be an objective science studying behavior without reference to mental processes.

Neutral Stimulus (NS)

A stimulus that elicits no response before conditioning.

Unconditioned Response (UR)

An unlearned, naturally occurring response to an unconditioned stimulus.

Unconditioned Stimulus (US)

A stimulus that unconditionally triggers an unconditioned response.

Conditioned Response (CR)

A learned response to a previously neutral (but now conditioned) stimulus.

Conditioned Stimulus (CS)

An originally neutral stimulus that comes to trigger a conditioned response after association with an unconditioned stimulus.

Acquisition

The initial stage in classical conditioning where a neutral stimulus links with an unconditioned stimulus.

Higher-Order Conditioning

A procedure where the conditioned stimulus in one experience is paired with a new neutral stimulus.

Extinction

The diminishing of a conditioned response when an unconditioned stimulus does not follow a conditioned stimulus.

Spontaneous Recovery

The reappearance, after a pause, of an extinguished conditioned response.

Generalization

The tendency for similar stimuli to elicit similar responses once a response has been conditioned.

Discrimination

The learned ability to distinguish between a conditioned stimulus and similar stimuli that do not signal an unconditioned stimulus.

Preparedness

A biological predisposition to learn associations that have survival value.

Operant Conditioning

A type of learning where a behavior is strengthened by reinforcers or diminished by punishers.

Law of Effect

Thorndike's principle that favorable consequences increase behavior likelihood, while unfavorable consequences decrease it.

Operant Chamber

A chamber containing a bar or key for animals to manipulate, used in operant conditioning research.

Reinforcement

Any event that strengthens the behavior it follows in operant conditioning.

Shaping

An operant conditioning procedure guiding behavior toward closer approximations of the desired behavior.

Positive Reinforcement

Increasing behaviors by presenting positive reinforcers.

Negative Reinforcement

Increasing behaviors by stopping or reducing aversive stimuli.

Discriminative Stimulus

A stimulus that elicits a response after association with reinforcement.

Primary Reinforcer

An innately reinforcing stimulus that satisfies a biological need.

Conditioned (Secondary) Reinforcer

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

Reinforcement Schedule

A pattern defining how often a desired response will be reinforced.

Continuous Reinforcement Schedule

Reinforcing the desired response every time it occurs.

Partial (Intermittent) Reinforcement Schedule

Reinforcing a response only part of the time.

Fixed-Ratio Schedule

A reinforcement schedule that reinforces a response only after a specified number of responses.

Variable-Ratio Schedule

A reinforcement schedule that reinforces a response after an unpredictable number of responses.

Fixed-Interval Schedule

A reinforcement schedule that reinforces a response only after a specified time has elapsed.

Variable-Interval Schedule

A reinforcement schedule that reinforces a response at unpredictable time intervals.

Punishment

An event that tends to decrease the behavior that it follows.

Cognitive Map

A mental representation of the layout of one's environment.

Latent Learning

Learning that occurs but is not apparent until there is an incentive to demonstrate it.

Insight

A sudden realization of a problem's solution; contrasts with strategy-based solutions.

Observational Learning

Learning by observing others; also called social learning.

Modeling

The process of observing and imitating a specific behavior.

Mirror Neurons

Neurons that fire when we perform certain actions or observe another doing so.

Prosocial Behaviors

Positive, constructive, helpful behavior that benefits others.

Antisocial Behaviors

Negative, destructive, harmful behavior that is detrimental to others.