AP psych 2025 unit 3

operant conditioning

learning to associate behavior with its consequences ( reinforcements or punishments )

law of effect

if the consequences of behavior are pleasant(reinforced), the behavior will be strengthened. if the consequences are unpleasant(punished), the behavior will be weakened.

shaping

an operant conditioning procedure in which reinforcers guide behavior closer and closer toward the desired goal. successive approximations of the desired behavior(behavior that is more and more similar to the goal) are reinforced.

reinforcement

anything that makes a behavior more likely to occur

positive reinforcement

addition of something pleasant

negative reinforcement

removal of something unpleasant

primary reinforcement

those innately satisfying rewards, satisfies a biological need

secondary reinforcer

something that one learns is reinforcing because it is associated with a primary reinforcer

punishment

anything that makes behavior less likely to occur

positive punishment

the addition of something unpleasant

negative punishment

the removal of something pleasant

reinforcement discrimination

reinforcing behavior in the presence of one stimulus but not others

reinforcement generalization

a behavior that was reinforced in the presence of one stimulus is demostrated in the presence of other,similar stimuli

superstitious behaviors

occurs when consequences reinforce unrelated behaviors

learned helplessness

animals that have no way to stop a punishment will learn that they cannot dtop the punishment and will stop trying

continuous reinforcement

reinforcing desired behavior every time it occurs

partial reinforcement

reinforcing response only part of the time