AP Psychology Unit 4 - Learning

Modules 26-30

learning

process of acquiring, through experience, new and relatively enduring information of behaviors

classical conditioning

expect and prepare for events (behavior second)

operant conditioning

repeats actions that are rewarded, avoid actions that bring unwanted consequences

observational learning

observing events and people, mimicking what you see

cognitive learning

learn things through language, spoken or read

extinction

forgotten what was conditioned

spontaneous recovery

suddenly recovers conditioning

stimulus discrimination

not all stimulants are equal just because they are similar, only conditioned one triggers reaction

stimulus generalization

all types of stimulus trigger response

thorndike’s law of effect

behavior is based on its consequence

operant chamber / skinner box

reinforcement strengthens behavior (only practiced on animals), B F Skinner

shaping

guiding behavior towards target

positive reinforcement

added positive stimulus provided after response, strengthens response

negative reinforcement

subtraction or removal of bad stimulus to encourage/strengthen positive behavior

positive punishment

addition of bad stimulus to weaken undesirable behavior

negative punishment

subtraction or removal of good stimulus in order to discourage undesirable behavior

continuous reinforcement

every time behavior happens, it is rewarded

• learn quickly

• rapid extinction when stopped

partial/intermittent reinforcement

• slower learning

• greater resistance to extinction

fixed ratio

patter of behavior is rewarded, ex: every 3rd time

variable ratio

actions are rewarded randomly, ex: 3rd, 8th, 5th time

fixed interval

fixed time is rewarded, ex: happy hour

variable interval

random time, ex: pop quiz

habituation

decreased responsiveness with repeated stimulus exposure

associative learning

learning that certain events occur together

stimulus

an event or situation that evokes a response

respondent behavior

automatic response to some stimuli

cognitive learning

acquisition of mental info through observation or language

behaviorism

psychology is solely based on behavior, not mental processes

neutral stimulus

stimulus that elicits no response before conditioning

unconditioned response

unlearned, natural response to unconditioned stimulus

unconditioned stimulus

stimulus that naturally/automatically triggers unconditioned response

conditioned response

learned response to conditioned stimulus

conditioned stimulus

neutral stimulus paired with unconditioned stimulus, triggers conditioned response

acquisition

CC - initial stage, links neutrals and uncon. stimulus

OC - strengthens reinforced response

higher-order conditioning

conditioned stimulus is paired with a new stimulus, the new stimulus triggers the con. stimulus which triggers the con. response

operant conditioning

behavior recurs when reinforced / decreases when punished

reinforcement

anything that follows behavior to strengthen it

discriminative stimulus

the stimulus that triggers the response after reinforcement

positive reinforcement

positive stimulus presented after behavior that strengthens it

negative reinforcement

negative stimulus removed to strengthen behavior (like a seatbelt sound in the car)

primary reinforcer

satisfies biological needs to strengthen behavior

conditioned reinforcer

the reinforced associated with the primary reinforcer (the button that when pressed, presents food)

reinforcement schedule

a pattern that defines how often a response is reinforced

punishment

decreases the behavior it follows

biofeedback

a system that electronically records info regarding physiological state (blood pressure, heart rate, etc.)

preparedness

biological predisposition to associate things (taste aversion)

instinctive drift

learned behavior gradually reverts to biological predisposed patterns

cognitive map

mental representation of one’s environment

latent learning

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

insight

sudden realization of a problems solution

intrinsic motivation

desire to perform behavior for one’s own sake

extrinsic motivation

desire to perform behavior to receive rewards/avoid punishment

problem-focused coping

change the stressor itself or how we interact with it

emotion focused coping

avoid/ignore stressor or attend to our own emotional needs

personal control

control environment rather than feel helpless

learned helplessness

passive resignation when unable to avoid aversive events (like punishment or failure)

self-control

control impulses for long terms rewards / gratification

external locus of control

chance/outside forces determine our fate

internal locus of control

we control our own fate

modeling

observing and imitating a specific behavior

mirror neurons

frontal lobe neurons that fire when we observe others / perform the same action

prosocial behavior

positive, constructive, helpful behavior (opposite of antisocial)

Ivan Pavlov

• classical conditining

• Pavlov’s dog

John B Watson

• behaviorism

• influenced by Pavlov

Thorndike

• Thorndike’s law of effect

• behavior is based on consequence

B F Skinner

• behaviorism

• influenced by Thorndike

John Garcia

• taste aversion theory

Robert Rescola

• predictability of classical conditioning in animals

Tolman

• cognitive processing and cognitive maps

Albert Bandura

modeling, observational learning