Psych Unit 4 - Learning

Learning

Process of acquiring new and enduring information and behaviors through experience

Associative Learning

Learning that certain events occur together/have a relationship

Stimulus

Situation or event that evokes a response

Cognitive Learning

Learning from others experiences

Classical Conditioning

Form of learning which one learns to link two or more stimuli and anticipate events

Pavlov

Studied digestive system; demonstrated salivary conditioning with dogs and food

Neutral Stimulus

Creates no response before conditioning

Unconditional Stimulus (UCS)

Naturally triggers an unconditioned response

Unconditioned Response (UCR)

Unlearned, naturally occurring response to an unconditioned stimulus

Conditioned Stimulus (CS)

Originally irrelevant stimulus that triggers a conditional response when associated with unconditional stimulus

Conditioned Response (CR)

Learned response to a previously neutral stimulus

Acquisition

Initial stage; Neutral stimulus and unconditioned stimulus are linked so the natural stimulus triggers a conditional response

Extinction

Diminishing of a conditioned response, occurs when an unconditioned stimulus doesn’t follow a conditioned stimulus

Spontaneous Recovery

Reappearance of an extinguished conditional response

Operant Conditioning

Behavior is strengthened or diminished if followed by a reinforcer

Shaping

Gradually guiding behavior toward closer and closer approximations of the desired behavior

Reinforcement

Event that strengthens the behavior it follows

Positive Reinforcement

Increases behaviors by presenting rewards or a desired stimulus

Negative Reinforcement

Increases behaviors by stopping or reducing negative stimuli

Punishment

Giving something undesirable or take away something desire to reduce poor behavior

Positive Punishment

Decrease behavior by administering undesirable stimuli

Negative Punishment

Decreasing behavior by taking away desirable stimuli

Drawbacks of Punishment

• Suppressed behavior but never forgotten

• Discrimination

• Physical punishment teaches fear

• Increases aggression

Primary Reinforcer

Forcing stimuli, satisfies biological needs (food)

Secondary/Conditioned Reinforcer

Gains power by association with primary reinforcer

Fixed Ratio

Every so many

Variable Ratio

Reinforcement after random number

Fixed Interval

Set amount of time (ex: pay day)

Variable Interval

Unpredictably often

The law of effect relates most closely to…

operant conditioning

Discrimination in Classical Conditioning

Ability to distinguish between a conditional stimulus and a similar stimulus that do not create the same response (ex: turkey and chicken)

Law of Effect

Behaviors followed by favorable consequences become more likely, behaviors followed by unfavorable consequences become less likely

Latent Learning

Learning that occurs but is not apparent until there is an incentive to demonstrate it (mice maze w/ cheese)