Unit 5: Behavioral Psychology / Learning - Vocabulary

acquisition

in classical conditioning, the initial stage, when one links a neutral stimulus and an unconditioned stimulus so that the neutral stimulus begins triggering the conditioned response

associative learning

learning that certain events occur together

the events may be two stimuli (classical conditioning) or a response and its consequence (operant conditioninh)

behaviorism

the view that psychology (1) should be an objective science that (2) studies behavior without reference to mental processes

biofeedback

a system for electronically recording, amplifying, and feeding back information regarding a subtle physiological state, such as blood pressure or muscle tension

classical conditioning

a type of learning in which we link two or more stimuli; as a result, the first stimulus comes to elicit behavior in anticipation of the second stimulus

cognitive learning

the acquisition of mental information, whether by observing events, by watching others, or through language

cognitive map

a mental representation of the layout of one's enviornment

conditioned reinforcer

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

conditioned response (CR)

in classical conditioning, a learned response to a previously neutral (but not conditioned) stimulus

conditioned stimulus (CS)

in classical conditioning, an originally neutral stimulus that, after association with an unconditioned stimulus, comes to trigger a conditioned response

continuous reinforcement schedule

reinforcing the desired response every time it occurs

discrimination

in classical conditioning, the learned ability to distinguish between a conditioned stimulus and similar stimuli that do not signal an unconditioned stimulus

in operant conditioning, the ability to distinguish responses that are reinforced from similar responses that are not reinforced

discriminative stimulus

in operant conditioning, a stimulus that elicits a response after association with reinforcement (in contrast to related stimuli not associated with reinforcement)

emotion-focused coping

attempting to alleviate stress by avoiding or ignoring a stressor and attending to emotional needs related to our stress reaction

external locus on control

the perception that chance or outside forces beyond our personal control determine our fate

extinction

the diminishing of a conditioned response; occurs in classical conditioning when an unconditioned stimulus does not follow a conditioned stimulus

occurs in operant conditioning when a response is no longer reinforced

extrinsic motivation

a desire to perform a behavior to receive promised rewards or avoid threatened punishment

fixed-interval schedule

in operant conditioning, a reinforcement schedule that reinforces a response only after a specified time has elapsed

fixed-ratio schedule

in operant conditioning, a reinforcement schedule that reinforces a response only after a specified number of responses

generalization

the tendency, once a response has been conditioned, for stimuli similar to the conditioned stimulus to elicit similar responses

in operant conditioning, generalization occurs when responses learned in one situation occur in other, similar situations

habituation

decreasing responsiveness with repeated exposure to a stimulus

higher-order conditioning

a procedure in which the conditioned stimulus in one conditioning experience is paired with a new neutral stimulus, creating a second (often weaker) conditioned stimulus

insight

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

instinctive drift

the tendency of learned behavior to gradually revert to biologically predisposed patterns

internal locus on control

the perception that we control our own fate

intrinsic motivation

a desire to perform a behavior effectively for its own sake

latent learning

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

law of effect

Thorndike's principle that behaviors followed by favorable consequences become more likely, and that behaviors followed by unfavorable consequences become less liklely

learned helplessness

the helplessness and passive resignation an animal or person learns when unable to avoid repeated aversive events

learning

the process of acquiring through experience new and relatively enduring information or behaviors

mirror neurons

frontal lobe neurons that some scientists believe fire when we perform certain actions or observe another doing so

may help enable imitation and empathy

modeling

the process of observing and imitating a specific behavior

negative reinforcement

increasing behaviors by stopping or reducing aversive stimuli

any stimulus that, when removed after a response, strengthens the response

neutral stimulus (NS)

in classical conditioning, a stimulus that elicits no response before conditioning

observational learning

learning by observing others

also called social learning

operant behavior

behavior that operates on the environment, producing consequences

operant chamber

in operant conditioning research, a chamber containing a bar or key that an animal can manipulate to obtain a food or water reinforcer

attached devices record the animal's rate of bar pressing or key pecking

operant conditioning

a type of learning in which a behavior becomes more likely to recur if followed by a reinforcer or less likely to recur if followed by a punisher

partial (intermittent) reinforcement schedule

reinforcing a response only part of the time

results in slower acquisition of a response but much greater resistance to extinction than does continuous reinforcement

personal control

our sense of controlling our environment rather than feeling helpless

positive reinforcement

increasing behaviors by presenting positive reinforcers

any stimulus that, when presented after a response, strengthens the response (typically a pleasurable stimulus)

preparedness

a biological predisposition to learn associations, such as between taste and nausea, that have survival value

primary reinforcer

an innately reinforcing stimulus, such as one that satisfies a biological need

problem-focused coping

attempting to alleviate stress directly - by changing the stressor or the way we interact with that stressor

prosocial behavior

positive, constructive, helpful behavior

the opposite of antisocial behavior

punishment

an event that tends to decrease the behavior that it follows

reinforcement

in operant conditioning, any event that strengthens the behavior it follows

reinforcement schedule

a pattern that defines how often a desired response will be reinforced

respondent behavior

behavior that occurs as an automatic response to some stimulus

self-control

the ability to control impulses and delay short-term gratification for greater long-term rewards

shaping

an operant conditioning procedure in which reinforcers guide behavior toward closer and closer approximations of the desired behavior

spontaneous recovery

the reappearance, after a pause, of an extinguished conditioned response

stimulus

any event or situation that evokes a response

unconditioned response (UR)

in classical conditioning, an unlearned, naturally occurring response to an unconditioned stimulus

unconditioned stimulus (US)

in classical conditioning, a stimulus that unconditionally - naturally and automatically - triggers an unconditional response

variable-interval schedule

in operant conditioning, a reinforcement schedule that reinforces a response at unpredictable time intervals

variable-ratio schedule

in operant conditioning, a reinforcement schedule that reinforces a response after an unpredictable number of responses