Unit 2: Development and Learning Vocab

Behavioral Perspective of Learning

Human or animal psychology can be objectively studied through observable actions (behaviors), rather than thoughts and feelings that cannot be observed

Acquisition

The process of learning the association between CS and UCS

Unconditioned Stimulus (UCS)

Naturally elicits a response

Unconditioned Response (UCR)

Automatic response to UCS.

Conditioned Response (CR)

Learned response to CS.

Conditioned Stimulus (CS)

Initially neutral stimulus that becomes associated with UCS.

Neutral Stimulus (NS)

An event or object that initially does not produce a specific behavioral or emotional reaction other than catching a person's or animal's attention

Extinction

Occurs when the CS is no longer paired with the UCS, leading to a decrease in CR.

Spontaneous Recovery

The reappearance of CR after a pause following extinction.

Generalization

Responding similarly to stimuli that are similar to the CS.

Discrimination

The ability to distinguish between different stimuli and respond only to the CS.

Higher Order Conditioning

A process where a conditioned stimulus (CS) is paired with a new neutral stimulus, creating a second (weaker) conditioned stimulus.

Counterconditioning & Therapy

A therapeutic intervention where a conditioned response (CR) to a negative stimulus is replaced with a positive response through new associations

Taste Aversions

A form of classical conditioning where an organism learns to avoid food that has been associated with illness.

Habituation

A decrease in response to a repeated or continuous stimulus over time.

Reinforcement

Encouraging a behavior

Punishment

Discouraging a behavior

Law of Effect

Behaviors followed by reinforcement are likely to be repeated.

Behaviors followed by punishment are less likely to be repeated.

Positive Reinforcement

Adding a pleasant stimulus to increase behavior.

Negative Reinforcement

Removing an unpleasant stimulus to increase behavior.

Positive Punishment

Adding an unpleasant stimulus to decrease behavior.

Negative Punishment

Removing a pleasant stimulus to decrease behavior.

Primary Reinforcer

a stimulus that is naturally reinforcing because it satisfies a basic biological need

Secondary Reinforcer

a learned stimulus that reinforces a behavior after it's associated with a primary reinforcer. Secondary reinforcers are also known as conditioned reinforcers. 

Reinforcement discrimination

learning to give a rewarded response only to a specific cue or situation

Reinforcement generalization

 spreading that same rewarded response to similar new situations

Shaping

reinforcing successive approximations of a desired behavior

Instinctive Drift

The tendency of an animal to revert to its natural behaviors, even after being trained to do something else. This can happen when an animal's innate behaviors are stronger than learned behaviors.

Superstitious Behavior

occurs when unrelated behaviors are reinforced.

Learned Helplessness

arises when individuals feel they have no control over aversive situations.

Continuous Reinforcement

Reinforcement is provided for every correct response.

Partial Reinforcement

Reinforcement is provided intermittently, which can lead to stronger behavior retention.

Fixed Ratio Schedule

Reinforcement after a set number of responses.

Fixed Interval Schedule

Reinforcement after a set amount of time has passed.

Variable Ratio Schedule

Reinforcement after an unpredictable number of responses.

Variable Interval Schedule

Reinforcement after an unpredictable amount of time has passed.

Social Learning Theory

Individuals can learn behaviors by watching models without having a direct experience.

Vicarious Conditioning

occurs when individuals learn emotional responses by observing others.

Insight Learning

Sudden realization of a solution without trial and error.

Latent Learning

Knowledge that is acquired but not immediately evident.

Cognitive Maps

mental representations of spatial relationships