Les apprentissages en Biofeedback - Lecture 1.7

A set of 50 vocabulary flashcards covering learning principles in Biofeedback and Neurofeedback, including Thorndike's laws, conditioning types, and reinforcement strategies like shaping and consolidation.

Implicit Learning

A type of learning that requires attention but does not demand specific intention.

Explicit Learning

A type of learning that demands conscious intention from the individual.

Law of Effect

The principle established by Edward Thorndike (1911) stating that behaviors followed by a satisfying outcome are more likely to become established patterns.

Edward Thorndike

The psychologist who formulated the Law of Effect in 1911, also known as trial-and-error learning.

Trial-and-error learning

A synonym for the Law of Effect, where associations are built through experimental attempts and outcomes.

Law of Exercise

The principle that behavior is more strongly established through frequent associations between a stimulus and a response.

Instinctive activity

The dynamic, original brain activity influenced by genes, development, and the environment before conditioning.

Target state

The specific brain activity state that, when reached by chance, triggers a reinforcement during neurofeedback.

Classical Conditioning

Also known as Pavlovian or Type 1 conditioning, where an unconditioned stimulus is linked with a neutral stimulus to provoke an automatic response.

Unconditioned Stimulus ($SI$)

A stimulus that naturally and automatically triggers a response without previous learning.

Neutral Stimulus ($SN$)

A stimulus that initially does not produce a specific response before being paired during conditioning.

Classical Conditioning Motivation

Unlike other learning forms, motivation is not necessary or important for this automatic process.

Operant Conditioning

Also known as instrumental or Type 2 conditioning, involving rewards and punishments to shape voluntary behavior.

Skinnerian Conditioning

Another name for Operant Conditioning (Type 2), named after B.F. Skinner.

Voluntary behavior

The type of behavior involved in operant conditioning, as opposed to the reflex behavior in classical conditioning.

Positive Reinforcement

Adding a stimulus with a positive valence to increase the occurrence of a target behavior.

Negative Reinforcement

Removing a stimulus with a negative valence (relief from punishment) to increase the target behavior.

Positive Punishment

Adding a stimulus with a negative valence to decrease the occurrence of a behavior.

Negative Punishment

Removing a stimulus with a positive valence (removal of reinforcement) to decrease a behavior.

Automaticity

The result after many reinforcements where target behaviors require less effort and become more habitual.

Shaping ($Fa\text{ç}onnement$)

A progressive process where complex behaviors are achieved by reinforcing successive approximations of the target behavior.

Successive approximations

The series of simpler, achievable steps reinforced during the shaping process to reach a difficult target.

Primary Reinforcers

Stimuli that satisfy basic survival needs, such as food or water.

Secondary Reinforcers

Also known as conditioned generalized reinforcers, these involve stimuli like money, tokens, points, or praise.

Reinforcer power

Technically, primary reinforcers are more powerful than secondary reinforcers.

Consolidation

The stage representing the acquisition and stability of learning, indicating it has been mastered.

Functional Consolidation

Learning stability characterized by neuroplasticity, ease of performance (little effort), and independence.

Cerebral Consolidation

Learning acquisition that results in a measurable change via qEEG.

qEEG

A tool used to measure measurable cerebral changes and consistency in wave amplitudes during consolidation.

Generalization and Transfer

The appearance of target behaviors (or disappearance of undesired ones) in contexts outside the training environment.

Close Transfer

Transfer occurring in contexts that are similar to the original learning paradigm environment.

Far Transfer

Transfer occurring in contexts that are dissimilar or very different from the learning environment.

Close Transfer neurofeedback example

Transitioning from a training session to sitting at a desk with headphones on.

Far Transfer neurofeedback example

Applying learned focus while standing up during a sports practice.

Extinction

The disappearance of a target behavior after the feedback or reinforcement has been removed.

Spontaneous Recovery

The sudden reappearance of a target behavior after it had previously disappeared due to extinction.

Associative Learning

Also called accessory learning, this occurs when a neutral stimulus is coupled with reinforcement, leading the patient to credit the neutral stimulus for success.

Lucky charm objects

Neutral stimuli like specific equipment, therapists, or environments that a patient mistakenly believes are responsible for their success.

Continuous Reinforcement

A modality that facilitates initial learning and is ideal at the beginning of training.

Ratio Fixed/Variable Reinforcement

Reinforcement modalities used at the end of training to protect against extinction.

Beta target example

Defining target brain activity as an amplitude greater than $10\text{ }\mu V$.

Theta band frequency

A brain frequency range defined in the transcript as $4-8\text{ }Hz$.

Conditioning progression example

Moving a threshold from $20\text{ }\mu V$ down to $18\text{ }\mu V$, $16\text{ }\mu V$, and finally to $10\text{ }\mu V$.

Biofeedback Learning Ethic

The practice of not restricting access to primary survival needs for reinforcement purposes.

TSA clinical application

The linking of primary reinforcers (food) with secondary reinforcers (praise) used specifically for Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Neurofeedback Reinforcement logic

Reinforcement increases targeted activity, while punishments only weakly decrease non-targeted activity.

Learning complexity

Processes in biofeedback learning can occur either sequentially or in parallel.

Neutral stimulus example

In neurofeedback, elements like the clinical office, the specific chair, or the time of day.

Training variety importance

The necessity of varying all aspects of training (equipment, stimuli, context) to avoid accidental accessory learning.

Learning acquisition criteria

Determined when measurements (like theta amplitude at $10\text{ }\mu V$) remain stable over several sessions.