Classical Conditioning

Learning

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

Habituates

decreasing responsiveness with repeated stimulation

Associative learning

learning that certain events occur together

Respondent behavior

behavior that occurs as an automatic response to some stimulus

Operant behaviors

behavior that happens based on the environment, leading to consequences

Classical conditioning

a type of learning in which we link two or more stimuli

Behaviorism

the view that Psychology should be an objective science that studies behavior without reference to mental processes

Neutral stimuli

A stimulus that elicits no response before conditioning

unconditioned response

an unlearned, naturally occurring response to an unconditioned stimulus

unconditioned stimulus

a stimulus that naturally and automatically triggers an unconditioned response

Conditioned response

a learned response to a previously neutral, but now conditioned, stimulus

conditioned stimulus

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

Acquisition

the initial learning stage where a new association is formed

Higher-order conditioning

a procedure in which the conditioned stimulus in one conditioned experience is paired with a new neutral stimulus creating a second conditioned stimulus that is weakened

Extinction

the gradual weakening and disappearance of a learned behavior when the reinforcing stimulus is consistently withheld

Spontaneous recovery

the reappearance after a pause of a weakened conditioned response

Generalization

the tendency to apply a learned a response or behavior to new, similar stimuli or situations that weren’t part of the original training

Discrimination

unjustified negative behavior toward a group and its members stemming from prejudice

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

Reinforcement

Any event that strengthens the behavior it follows

Shaping

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

Discriminative stimulus

A stimulus that elicits a response after association with reinforcement

positive reinforcement

Increases behavior by rewards

Negative reinforcement

increases behavior by removing a negative stimulus

Law of effect

Thorndike’s principle that behaviors followed by favorable consequences (reinforcement) become more likely, and that behaviors followed by unfavorable (punishment) consequences become less likely

Primary reinforcers

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

Conditioned Reinforcers

A stimulus that gains its reinforcing power through association with a primary reinforcer; also known as secondary reinforcer

Reinforcement schedules

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

Continuous reinforcements schedule

Reinforcing the desired response every time it occurs

partial (intermittent) reinforcement schedules

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

Fixed ratio schedules

A reinforcement schedule that reinforces a response after a specified number of responses

variable ratio schedules

a reinforcement schedule that reinforces a response only after a unpredictable time has elapsed

Fixed interval schedules

a reinforcement schedule that reinforces a response only after a specified time has elapsed

variable interval schedules

a reinforcement schedule that reinforces a response at unpredictable time intervals

Punishment

an event that tends to decrease the behavior it followes

Instinctive drift

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

Cognitive map

A mental representation of the layout of ones environment

Latent learning

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

Insight learning

solving problems through sudden insight; contrasts with strategy based solutions

observational learning

learning by observing others (also called social learning)

Modeling

The process of observing and imitating a specific behavior

Mirror neurons

neurons that some scientists believe fire when we perform certain actions or observe another doing so. The brains mirroring of another’s action may enable imitation and empathy

prosocial behavior

positive, constructive, helpful behavior

antisocial behavior

negative, destructive, harmful behavior