learning

Puberty

A stage of biological maturation.

Menopause

The cessation of menstruation in women.

Classical Conditioning

A learning process where an association is made between a neutral stimulus and a stimulus that naturally evokes a response.

Associative Learning

Learning that involves forming associations between stimuli or between a stimulus and a response.

One-trial Learning

A type of learning where a strong association is formed after only one instance of exposure.

Biological Preparedness

The innate tendency of animals to easily learn certain kinds of associations.

Taste Aversions

A strong dislike or avoidance of a particular food that has been associated with nausea or vomiting.

Higher-order Conditioning

A form of classical conditioning where a conditioned stimulus is paired with a new neutral stimulus, causing the new stimulus to elicit the conditioned response.

Continuous Reinforcement

Reinforcing the desired response every time it occurs.

Partial Reinforcement Effect

The phenomenon where responses acquired under partial reinforcement are more resistant to extinction than those acquired under continuous reinforcement.

Reinforcement Schedules

Patterns that define how often a desired response will be reinforced.

Fixed-Ratio (FR) Schedule

A reinforcement schedule where reinforcement is delivered after a specific number of responses.

Variable-Ratio (VR) Schedule

A reinforcement schedule where reinforcement is delivered after an unpredictable number of responses.

Fixed-Interval (FI) Schedule

A reinforcement schedule where reinforcement is delivered after a specific amount of time has passed.

Variable-Interval (VI) Schedule

A reinforcement schedule where reinforcement is delivered after an unpredictable amount of time has passed.

Operant Conditioning

A type of learning where behavior is strengthened if followed by a reinforcer or diminished if followed by a punisher.

Law of Effect

Thorndike's principle that behaviors followed by positive consequences are more likely to be repeated, and behaviors followed by negative consequences are less likely to be repeated.

Association

A connection or link between two or more stimuli, responses, or events.

Reinforcement

Any event that strengthens the behavior it follows.

Positive Reinforcement

Adding a desirable stimulus to increase the likelihood of a behavior.

Negative Reinforcement

Removing an aversive stimulus to increase the likelihood of a behavior.

Punishment

Any event that weakens the behavior it follows.

Positive Punishment

Adding an aversive stimulus to decrease the likelihood of a behavior.

Negative Punishment

Removing a desirable stimulus to decrease the likelihood of a behavior.

Shaping

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

Reinforcement Discrimination

Learning to respond to some stimuli but not to others.

Discriminative Stimulus

A stimulus that signals the availability of reinforcement.

Acquisition

The initial stage of learning or conditioning.

Trace Conditioning

A type of classical conditioning where the conditioned stimulus begins and ends before the unconditioned stimulus is presented.

Time-lapse Conditioning

Likely a typo, possibly referring to "trace conditioning" or another time-dependent conditioning procedure.

Simultaneous Conditioning

A type of classical conditioning where the conditioned stimulus and unconditioned stimulus are presented at the same time.

Backward Conditioning

A type of classical conditioning where the unconditioned stimulus is presented before the conditioned stimulus.

Conditioned Response (CR)

A learned response to a previously neutral conditioned stimulus.

Conditioned Stimulus (CS)

A previously neutral stimulus that, after association with an unconditioned stimulus, comes to elicit a conditioned response.

Unconditioned Response (UR or UCR)

A natural and automatic response to an unconditioned stimulus.

Unconditioned Stimulus (US or UCS)

A stimulus that naturally and automatically triggers a response.

Extinction

The weakening and eventual disappearance of a learned response.

Spontaneous Recovery

The reappearance of an extinguished conditioned response after a rest period.

Generalization

The tendency to respond to stimuli that are similar to the conditioned stimulus.

Discrimination

The ability to distinguish between a conditioned stimulus and other irrelevant stimuli.

Primary Reinforcers

Innately reinforcing stimuli, such as those that satisfy biological needs.

Secondary Reinforcers

Stimuli that gain their reinforcing power through association with primary reinforcers.

Generalized Reinforcers

Secondary reinforcers that are associated with many other reinforcers.

Insight Learning

A sudden realization of a problem's solution.

Cognitive Map

A mental representation of the layout of one's environment.

Latent Learning

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

Social Learning Theory

Learning that occurs through observation, imitation, and modeling.

Vicarious Learning

Learning by observing the consequences of others' behaviors.

Modeling

The process of observing and imitating a specific behavior.

Instinctive Drift

The tendency of learned behavior to gradually revert to biologically predisposed patterns.