Learning and Classical V Operant Conditioning

associative learning

realization that certain events occur together

learning

relatively durable change in behavior or knowledge that is due to experience

association

we connect events that occur in sequence

habituation

the diminishing of a physiological or emotional response to a frequently repeated stimulus.

classical conditioning

type of learning in which a stimulus acquires the capacity to evoke a response that was originally evoked by another stimulus.

Unconditioned Stimulus (UCS)

A stimulus that naturally & automatically triggers a response

Unconditioned Response (UCR)

The unlearned, naturally occurring response to the UCS

Conditioned Stimulus (CS)

An originally irrelevant stimulus that, after association with the UCS, comes to trigger a response.

Conditioned Response (CR)

The learned response to a previously neutral stimulus.

acquisition

the initial stage of learning. Phase where the neutral stimulus is associated with the UCR. Therefore, the NS comes to elicit the conditioned response, thus becoming the CS.

extinction

diminishing of a conditioned response. Eventually when UCS does not follow the CS.

spontaneous recovery

reappearance. After a rest period of an extinguished conditioned response, the conditioned response returns.

generalization

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

phobic disorder

the learned fear to a CS generalizes (transfers) to similar stimuli

Discrimination

Learned ability to distinguish between a CS and other stimuli that does not signal the UCS.

John B. Watson

founder of behaviorism - did the “Little Albert” experiment to learn more about generalization and how emotions/phobias are learned.

Taste aversion

Occurs when an organism becomes ill following consumption of a particular food; organisms may never be able to eat the food again

Garcia Effect

uses the principles of taste aversion; conditioned taste aversion

aversion therapy

treatment that aims to reduce/eliminate unwanted behaviors by associating them with something unpleasant (ex. alcoholism)

flooding

doing something repeatedly to overcome fear

Counterconditioning

Match up a fear with something that you like in order to overcome it

Systematic desensitization

slowly build up to a fear in order to overcome it

operant conditioning

type of learning in which consequences lead to changes in voluntary behavior; focus on what follows the response.

behaviorism

study of behavior; idea that we only act because of rewards and punishments

B.F. Skinner

psychologist that found that consequences of behavior are critical for learning

Skinner Box

experiment in which pigeons do behaviors for a food reward; study of reinforcement

Token Economy

a system of contingency management based on the systematic reinforcement of target behavior; used as a form of motivation

Law of Effect

rewarded behavior is likely to be repeated

Edward Thorndike

psychologist who did experiments on the law of effect by studying cats inside a puzzle box.

shaping

reinforces and guides behavior step-by-step. Closer and closer to the target behavior through successive approximations. “baby steps”

positive reinforcement

strengthens a response by presenting a stimulus after a response; get something you want

negative reinforcement

strengthens a response by reducing or removing an averse stimulus; avoid something you don’t want

punishment

weakens a behavior because a negative condition is introduced or experienced as a consequence of the behavior

fixed ratio schedules

every so many; a schedule that reinforces a response only after a specified number of responses.

variable ratio schedules

after an unpredictable number; reinforces a response after an unpredictable number of responses

fixed interval schedule

every so often; a schedule of reinforcement that reinforces a response only after a specified time has elapsed.

Variable interval schedule

unpredictably often; a schedule of reinforcement that reinforces a response at unpredictable time intervals.