AP Psych Unit 3 - Learning & Development

In development

Learning

How a person adapts to their environment

Habituation

The process by which organisms adapt to constant stimulation-getting used to it

Associative Learning

A piece of information becomes linked with another thing

Stimulus

Anything that trigger a response

Classical Conditioning

Learning that occurs when a biologically potent stimulus is paired with a neural stimulus to create behavior

Unconditioned Stimulus

Naturally produces a response (Food)

Conditioned Stimulus

A neutral stimulus that produces that same response as the unconditioned stimulus (Tone)

Unconditioned Response

The reaction to the UCS (Food = Salivation)

Conditioned Response

A reaction to the CS that is the same as the UR (Tone = Salivation)

Acquisition (Classical)

The initial stage of learning - The NS and the US are happening at the same time

Higher-Order Conditioning (Classical)

Associating a NS with the CS to make a new CS

Extinction (Classical)

The diminishing of a conditioned response/revert back to a NS

Spontaneous Recovery (Classical)

The reappearance of a conditioned response after a rest period

Generalization (Classical)

A CS in one particular context is applied elsewhere

Discrimination (Classical)

Learned ability to distinguish between a CS and other stimulus

Taste Aversion (Garcia Effect)

Not being able/wanting to eat something due a past experience with a food

One Trial Conditioning

When a NS becomes a CS after one trial/time

Counter conditioning

Using classical conditioning to make a new response to a stimulus that already has a conditioned response

Exposure Therapy

Treating fear/anxiety through exposure

Aversive Conditioning

Use of classical conditioning to associate an unpleasant feeling with an unwanted behavior

Operant Conditioning

Learning that occurs through the rewards and punishments that follow voluntary behavior

Law of Effect

Behavior followed by desired consequences become more likely to be repeated and behavior followed by undesired consequences become less likely to be repeated

Reinforcement

Anything that increases a response →more of it

Punishment

Anything that decreases a response → less of it

Shaping

Gradually teaching new behavior through positive reinforcement of actions closer and closer to the desired outcome

Successive Approximations

How shaping happens - Rewards responses as they get closer to the desired response

Positive Reinforcement

Adds a desired stimulus after a behavior

Negative Reinforcement

Removes an unpleasant stimulus after a behavior

Positive Punishment

Adds an unwanted stimulus after a behavior

Negative Punishment

Removes a desired stimulus after a response

Primary Reinforcer

An innately reinforcing stimulus →Food when hungry

Secondary/Conditioned Reinforcer

A stimulus associated with a primary reinforcer →Money buys food

Continuous Reinforcement

Quick acquisition & Quick extinction

Partial Reinforcement

Slow acquisition & Resistance to extinction

Fixed Ratio

Reinforces a response only after a specified number of responses

Variable Ratio

Reinforces a response after an unpredictable number of responses

Fixed Interval

Reinforces a response after a specified amount of time

Variable Interval

Reinforces a response after an unpredictable amount of time

Acquisition (Operant)

Behavior is associated with a consequence

Extinction (Operant)

Response decrease when reinforcement stops

Spontaneous Recovery (Operant)

The reappearance of an extinguished response

Generalization (Operant)

Responses learned from on situation occur in others

Discrimination (Operant)

Learning that only some responses will be reinforced/punished

Instinctive Drift

The tendency for learned behavior to gradually drift back into biologically predisposed patterns

Learned Helplessness

A series of uncontrollable bad events leads to a perceived lack of control → generalized to other situations

Latent Learning

Learning occurs but is not apparent until there is a need for it

Insight

A sudden realization of the solution to a problem

Observational Learning

Learning by watching others

Modeling

The process of observing and imitating a specific behavior

Reflexes (Rooting)

Everyone develops motor skills naturally over times & life experiences alter the path

Critical Period

A period where skills crucial to basic survival are developed

Sensorimotor Stage

Ages 0-2 →Object Permanence, learning occurs through sensing things and moving around

Preoperational Stage

Ages 2-7 →Pretend Play, Animism, Theory of Mind, Egocentrism

Concrete Operational Stage

Ages 7-11 →Conservation & Reversibility

Formal Operational Stage

Ages 12+ → Deductive Reasoning, Abstract Concepts & Delayed Gradification

Object Permenance

Understanding that objects continue to exist after they are no longer in view

Egocentrism

Only being able to think from your perspective

Animism

Empathy - Pretending things are animated & have feelings → dolls, figures, blocks, etc

Theory of Mind

Understanding that people have different thoughts and ideas

Conservation

Being able to understand volume in different shapes →math (thinking through things more logically)

Reversibility

Understanding if 1+2 = 3 then 3-2 = 1 →math

Delayed Gradification

Little reward now for greater reward later

Scaffold - Mentoring

When a more knowledgeable other provides support or models skills to help develop new skills

Zone of Proximal Development (Vygotsky)

The space between what a child can only learn with help and what they can learn without help

Imprinting

The process by which animals become strongly attached to another animal in their early life

Temperament

A person’s characteristic emotional reactivity and intensity

Attachment

An emotional tie to another person

Basic Trust

A sense that world is predicable and trustworthy

Secure Attachment

Comfort and security in the presence of a caregiver

Avoidant Attachment

Overwhelming fear of being alone, needing constant reassurance