Intro to Psychology - Unit 3

classical conditioning

learning through the association of stimuli, influenced by behaviorism

behaviorism

human behavior is just a bunch of conditioned responses; responses to stimuli in environments

stimulus

anything in the environment that one can respond to

response

measurable behavior or action

acquisition

process of developing a learned response

Ivan Pavlov experiment

dogs salivated when stimuli associated with the food occurred (dish presented, footsteps)

extinction

diminishing of a conditioned response; UCS stops following CS

spontaneous recovery

extinguished CR begins reappearing for CS

John Watson's experiement

Little Albert: taught young boy to fear white mouse through use of loud noises to show emotions were a CR; Albert feared rabbits, dogs, and Santa too (generalization); did not fear toys (discrimination)

discrimination

ability to distinguish between CS and other stimuli that do not signal a UCS

generalization

stimuli similar to CS elicits similar responses

unconditioned stimulus

in classical conditioning, a stimulus that unconditionally—naturally and automatically—triggers a response.

unconditioned response

In classical conditioning, the unlearned, naturally occurring response to UCS

conditioned stimulus

in classical conditioning, an originally irrelevant stimulus that, after association with UCS, comes to trigger a CR

conditioned response

in classical conditioning, the learned response to a previously neutral (but now conditioned) CS

operant conditioning

behavior is strengthened if followed by a reinforcer and/or diminished if followed by a punisher

positive reinforcement

(+, give) increases frequency of response by presenting pleasurable stimulus

negative reinforcement

(-, take) strengthens response by removing an unpleasant stimulus

punishment

(-, give) giving an undesirable consequence to decrease behavior; swift and certain punishment generally decreases undesirable behavior in humans and animals, but is not designed to increase desirable behavior and rarely does so

omission training

(+, take) decreases behavior by taking away a desirable outcome

primary reinforcer

innately (biologically) reinforcing stimuli

secondary reinforcer

learned reinforcers potentially linked to a primary reinforcer

B.F. Skinner

created operant conditioning

B.F. Skinner experiments

had levers to deliver rewards and punishments (Skinner Box) - shaping behavior; taught complex behaviors to animals (pigeons playing ping-pong)

shaping

using reinforcers to guide behavior closer and closer approximation of a desired goal

delayed gratification

animals need immediate reinforcement to change or acquire behavior, usually with this (Marshmallow Test)

Reinforcement schedules

fixed ratio, variable ratio, fixed interval, variable interval

fixed ratio

reinforcement only after a specified number of responses

variable ratio

reinforces after unpredictable number of responses

fixed interval

reinforcement only after a specified time has elapsed; produces accelerated rate of response as reinforcement time approaches

variable-interval schedules

reinforces a response at unpredictable time intervals; produces slow, steady responses

intrinsic motivation

desire to perform a behavior effectively for its own sake

extrinsic motivation

desire to perform a behavior due to promised rewards or threats of punishment

overjustification effect

the result of bribing people to do what they already like doing; they may then see their actions as externally controlled rather than intrinsically appealing

observational learning

learning by observing others

model

person or group being copied; no choice who is model or not

modeling

observing or imitating a particular behavior

Albert Bandura's experiment

Bobo experiment - children imitated adults they saw attacking Bobo doll when they were not going to be allowed to play with the "good toys"; children not exposed to adults' actions less likely to beat up Bobo

Bandura's conclusions

reinforcements and punishments experienced by the model and imitator determine behavior; self-efficacy -> benefit in observational learning; pro-social behavior + anti-social behavior come as result of observational learning

self-efficacy

belief efforts will be successful and they are in control

pro-social behavior

positive, constructive, helpful behavior

anti-social behavior

negative, destructive, unhelpful behavior

Jean Elliot

In response to MLK's assassination, kids were superior or inferior based on eye color