Chapter 5: Learning Study Guide

Vocabulary practice flashcards covering classical conditioning, operant conditioning, schedules of reinforcement, escape and avoidance learning, punishment, and cognitive learning from Chapter 5.

Learning

A lasting change in behavior or mental process that comes from experience. can be unlearned if not practiced

Classical Conditioning

A form of learning where a stimulus that originally caused no reaction(NS) starts causing a reaction (CR) because it was repeatedly paired with something(US) that naturally causes that reaction (UR)

Neutral Stimulus (NS)

A stimulus that before conditioning, does not originally cause a reaction

• a bell that does not make a dog salivate

Unconditioned Stimulus (US)

A stimulus that naturally triggers an unlearned, automatic response without prior training.

• food naturally makes dog salivate

Unconditioned Response (UR)

The unlearned, automatic response triggered by the unconditioned stimulus

• dog salivating when seeing food

Conditioned Stimulus (CS)

something that used to cause no reaction, now does cause one because of repeated pairing to the US

• bell makes dog salivate when being paired with food

Conditioned Response (CR)

The learned response triggered by the conditioned stimulus.

• dog salivating when it hears a bell

Extinction (Classical Conditioning)

conditioned response gradually weakens and eventually disappears bc the conditioned stimulus is not repeatedly paired with unconditioned stimulus

• bell keeps ringing without food so dog eventually stops salivating

Spontaneous Recovery

The sudden return of an extinguished conditioned response on its own after extinction

• dog hears bell again after a break and starts salivating again

Reconditioning

The process of relearning a conditioned response after extinction, which typically occurs faster than the initial conditioning

• bell is paired without food again, so dog quickly learns to salivate

Stimulus Generalization

stimuli similar to CS also triggers CR

• dog salivates when it hears a bell that sounds similar to the original bell

Stimulus Discrimination

The learned ability to differentiate between similar stimuli so that look-alikes that are not identical to the conditioned stimulus fail to trigger the conditioned response

• dog only salivates to original bell, not other similar sounding bells

Law of Effect

Thorndike's operant learning principle stating that responses followed by satisfying effects are more likely to be repeated, whereas responses followed by unpleasant effects are less likely to be repeated

• more general

• give salad? its healthy so duh its a reward

Operant Conditioning

A form of learning in which the consequences of a response determine how likely that response is to be repeated.

Skinner Box

An experimental apparatus used by B. F. Skinner to study the relationship between reinforcement and operant behavior.

Operant Response

A response that operates on the environment to produce consequences.

Reinforcer

Any stimulus that increases the probability that the behavior will be repeated.

Positive Reinforcement

The strengthening of a response by adding a pleasant or desirable stimulus after the behavior occurs.

Negative Reinforcement

The strengthening of a response by removing an aversive or unpleasant stimulus after the behavior occurs.

Primary Reinforcers

Reinforcers that are naturally or biologically rewarding, such as food or sexual stimulation.

Secondary Reinforcers

Learned reinforcers, such as money, that gain their reinforcing value through association with primary reinforcers.

Discriminative Stimulus

A cue that signals reinforcement is available if a particular response is made

• light turns on - cues rat to press ever so it can get food

Shaping

A technique of teaching complex behaviors step by step by rewarding small actions that get closer to the final goal

• rat gets rewarded for going to lever - gets rewarded for touching it - gets rewarded for eventually pressing it

Continuous Reinforcement

A schedule of reinforcement in which every correct response is reinforced, resulting in faster learning.

Partial Reinforcement

A schedule of reinforcement in which only some correct responses are reinforced, making the behavior more resistant to extinction.

Fixed-Ratio (FR) Schedule

A schedule that delivers reinforcement (reward) after a specific number of correct actions

• producing a response pattern with a slight dip or pause after each reinforcement.

Variable-Ratio (VR) Schedule

A schedule that delivers reinforcement (reward) after a varying (unpredictable) number of responses (actions)

• yielding a high, steady response rate that is hardest to extinguish.

Fixed-Interval (FI) Schedule

A schedule that reinforces the first correct response after a set amt of time

• producing a pause after reinforcement followed by accelerated responding as the next interval nears.

Variable-Interval (VI) Schedule

A schedule that reinforces the first correct response after a varying amount of time

• producing a steady, moderate response rate

Escape Learning

A form of negative reinforcement in which an organism performs a behavior to remove or get away from an aversive stimulus that is already present

• doing sumn to get make an unpleasant situation already happening, stop.

Avoidance Learning

A form of learning in which an organism performs a response to prevent an aversive stimulus from occurring.

• organism does sumn to prevent unpleasant situation from happening at all

Punishment

The introduction of an aversive stimulus or the removal of a reinforcing stimulus (reward) following a response, which weakens or suppresses that response.

• adding or removing something as a form of consequences to stop a certain behavior (repsonse/reaction)

Positive Punishment

Weakening an undesirable behavior by introducing or adding an unpleasant stimulus after the response occurs.

• answer - add stimulus - behavior decreases

Negative Punishment

Weakening an undesirable behavior by removing a pleasant or rewarding stimulus after the response occurs

• answer - remove stimulus - decrease behavior

Insight Learning

A cognitive learning process characterized by mentally working through a problem until a sudden realization (an 'aha!' moment) or cognitive restructuring leads to the solution.

• suddenly understanding how to solve a problem after thinking about it

• aha! after mentally working out a problem

Latent Learning

Learning that takes place without apparent reinforcement and remains hidden until reinforcement is introduced to motivate performance.

• learning sumn without rewards and it doesnt show up until theres a reason or reward

Cognitive Map

A mental representation of a physical environment that helps an organism navigate from one place to another.

• mental map or picture of an area to navigate it

Observational Learning

Learning by watching and imitating the behavior of others, also known as vicarious learning or modeling.

• learning by watching and imitating others