AP Psychology Exam Review - Unit 6 Behavioral Perspective

Learning

A relatively permanent change in behavior as a result of experience.

Classical Conditioning

Learn to associate two previously unrelated stimuli and anticipate future events.

Operant Conditioning

Learn to associate a response and its consequence. Rewards and punishments shape behaviors.

Social Learning

Learn from observing other's experiences and examples.

Unconditioned Stimulus

A stimulus that naturally and automatically triggers a response

Unconditioned Response

The unlearned, naturally occurring response to the unconditioned stimulus

Conditioned Stimulus

An originally irrelevant stimulus that, after association with and unconditioned stimulus, comes to trigger a conditioned response

Acquisition

The initial stage in classical conditioning when a UCS is paired with the CS so that the CS alone elicits a response

Conditioned Response

The learned response to a previously neutral conditioned stimulus

Discrimination

In classical conditioning, you only want the learner to respond to what they have been taught to respond to. To distinguish between a CS and other stimuli is called discrimination.

Generalization

Sometimes a learner will respond not only to the learned stimulus, but to similar stimuli.

Extinction

The diminishing of a conditioned response when an unconditioned stimulus no longer follows a conditioned stimulus

Spontaneous Recovery

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

Reinforcement

Any event that increases the frequency of or strengthens the behavior that it follows

Positive Reinforcement

Strengthens a response by presenting a typically pleasurable stimulus after a response.

Negative Reinforcement

Strengthens a response by reducing or removing an aversive stimulus

Primary Reinforcers

A reinforcer that primarily satisfies a biological need (food, drink)

Conditioned or Secondary Reinforcers

A reinforcer that has been learned (money, toys, trophy?)

Continuous Reinforcement

Reinforcing the desired response immediately, every time it occurs. Learning occurs quickly, but as soon as reinforcement ends extinction occurs very quickly also.

Fixed-Ratio Schedule

A schedule of reinforcement that reinforces only after a specified number of responses.

Variable-Ratio Schedule

A schedule of reinforcement that reinforces a response after an unpredictable number of responses

Fixed-Interval Schedule

A schedule of reinforcement that reinforces a response only after a specified time has elapsed

Variable-Interval Schedule

A schedule of reinforcement that reinforces a response at unpredictable time intervals

Punishment

An event that decreases the behavior that it follows.

Positive Punishment

adding an undesirable stimulus to stop or decrease a behavior

Negative Punishment

taking away a pleasant stimulus to decrease or stop a behavior

Law of Effect

Thorndike's principle that behaviors followed by favorable consequences become more likely, and that behaviors followed by unfavorable consequences become less likely

Shaping

The reinforcement of closer and closer approximations of a desired response.

Modeling

the process of observing and imitating a specific behavior

Prosocial Behaviors

actions that tend to benefit others, such as doing favors or helping

Antisocial Behaviors

negative, destructive, unhelpful behavior