Unit 3 - Learning

habituation

decreasing responsiveness with repeated stimulation

mere exposure effect

repeated exposure to stimuli increases liking of them

classical conditioning

a type of learning in which one learns to link two or more stimuli and anticipate events

neutral stimulus

a stimulus that elicits no response before conditioning and eventually become conditioned stimulus

classical conditioning equation

NS+UCS = UCR --> repeat --> NS becomes CS --> CS causes CR without UCS

generalization

responding similarly to a range of similar stimuli (ex. salivating for both a bell and a tone)

discrimination

learned ability to distinguish between a conditioned stimulus and similar stimuli that do not signal an unconditioned stimulus

acquisition

When one links a neutral stimulus and an unconditioned stimulus so that the neutral stimulus begins triggering the conditioned response

extinction

occurs when CR does not follow a CS anymore so the CS is diminished

spontaneous recovery

learned behavior recovers from a period of extinction

operant conditioning

a type of learning in which behavior is strengthened through reinforcement or diminished through punishment

positive reinforcement

Add reward to increase behavior (ex. give candy when you make a shot)

negative reinforcement

Taking away or stopping something to increase behavior (ex. stop the annoying beeping if you develop good habit of putting on seatbelt)

positive punishment

Adding undesirable stimulus to decrease behavior (ex. adding a slap if you lie)

negative punishment

Removal of a stimulus to decrease behavior (ex. taking away phone if late to class)

variable

unpredictable

interval

not based on performance

fixed ratio

coupon for every $100 spent

variable ratio

gambling (most effective schedule of reinforcement)

fixed interval

paycheck

variable interval

pop quizzes

shaping

an operant conditioning procedure in which reinforcers guide behavior toward closer and closer approximations of the desired behavior (ex. give a treat when dog almost does a handshake)

Thorndike's Law of Effect

responses that lead to satisfying consequences are more likely to be repeated

Latent learning

learning that occurs but is not apparent until there is an incentive to demonstrate it (ex. food must be placed in maze to show that rats know how to navigate the maze)

Cognitive maps

An internal representation of the spatial relationships between objects in an animal's surroundings

Insight learning

mental rearrangement of problem to achieve a sudden understanding of a solution

Learned helplessness

the hopelessness and passive resignation an animal or human learns when unable to avoid repeated aversive events

External locus of control

the perception that chance or outside forces beyond your personal control determine your fate

Internal locus of control

the perception that you control your own fate

Modeling

the process of observing and imitating a specific behavior

ratio

based on performance

fixed

predictable

long term potentiation

synaptic connections between neurons become stronger with frequent activation