Psych Chapter 5 Quiz

Learning according to behaviorists

a relatively permanent change in behavior that results from experience

learning according to cognitive theorists

the process by which organisms make relatively permanent changes in the way they represent the environment because of experience

Classical conditioning

a simple form of learning in which a neutral stimulus comes to evoke the response usually evoked by another stimulus by being paired repeatedly with the other stimulus

reflex

a simple unlearned response to a stimulus

stimulus

and environmental condition that elicits a response

unconditioned stimulus (UCS)

a stimulus that elects a response from an organism prior to conditioning

unconditioned response (UCR)

an unlearned response to an unconditioned stimulus

orienting reflex

an unlearned response in which an organism attends to a stimulus

conditioned stimulus (CS)

a previously neutral stimulus that elects a conditioned response because it has been paired repeatedly with a stimulus that already elected that response

conditioned response (CR)

a learned response to a conditioned stimulus

extinction

the process by which stimuli lose their ability to evoke learned responses because the events that had followed the stimuli no longer occur (The learned responses are said to be ____)

spontaneous recovery

the recurrence of an extinguished response as a function of the passage of time

generalization

in conditioning, the tendency for a CR to be evoked by stimuli that are similar to the stimulus to which the response was conditioned

discrimination

in conditioning, the tendency for an organism to distinguish between a CS and similar stimuli that do not forecast a UCS

higher-order conditioning

a classical conditioning procedure in which a previously neutral stimulus comes to elicit the response brought forth by a CS by being paired repeatedly with that conditioned stimulus

biological preparedness

readiness to acquire a certain kind of CR due to the biological makeup of the organism

counter-conditioning

a fear-reduction technique in which pleasant stimuli are associated with fear-evoking stimuli so that the fear evoking stimuli lose their aversive qualities

flooding

a behavioral fear-reduction technique based on principles of classical conditioning; fear-evoking stimuli (CSs) are presented continuously in the absence of actual harm so that fear responses (CRs) are extinguished

systematic desensitization

a behavioral fear-reduction technique in which a hierarchy of fear-evoking stimuli is presented while the person remains relaxed

law of effect

Thorndike’s view that pleasant events stamp in responses, and unpleasant events stamp them out

reinforce

to follow a response with a stimulus that increases the frequency of the response

operant behavior / operant

behavior that operates on, or manipulates, the environment.

operant conditioning

a simple form of learning in which an organism learns to engage in behavior because it is reinforced

positive reinforcer

a reinforcer that when presented increases the frequency of an operant

negative reinforcer

a reinforcer that when removed increases the frequency of an operant

primary reinforcer

an unlearned reinforcer whose effectiveness is based on the biological makeup of the organism and not on learning

secondary reinforcer / conditioned reinforcer

a stimulus that gains reinforcement value through association with established reinforcers

discriminative stimulus

in operant conditioning, a stimulus that indicates that reinforcement is available

continuous reinforcement

a schedule of reinforcement in which every correct response is reinforced

partial reinforcement

one of several reinforcement schedules in which not every correct response is reinforced

fixed-interval schedule

a schedule in which a fixed amount of time must elapse between the previous and subsequent times that reinforcement is available

variable-interval schedule

a schedule in which a variable amount of time must elapse between the previous and subsequent times that reinforcement is available

fixed-ratio schedule

a schedule in which reinforcement is provided after a fixed number of correct responses

variable-ratio schedule

a schedule in which reinforcement is provided after a variable number of correct responses

shaping

a procedure for teaching complex behaviors that at first reinforces approximations of the target behavior

successive approximations

behaviors which are progressively closer to a target behavior

cognitive map

a mental representation of the layout of one’s environment

latent learning

learning the tis hidden or concealed

contingency theory

the view that learning occurs when stimuli provide information about the likelihood of the occurrence of other stimuli

observational learning

the acquisition of knowledge and skills through the observation of others (models) rather than by means of direct experience

model

an organism that engages in a response that is then imitated by another organism