Psych. Ch. 5- Learning

Learning

a relatively permanent change in behavior because of experience

Classical Conditioning

Learning that occurs by associating two events

Unconditioned stimulus

Naturally occurring stimuli that elicit a response

Unconditioned response

The naturally occurring response

Neutral stimulus

A stimulus that doesn't elicit the desired response

Conditioned response

caused by pairing a neutral stimulus with the unconditioned response, and doing it repeatedly

Conditioned stimulus

When a neutral stimulus is associated with an unconditioned stimulus, causing a conditioned response

Little Albert Experiment

Classically conditioning a baby to fear a white rat by presenting the rat accompanied by a loud metal pipe clanging

Acquisition phase

The time where the neutral stimulus comes to cause the conditioned response

Extinction

When the conditioned stimulus no longer elicits the conditioned response

Spontaneous recovery

A short lived effect where when a conditioned stimulus isn't presented, there's still a conditioned response

Stimulus generalization

When the conditioned response is elicited in response to similar stimuli to the conditioned stimulus

Stimulus discrimination

When the conditioned response is elicited in response to a specific conditioned stimulus and doesn't occur in response to similar stimuli

Higher-order conditioning

When a conditioned stimulus eventually acts as an unconditioned stimulus in a second round of conditioning

Taste aversion

a classically conditioned dislike of a certain food following illness

Biological preparedness

our predisposition to develop associations between certain types of stimuli and survival based responses

Operant conditioning

Learning that occurs after we voluntarily engage in a behavior

Law of effect

If a response produces a satisfying effect, the response is likely to occur again

Reinforcers

increase or strengthen a behavior

Primary reinforcer

satisfies a basic need (hunger, thirst, etc)

Secondary reinforcer

Something that becomes satisfying through its association with primary reinforcers (money, praise, etc)

Immediate reinforcement

the behavior and delivery of reinforcement occur very close in time, typically more preferable

Delayed reinforcement

When there is a significant delay in time between the behavior and reinforcement

Positive reinforcers

adding pleasurable consequence

Negative reinforcers

Removing an undesirable consequence

Positive punishment

adding something undesirable after a behavior

Negative punishment

removing something desirable after a behavior

Continuous reinforcement

The desired response is reinforced every time it occurs

Partial reinforcement

When responses are occasionally reinforced

Fixed-ratio schedules

Reinforce behavior after a set number of responses

Variable ratio schedules

Reinforce behavior after varying and unpredictable numbers of responses

Fixed-interval schedules

Behavior is reinforced after a fixed time period

Variable interval schedules

Reinforces behavior after variable periods of time

Shaping

Using reinforcers to guide actions toward a desired behavior

Chaining

A combination of responses performed in a particular order, with the reward being tied to the full sequence of behaviors

Applied behavior analysis

the systematic extension of the principles of operant psychology to problems/issues of social importance

Premack principle

people are more likely to engage in a low probability activity if they know it'll be followed by a high probability activity they enjoy

Token economy

A conditioned reinforcer, using tokens that can be cashed in for a reward

Modeling

the act of observing and imitating others

Imitation

copying others actions

Emulation

reproducing the end results of others through different means

Mirror neurons

fire not only when engaged in a specific action, but also when observing someone doing the same action

Cognition

mental events

Insight learning

A sudden realization on how to solve a problem

Latent learning

Learning that is not immediately expressed and occurs without obvious reinforcement

Cognitive map

prior experience in a setting leads to developing a mental map of the place