PSY Chapter 5

acquisition phase

the period of time during classical conditioning when the neutral stimulus comes to evoke the conditioned response

applied behavior analysis or behavior modification

(ABA) using the principles of operant psychology to address problems and issues of social importance to people

biological preparedness

an organisms predisposition to develop associations between certain types of stimuli and responses based on evolutionary survival

chaining

a method of shaping complex behavior by rewarding a combination or series of responses performed in a particular order

classical conditioning

an automatic or reflexive type of learning that occurs by making associations between different events and stimuli

cognittion

mental processes, including thinking, knowing, judging, problem solving, and remembering

conditioned response

occurs when a previously neutral stimulus leads to the respnosne originally associated witht the unconditioned stimulus

conditioned stimulus

during classical conditioning, when a previously neutral stimulus comes to produce the conditioned respnose because of an association with the unconditioned stimulus

continuous reinforcement

when a desired response is reinforced every time it occurs; this schedule results in rapid learning, but if the reinforcement stops, extinction also occurs rapidly

delayed reinforcement

a significant delay in time between the desired response of an organism and the delivery of a reinforcer

extinction

the disappearance of a learned behavior when the behavior is no longer reinforced or no longer associated with the uncoditioned stimulus

extinction burst

a burst of respnoding following the removal of previous reinforcement

fixed-interval schedules

when a behavior is reinforced after a fixed time period; fixed -interval schedules produce rapid responses at the texpected time of reward and slower responses outside of those times

fixed-ratio schedules

when a behavior is reinforced after a set number of responses; fixed-rate schedules produce high rates of responding with only a brief pause following reinforcement

higher-order conditioning

when a conditioned stimulus eventually acts as an uncoditioned stimulus in a second roud of coditioning

immediate reinforcement

when the desired behaviors and the delivery of a reinforcer occur very close in time

insight learing

sudden realization of how to solve a problem thqt does not occur as a result of trial and error

latent learning

learning that is not immediately expressed and occurs without any obvious reinforcement

law of effect

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

learning

a relatively permanent change in behavior due to experience

mirror neurons

neurons that fire not only when an animal engages in a particular action, but also if the animal observes another animal engaging in the same action

modeling

the act of observing behavior exhibited by someon else n order to imitate the behavior

negative punishment

removing something desirable or enjoyable after a behavior withe intention of decreasing the likelihood of that behavior occuring again in the future

negative reinforcers

strengthening or increasing a response by removing an unpeasant consequence

neutral stimulus

a stimulus that doesn’t naturally elecit the reflexive/desired response in classical conditioning

obersavational learning

learning by observing and imitating others

operant conditioning

learning related to voluntary behavior that occurs through the applicaition of consequences after a particular behavior is performed

partial reinforcement

(intermittent) when responses are only occasionally reinforced; this produces slower initial learning, but the learning is more resitance to extinction

positive punishment

adding something undesirable after a behavior with the intention of decreasing the likelihood of that behavior occuring again in the future

positive reinforcers

something that strengthens or increases a response by adding a pleasruable consequence

Premack principle

high probability (or preferred) behaviors can be used to reinforce low probability (or nonpreferred) behaviors

primary reinforcer

naturally reinforcing stimuli because theys atisfy a basic biological need such as hnger or thirst

punishment

consequences for behavior that decrease the probability of that behavior occuring again

secondary reinforcer

something that becomes satisfying or pleasurable through its association with a primary reinforcer

shaping

the use of reinforcement of successive approximations of a desired end behavior

spontaneious recovery

the brief reappearance of a previously extinguisehed response

stimulus discrimination

responding to the original stimulus only without responding to other stimuli

stimulus generalization

responding to stimuli similar to but distinct from the orignal stimulus

taste aversion

classically conditioned dislike and avoidance of a certain food following illness

toke economy

providing tokens (stickers, coins, points) for desired behaviors that can be exchanged for something rewarding

unconditioned response

(UCR) the naturally occuring or reflexive response to an unconditioned stimulus

unconditioned stimulus

(UCS) stimuli that elecit a natural or reflexive response without prior experience

variable-interval schedules

reinforcing behavior after variable periods of time; generally produce slow and steady behavioral responses

variable-ratio schedules

reinforcing behavior after varying and unpredictable numbers of responses; have high response rates and produce behavior that is difficult to extinguish