Psychology: Learning, Conditioning, and Observational Models

Reflex example in human development

infant sucking on a nipple

Definition of learning

Learning is best defined as a relatively permanent change in behavior that occurs as a result of experience.

Forms of associative learning

Two forms of associative learning are classical conditioning and operant conditioning.

Behavior pairing in learning

In classical conditioning the stimulus or experience occurs before the behavior and then gets paired with the behavior.

Stimulus that does not elicit a response

A stimulus that does not initially elicit a response in an organism is a neutral stimulus.

Little Albert experiment outcome

This demonstrates stimulus generalization.

Extinction in conditioning

Extinction occurs when the conditioned stimulus is presented repeatedly without being paired with an unconditioned stimulus.

Pavlov's psychic secretions

In Pavlov's work with dogs, the psychic secretions were conditioned responses.

Negative punishment definition

Negative punishment is when you take away a pleasant stimulus to stop a behavior.

Example of a primary reinforcer

money is not an example of a primary reinforcer.

Shaping definition

Rewarding successive approximations toward a target behavior is shaping.

Slot machines reinforcement schedule

Slot machines reward gamblers with money according to a variable ratio reinforcement schedule.

Person who serves as an example

The person who performs a behavior that serves as an example is called a model.

Children's behavior in Bobo doll study

They kicked and threw the doll.

Modeling process steps

The correct order of steps in the modeling process is attention, retention, reproduction, motivation.

Proposer of observational learning

Albert Bandura proposed observational learning.