AP Psych Unit 4 (Learning)

learning

the changing of behavior in response to experience

associative learning

linking two stimuli, or events, that occur together

habituation

an organism's decreasing response to a stimulus with repeated exposure to it

behaviorism

the science of behavior that focuses on observable behavior only

classical conditioning

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

unconditioned stimulus

a stimulus that unconditionally—naturally and automatically—triggers a response.

unconditioned reaction

a reflexive reaction that is reliably elicited by an unconditioned stimulus

neutral stimulus

a stimulus that does not initially elicit a response

conditioned stimulus

a stimulus that elicits a response only after learning has taken place

conditioned reaction

learned reaction to a CS that occurs because of previous conditioning

aquisition

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

discrimination (classical conditioning)

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

generalization (classical conditioning)

the tendency, once a response has been conditioned, for stimuli similar to the conditioned stimulus to elicit similar responses

extinction

the end of a CR after the lack of an association

spontaneous recovery

the return of a CR after paired with same conditions for conditioning

counter-conditioning

a behavior therapy procedure that uses classical conditioning to evoke new responses to stimuli that are triggering unwanted behaviors; includes exposure therapies and aversive conditioning

higher-order conditioning

occurs when a strong conditioned stimulus is paired with a neutral stimulus, causing the neutral stimulus to become a second conditioned stimulus

Little Albert

subject in John Watson's experiment, proved classical conditioning principles, especially the generalization of fear

Ivan Pavlov

discovered classical conditioning; trained dogs to salivate at the ringing of a bell

learned helplessness

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

John Garcia- taste aversion experiment

the avoidance of a certain food following a period of illness after consuming the food - tested rats using nausea (radiation) vs. shocks following the consumption of food, rats that were nauseated avoided food

operant conditioning

a type of learning in which behavior is strengthened if followed by a reinforcer or diminished if followed by a punisher

law of effect (Thorndike)

how a behavior followed by a reward is is strengthened and more likely repeated

B.F. Skinner

Behaviorist that developed the theory of operant conditioning by training pigeons and rats

operant chamber

a chamber containing a bar or key that an animal can manipulate to obtain a food or water reinforcer

discriminative stimulus

a stimulus that elicits a response after association with reinforcement

shaping

procedure in which reinforcers guide behavior toward closer and closer approximations of the desired behavior

generalization (operant conditioning)

organism responds to different stimuli in similar ways in order to elicit a reinforcer

discrimination (operant conditioning)

organism responds only to discriminative stimulus to elicit a reinforcer

extinction (operant conditioning)

decreases in the frequency of a behavior when the behavior is no longer reinforced

over-justification effect

the result of bribing people to do what they already like doing; they may then see their actions as externally controlled rather than intrinsically appealing

primary reinforcers

Events that are inherently reinforcing because they satisfy biological needs

secondary/conditioned reinforcers

events that acquire reinforcing qualities by being associated with primary reinforcers

intrinsic motivation

a desire to perform a behavior effectively for its own sake

extrinsic motivation

a desire to perform a behavior to receive promised rewards or avoid threatened punishment

internal locus of control

the perception that you control your own fate

external locus of control

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

preparedness

a biological predisposition to learn associations, such as between taste and nausea, that have survival value

instinctive drift

tendency to return to innate behaviors following repeated reinforcement

continuous reinforcement

reinforces desired response every time it occurs

partial reinforcement

reinforces response part of the time

fixed-ratio schedule

reinforces a response after a specified # of responses. ex: cookie every 5 questions answered

variable-ratio schedule

reinforces a response after an unpredictable # of responses. ex: slot machines

fixed interval schedule

reinforces a response only after a specified amount of time. ex: break after working for 3 hours

variable interval schedule

reinforces a response at unpredictable time intervals. ex: pop quizzes