AP Psych Unit 6B: Social Learning and Biological Factors (copy)

anxiety hierarchy

constructed by patient in which feared situations are arranged from least to most anxiety provoking; used to set sequence for therapy

behavior therapy

therapy that applies learning principles to the elimination of unwanted behaviors

Biofeedback

a system for electronically recording, amplifying, and feeding back information regarding a subtle physiological state, such as blood pressure or muscle tension

cognitive map

a mental representation of the layout of one's environment

contingency theory

a leadership theory that states that in order to maximize work group performance, leaders must be matched to the situation that best fits their leadership style

Desensitization

reduction in emotion-related physiological reactivity in response to a stimulus

latent learning

learning that occurs but is not apparent until there is an incentive to demonstrate it

phobias

irrational fears of specific objects or situations

reciprocal inhibition

The simultaneous contraction of one muscle and the relaxation of its antagonist to allow movement to take place

signal relations

signals that initiate that learning will take place

systematic desensitization

A type of exposure therapy that associates a pleasant relaxed state with gradually increasing anxiety-triggering stimuli. Commonly used to treat phobias.

taste aversion

a type of classical conditioning in which a previously desirable or neutral food comes to be perceived as repugnant because it is associated with negative stimulation

abstract learning

learning in which the relationship between and among stimuli is more important than the physical features of the stimuli

emotion-focused coping

attempting to alleviate stress by avoiding or ignoring a stressor and attending to emotional needs related to one's stress reaction

expectancies

beliefs about our ability to perform an action and to get the desired reward

Gestalt psychology

a psychological approach that emphasizes that we often perceive the whole rather than the sum of the parts

insight learning

The process of learning how to solve a problem or do something new by applying what is already known

instinctive drift

tendency for animals to return to innate behaviors following repeated reinforcement

learned helplessness

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

locus of control

a person's tendency to perceive the control of rewards as internal to the self or external in the environment

Premack principle

A principle that states that making the opportunity to engage in a high-probability behavior contingent on the occurrence of a low-frequency behavior will function as reinforcement for the low-frequency behavior.

problem-focused coping

Attempting to alleviate stress directly by changing the stressor or the way we interact with that stressor.

self-control

the ability to control impulses and delay short-term gratification for greater long-term rewards

mirror neurons

Frontal lobe neurons that fire when performing certain actions or when observing another doing so. The brain's mirroring of another's action may enable imitation, language learning, and empathy.

modeling

the process of observing and imitating a specific behavior

observational learning

learning by observing others; also called social learning

reciprocal determinism

the interacting influences of behavior, internal cognition, and environment

self-efficacy

one's sense of competence and effectiveness

social cognitive theory

referring to the use of cognitive processes in relation to understanding the social world

vicarious learning

learning the consequences of an action by watching others being rewarded or punished for performing the action

vicarious reinforcement

Learning that occurs by observing the reinforcement or punishment of another person.

Albert Bandura

pioneer in observational learning (AKA social learning), stated that people profit from the mistakes/successes of others; Studies: Bobo Dolls-adults demonstrated 'appropriate' play with dolls, children mimicked play

John Garcia

Researched taste aversion. Showed that when rats ate a novel substance before being nauseated by a drug or radiation, they developed a conditioned taste aversion for the substance.

Mary Cover Jones

"mother of behavior therapy"; used classical conditioning to help "Peter" overcome fear of rabbits

David Premack

theorized about how a reinforcer's value could be determined

Robert Rescoria

asserted environmental stimuli serve as signal and some stimuli in classical conditiong are better stimuli than others

Edward Tolman

cognitive psychologist; latent learning and cognitive map

Joseph Wolpe

Used classical conditioning theory in psychotherapy and introduced Systematic Desensitatization and concepts of reciprocal inhibition which he applied to reduce anxiety. In treatment he paired relaxation with an anxiety -provoking stimulus until the stimulus no longer produced anxiety.