Types of Learning and Behavioural Psychology

Vocabulary flashcards covering key terms and concepts from classical conditioning, operant conditioning, observational learning, and assessment methods.

Classical Conditioning

Involuntary learning process that involves reflexive behaviours and pairing stimuli to produce a response.

Neutral Stimulus (NS)

A stimulus that doesn't evoke a response at first.

Unconditioned Stimulus (UCS)

Something that automatically triggers a response with no learning required.

Unconditioned Response (UCR)

An automatic, unlearned reaction to an Unconditioned Stimulus (UCS).

Conditioned Stimulus (CS)

An old neutral stimulus that becomes able to trigger a response after pairing.

Conditioned Response (CR)

A learned reaction to the Conditioned Stimulus (CS).

Acquisition

Process during conditioning of pairing the unconditioned stimulus with the conditioned stimulus.

Performance

When a conditioned response is produced without the unconditioned stimulus needing to be present.

Contiguity

The time interval in UCS-CS pairing.

Contingency

The predictability of occurrence of one stimulus from the presence of another.

Stimulus Generalisation

Occurs when a CR is produced on the presentation of other stimuli similar to the original CS.

Stimulus Discrimination

Occurs when a person or animal only responds to the original CS, and not to any other stimuli that is similar to the CS.

Extinction

Reduction or loss in strength or rate of CR when the UCS is withheld.

Operant Conditioning

A voluntary learning process in which the strength of a behaviour is modified by consequences (reward or punishment) following the behaviour.

Reinforcer

Any stimulus (action or event) that strengthens or increases the likelihood of a response (behaviour) occurring again.

Punisher

Any stimulus (action or event) that weakens or decreases the likelihood of a response (behaviour) occurring again.

Positive Reinforcement

A pleasant stimulus added after a behaviour to increase that behaviour.

Negative Reinforcement

An unpleasant stimulus removed by a desired behaviour to increase that behaviour.

Punishment

A stimulus or event that decreases the frequency or occurrence of the behaviour that it follows, leading to short-term behaviour change.

Aversive Punishment

An unpleasant stimulus added after an undesired behaviour.

Response Cost

A pleasant stimulus removed after undesirable behaviour.

Fixed Interval Schedule

Reinforcement schedule where reinforcement is delivered at predictable time intervals.

Variable Interval Schedule

Reinforcement schedule where reinforcement is delivered at unpredictable time intervals.

Fixed Ratio Schedule

Reinforcement schedule where reinforcement is delivered after a predictable number of responses.

Variable Ratio Schedule

Reinforcement schedule where reinforcement is delivered after an unpredictable amount of responses.

Observational Learning

Learning that occurs through the process of watching others and imitating behaviour, also known as modelling.

Model

The subject being observed in observational learning.

Observer

The subject observing the model's behaviour in observational learning.

Attention (ARRM Factor)

The observational learning process where the observer must pay attention to the model's behaviour.

Retention (ARRM Factor)

The observational learning process where the observer codes observed behaviour information into long-term memory (LTM).

Reproduction (ARRM Factor)

The observational learning process where the observer is physically and mentally capable to recreate the model's behaviour.

Motivation (ARRM Factor)

The observational learning process where the observer expects positive reinforcement (external or internal) for the behaviour.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)

Therapy used to treat anxiety, depression, and phobias that views problematic behaviour as fundamentally learned.

Learned Helplessness

Result when a person or animal is prevented repeatedly from avoiding an aversive stimulus and becomes passive and depressed.

First step of CBT process

Identifying negative thought patterns that contribute to anxiety and depression

Second step of CBT process

Challenging distorted thoughts through discussion and evidence based questioning

Third step of CBT process

Replacing negative thoughts with balanced and realistic thoughts

Last step of CBT process

Behavioural strategies like exposure tasks or activity scheduling to reinforce new, adaptive behaviours

Behaviour modification step 1

monitor amount time doing activity, create baseline how problematic behaviour currently is

Behaviour modification step 2

negotiate realistic goal to work towards

Behaviour Modification step 3

discuss and agree on a reinforcement schedule with set rules for reward

Behaviour modification step 4

start program, reward improvements in desired behaviour

Behaviour modification step 5

gradually remove reward to determine if behaviour has changed. additional, alternative change environment/ condition that is reinforcing undesirable behaviour