AP Psych Unit 3B: Learning

behavioral perspective

focused on observable behavior (and not cognitive processes)

instinct

unlearned behavior inherited through survival of the fittest (fight-or-flight)

fixed-action pattern

a sequence of instinctive behaviors that enable a species' survival.

higher order conditioning

"Second-order conditioning"

When a neutral stimulus becomes linked to a conditioned stimulus

one-trial conditioning

One bad experience can lead to dislike of a particular food

biological preparedness

animals are biologically predisposed to learn certain stimulus-response pairings more quickly than others.

extinction

after removal of the UCS, the CS will eventually stop eliciting a response

spontaneous recovery

brief reoccurrence of the CR after extinction has occurred

generalized stimulus

similar in some way to the conditioned stimulus, elicits the same conditioned response

stimulus discrimination

organism only elicits a conditioned response to the CS, not to a similar stimulus

classical conditioning

when a neutral stimulus is paired to a natural stimulus, creating a behavior

operant conditioning

Learning that occurs as a result of consequence (reinforcement or punishment)

Thorndike's Law of Effect

behavior is determined by consequence

primary reinforcer

innately satisfying with no learning required

conditioned (secondary) reinforcer

associated with more basic rewards (money, grades)

positive reinforcement

addition of desirable consequence for a desirable behavior

negative reinforcement

removal of undesirable stimulus as a consequence for a desired behavior

positive punishment

adding an undesirable consequence to weaken a behavior

negative punishment

removing something desirable as a consequence for bad behavior

instinctive drift

the tendency of an organism to revert to its instinctive behaviors, even after being trained to do something else

aversive consequence

associating a behavior with a punishment

escape learning

person/animal behaves in a way that will decrease/end a punishment

Strengthened through negative reinforcement

avoidance learning

person/animal tries to prevent some aversive (punishing) situation from occurring

shaping

reinforcement of closer and closer approximations of a desired response.

resistance to extinction

individual continues to make response after delivery of reinforcer is terminated.

continuous reinforcement

learning rapid, but also extinction if rewards cease

intermittent (partial) reinforcement

learning is slower, but less prone to extinction

fixed-ratio schedule

specific number of times

variable ratio schedule

random number of times

fixed interval schedule

specific amount of time

variable interval schedule

random amount of time

insight learning

when the solution to a problem occurs without any trial-and-error or models present

latent learning

Information that is unknowingly learned without reinforcement and revealed at a later time

Ex: Cognitive maps (mental layouts of one's environment)

social learning theory

Behavior is learned through observation & imitation of others' rewarded behaviors

vicarious conditioning

Learning can occur without personal experience with a consequence

habituation

he decreased strength of a response to a stimulus as that stimulus is repeated

can be caused by prolonged exposure to violence

counter conditioning

using conditioning to reverse previous effects of conditioning

reinforcement schedule

how often a response will be reinforced

immediate reinforcers

offers immediate payback

delayed reinforceres

required ability to delay gratification

learned helplessness

after an individual has repeatedly experienced a punishment, they conclude that they cannot control the situation, so they do not try, even when opportunities for rewards are available

superstitious behavior

doing an action with the false belief that it leads to reward

Ex: sitting in the same seat after a Celtics' win

prosocial modeling

learning helpful or positive behaviors by watching someone else do them

aggressive modeling

learning harmful or aggressive behaviors by watching others

fear modeling

learning to be afraid by watching someone else show fear

skill modeling

learning a new skill by watching someone else demonstrate it