AP Psychology: Learning

Behavioral perspective

Focuses on observable behavior and how it is learned.

Classical conditioning

Learning by associating two stimuli.

Acquisition

Initial stage when an association is formed.

Unconditioned Stimulus (UCS)

Naturally triggers a response.

Unconditioned Response (UCR)

Natural reaction to the UCS.

Conditioned Stimulus (CS)

Neutral stimulus that becomes associated with the UCS.

Conditioned Response (CR)

Learned response to the CS.

Extinction

Weakening of a conditioned response when the UCS is removed.

Spontaneous recovery

Reappearance of a conditioned response after a pause.

Stimulus generalization

Similar stimuli produce the same response.

Stimulus discrimination

Ability to distinguish between different stimuli.

Higher order conditioning

A CS becomes associated with another neutral stimulus.

Classical conditioning of emotions (counterconditioning)

Replacing a negative emotional response with a positive one.

Taste aversion

Avoidance of food after illness.

One trial conditioning

Learning after a single pairing.

Biological preparedness

Inborn tendency to form certain associations.

Habituation

Decreased response after repeated exposure.

Operant conditioning

Learning through consequences.

Reinforcement

Increases behavior.

Punishment

Decreases behavior.

Positive reinforcement

Adding something desirable.

Negative reinforcement

Removing something unpleasant.

Positive punishment

Adding something unpleasant.

Negative punishment

Removing something desirable.

Primary reinforcers

Naturally rewarding stimuli (food, water).

Secondary (conditioned) reinforcers

Learned rewards (money, grades).

Shaping

Reinforcing successive steps toward a behavior.

Instinctive drift

Reversion to innate behaviors.

Reinforcement discrimination

Responding only to a specific stimulus.

Reinforcement generalization

Responding to similar stimuli.

Schedules of reinforcement

Patterns of reinforcement delivery.

Continuous reinforcement

Every response is reinforced.

Partial reinforcement

Only some responses are reinforced.

Fixed ratio

Reinforcement after a set number of responses

Variable ratio

Reinforcement after a random number of responses.

Fixed interval

Reinforcement after a fixed amount of time.

Variable interval

Reinforcement after varying amounts of time.

Social learning theory

Learning through observation of others.

Observational learning

Learning by watching others.

Modeling

Imitating behavior.

Vicarious conditioning

Learning by seeing others rewarded or punished.

Latent learning

Learning that occurs without reinforcement.

Cognitive maps

Mental representations of the environment