Key Concepts in Behavioral Psychology

A collection of flashcards summarizing key concepts and theories in behavioral psychology as discussed in the lecture.

Who founded behaviorism and collaborated with Rosalie Rayner?

John Watson

What is operant conditioning focused on?

The associative learning process, particularly rewards and punishment aspects.

What is a primary reinforcer?

A naturally reinforcing stimulus.

What is positive reinforcement?

The addition of a reinforcing stimulus that strengthens an operant response.

What is negative reinforcement?

The removal of an aversive stimulus that strengthens an operant response.

What does punishment do?

It decreases the likelihood that behaviors will be repeated.

What is an unconditioned stimulus (US)?

A stimulus that naturally brings about a response without needing to be learned.

What is a conditioned response (CR)?

A learned response to a previously neutral stimulus.

What is stimulus generalization?

When a new stimulus similar to the conditioned stimulus elicits a conditioned response.

What occurs during extinction in classical conditioning?

The conditioned response gradually weakens when the conditioned stimulus is repeatedly presented without the unconditioned stimulus.

What is spontaneous recovery?

The reappearance of a conditioned response after a period of rest when the conditioned stimulus is presented again.

What is observational learning?

Learning that occurs by observing others.

Who discovered cognitive maps and latent learning?

Edward Tolman.

What concept did Martin Seligman discover?

Learned helplessness.

What is imitation in observational learning?

The process where the observer seeks to emulate the behavior of the model.