AP Psych - Learning & Behavior

Learning

Process of acquiring information and behavior through experience

Preparedness

Biological predisposition to learn associations aiding survival

The Garcia Effect

Development of taste aversion after nausea association

Instinctive Drift

Reversion of learned behavior to innate patterns

Behaviorism

Objective psychology focusing on behavior over mental processes

Cognitive Learning

Acquiring information through observation or language

Cognitive Map

Mental layout representation of one's environment

Latent Learning

Unapparent learning until incentive prompts demonstration

Insight

Sudden realization of problem solution, distinct from strategy

Biofeedback

System recording and returning physical state information

Concept(s)

Mental grouping of similar objects

Prototypes

Mental image matching certain concept objects

Schema

Framework organizing and interpreting information

Assimilation

Interpreting new experiences based on existing schemas

Accommodation

Adapting schemas to include new information

Scaffolding

Framework supporting children in higher-level thinking

Zone of Proximal Development

Area where a child can learn with assistance

Habituation

Decreased response to stimuli after repeated exposure

Higher (Second) Order Conditioning

Associating a new stimulus with a conditioned response

Extinction

Diminishing of a conditioned response post absence of unconditioned stimulus

Spontaneous Recovery

Reappearance of conditioned response after extinction

Generalization

Triggering similar responses to alike stimuli in classical conditioning

Discrimination

Differentiating between conditioned stimulus and similar stimuli

Neutral Stimulus (NS)

a stimulus that initially triggers no response

Conditioned Stimulus (CS)

the neutral stimulus after classical conditioning

Unconditioned Stimulus (US)

a stimulus that inherently triggers a response

Unconditioned Response (UR)

an automatic reaction (ex: blinking, flinching)

Conditioned Response (CR)

a reaction that becomes automatic after classical conditioning

Operant Conditioning

Learning based on the consequences of responding.

Law of Effect (Thorndike)

a behavior followed by a reward is is strengthened and more likely repeated

Positive Reinforcement

encouraging a desired behavior with a reward after the desired response

Negative Reinforcement

encouraging a desired behavior by removing an adverse stimulus after the desired response

Primary Reinforcer

an innately reinforcing stimulus; a stimulus that tends to biological needs (food, water, etc.)

Conditioned Reinforcer

a stimulus that gains influence by associating with a primary reinforcer

positive punishment

adding an undesirable stimulus to stop or decrease a behavior

negative punishment

taking away a pleasant stimulus to decrease or stop a behavior

Shaping

reinforcing desired behavior by encouraging increasingly closer approximations

Fixed-Ratio

reinforces a response only after a specified number of responses

Variable-Ratio

reinforces a response after an unpredictable number of responses

Fixed-Variable

reinforcing a behavior after a given amount of time; least effective (least effective)

Variable-Interval

reinforces a response at unpredictable time intervals