PSYC 1650 CH. 5 FLASHCARDS

Learning

A permanent change in behavior resulting from practice and experience.

Habituation

A decline in responding to a familiar stimulus.

Sensitization

An increased responding to stimuli that are new.

Biological Preparedness

Some behaviors are easier to learn due to evolutionary survival instincts.

Dopamine & Reward Circuits

Dopamine is linked to both innate and learned rewards, released in the nucleus accumbens.

Dopamine (DA)

The neurotransmitter that serves as your 'reinforcement' neurotransmitter for innate (food, water) or learned (paycheck) rewards.

Classical Conditioning

Associative learning - the result of two things that occur close together in time; follows the law of continuity.

Neutral Stimulus (NS)

Becomes Conditioned Stimulus (CS) after pairing.

Unconditioned Stimulus (UCS)

Becomes Unconditioned Response (UCR).

Conditioned Response (CR)

The learned response to CS that fades when the CS is no longer paired with the UCS.

Spontaneous Recovery

The reappearance of a conditioned response after extinction.

Generalization

Responding to similar stimuli.

Discrimination

Differentiating between stimuli.

Operant Conditioning

Learning through the consequences of behavior.

Law of Effect

Behaviors followed by satisfying consequences are repeated; responses that are rewarded are likely to be rewarded again.

Primary Reinforcers

Satisfy basic needs (e.g., food, water).

Secondary Reinforcers

Associated with positive reinforcers (e.g., money, grades).

Positive Reinforcement

Adding a pleasant stimulus; gets a good reward.

Negative Reinforcement

Removing an unpleasant stimulus; something bad is removed.

Punishment

Decreases behavior.

Continuous Reinforcement

Every single response is reinforced.

Partial Reinforcement

Reinforced only some of the time (fixed/variable ratio or interval).

Shaping

Gradually reinforcing closer behaviors.

Instinctive Drift

Natural instincts interfering with learned behaviors.

Latent Learning

Learning without immediate or obvious reinforcement.

Insight Learning

Sudden realization of a solution.

Observational Learning

Learning by watching others.

Learned Helplessness

Feeling powerless to change due to repeated failure.

Enriched vs. Impoverished Environments

Impact learning outcomes.

Learning Disabilities

Conditions like ADHD or dyslexia affect learning.