Learning Theories #1

asymptote of conditioning

the maximum amount of conditioning that can take place in a particular situation

speed of conditioning

the time to teach someone the asymptote of conditioning

intensity of unconditioned stimulus

more intense or preferred US produce higher asymptotes and speeds of conditioning

apocryphal

a story or statement of doubtful authenticity, although widely circulated as being true

intensity of neutral stimulus

more intense NS produce higher asymptotes and speeds of conditioning

extinction

a procedure where the CS is repeatedly presented in the absence of the US

spontaneous recovery

the reappearance of a conditioned response to a CS following a rest period after extinction has occurred

disinhibition

the sudden recovery of a response during an extinction procedure when a novel stimulus is introduced

stimulus generalization

the tendency for CR to occur in the presence of stimuli similar to the CS

stimulus discrimination

the tendency for a response to be caused more by one stimulus than another

high order conditioning

a procedure in which the conditioned stimulus in one conditioning experience is paired with a new neutral stimulus, creating a second (often weaker) conditioned stimulus

sensory preconditioning

when one stimulus is conditioned as a CS, another stimulus with which it was previously associated can also become a CS

unconditioned stimulus revaluation

a change in intensity of the CS results in a change in intensity of the CR

overshadowing

interference with the conditioning of a stimulus because of the simultaneous presence of another stimulus that is easier to condition

blocking

the phenomenon where the presence of an already conditioned CS interferes/blocks the conditioning of a new CS

occasion setting

a procedure in which a stimulus (known as an occasion setter) signals that a CS is likely to be followed by the US with which it is associated.

latent inhibition

difficulty in establishing classical conditioning to a conditioned stimulus we've repeatedly experienced alone, that is, without the unconditioned stimulus

classical conditioning

a type of learning in which one learns to link two or more stimuli and anticipate events

neutral stimulus

in classical conditioning, a stimulus that elicits no response before conditioning

unconditioned stimulus

in classical conditioning, a stimulus that unconditionally—naturally and automatically—triggers a response.

unconditioned response

in classical conditioning, an unlearned, naturally occurring response to an unconditioned stimulus

conditioned stimulus

in classical conditioning, an originally irrelevant stimulus that, after association with an unconditioned stimulus, comes to trigger a conditioned response

conditoned response

in classical conditioning, the learned response to a previously neutral (but now conditioned) stimulus

appetitive conditioning

conditioning procedure in which the US is an event that an organism approaches or seeks out

aversive conditioning

a type of counter conditioning that associates an unpleasant state (such as nausea) with an unwanted behavior (such as drinking alcohol)

elicited behavior

behavior that is drawn out by a preceding stimulus

reflex arc

the nerve pathway involved in a reflex action including at its simplest a sensory nerve and a motor nerve with a synapse between.

excitatory conditioning

conditioning procedure in which the NS is associated with the presentation of a US

inhibitory conditioning

conditioning procedure in which the NS is associated with the absence or removal of a US

fixed action pattern

a sequence of unlearned acts directly linked to a simple stimulus

delayed conditioning

conditioning procedure in which the onset of the NS precedes the onset of the US, and the two stimuli overlap

trace conditioning

conditioning procedure in which the onset and offset of the NS precede the onset of the US

simultaneous conditioning

conditioning procedure in which the onset of the NS and the onset of the US are simultaneous

backward conditioning

conditioning procedure in which the onset of the NS follows the onset of the US

dishabituation

when habituated responses reappear following the presentation of a seemingly irrelevant novel stimulus

sensitization

an increase in the strength of elicited behavior following repeated presentations of the eliciting stimulus

facilitated communication

a type of communication in which a person provides assistance to a student by pointing to symbols or letters

functional relationship

the relationship between changes in an independent variable and changes in a dependent variable; a cause-and-effect relationship.

behavioral definitions

statements that specify what behavior is to be observed

continuous research methods

frequency/count, rate, intensity, duration, and latency

frequency/count

the number of times the behavior occurred.

rate

the number of times the behavior occurred per unit of time

intensity

the force or magnitude of the behavior

duration

the total amount of time that an individual continuously performs a behavior

latency

the time required for a behavior to begin

discontinuous recording methods

outcome recording, interval recording

outcome recording

counting the products/outcomes of behavior (ex. pieces of litter, correct answers on a quiz, weight, knick knacks assembled at a factory)

interval recording

involves dividing an observation period into small intervals of time and recording (yes or no) if the behavior occurred during each interval

time sample recording

Involves dividing an observation period into small intervals of time and recording (yes or no) if the behavior occurred during some of the intervals.

interobserver reliability

when similar measurements are obtained by different observers rating the same persons, events, or places

comparison design

an experimental design comparing the baseline condition with the treatment condition.

reversal design

a type of single-subject design that involves repeated alternations between a baseline period and a treatment period.

repeated alternations design

multiple baseline design

treatment is instituted at successive points in time for two or more persons, settings, or behaviors.

stimulus substitution theory

a theory of classical conditioning that proposes that the CS acts as a substitute for the US

prepatory response theory

the purpose of the CR is to prepare the organism for the presentation of the US

Rescorla-Wagner Theory

proposes that a given US can support only so much conditioning, and this amount of conditioning must be distributed among the various CSs that are present

navitism

the view that certain skills, abilities, and concepts are hard-wired or innate into the human brain at birth

empiricism

the view that knowledge originates in experience and that science should, therefore, rely on observation and experimentation

dualism

the presumption that mind and body are two distinct entities that interact

structuralism

an early school of psychology that used introspection to explore the elemental structure of the human mind

functionalism

early school of thought promoted by James and influenced by Darwin; explored how mental and behavioral processes function- how they enable the organism to adapt, survive, and flourish

behaviorism

the science of behavior that focuses on observable behavior only