Psychology: Conditioning, Stress, Motivation, and Placebo Effects

Vocabulary flashcards covering key terms and concepts in classical conditioning, operant conditioning schedules, stress and coping mechanisms, motivation, and the placebo effect.

Classical conditioning

Implicit learning that happens when a neutral stimulus (such as a bell) becomes associated with a stimulus (such as food) that naturally produces a behavior.

Unconditioned stimulus (US)

Something that triggers a natural response (UR), such as food triggering salivation.

Unconditioned response (UR)

The natural response triggered by an unconditioned stimulus (US), such as salivation.

Conditioned stimulus (CS)

A stimulus that evokes a similar response as the unconditioned stimulus after being repeatedly presented prior to the unconditioned stimulus.

Conditioned response (CR)

An acquired response to the formerly neutral stimulus.

Operant conditioning

Learning that occurs based on the consequences of behavior, where an organism learns from the consequences of its own actions.

Law of effect

The principle that responses that result in a pleasant outcome are more likely to occur again in a similar scenario, whereas responses that result in an unpleasant outcome are less likely to occur again.

Stimulus generalization

The tendency to respond to stimuli that resemble the original conditioned stimulus.

Stimulus discrimination

The tendency to respond differently to stimuli that are similar but not identical.

Positive reinforcement

Adding or increasing a pleasant stimulus to strengthen a behavior.

Negative reinforcement

Reducing or removing an unpleasant stimulus to strengthen a behavior.

Positive punishment

Presenting or adding an unpleasant stimulus to weaken a behavior.

Negative punishment

Reducing or removing a pleasant behavior or stimulus to weaken a behavior.

Continuous reinforcement

A schedule in which a desired response is reinforced every time it occurs, resulting in fast learning but rapid extinction.

Partial reinforcement

A schedule in which a desired response is reinforced only sometimes, resulting in slower initial learning but greater resistance to extinction.

Fixed-ratio schedule

A reinforcement schedule where behavior is reinforced after a specific number of responses.

Variable-ratio schedule

A reinforcement schedule where behavior is reinforced after an average, but unpredictable, number of responses.

Fixed-interval schedule

A reinforcement schedule where behavior is reinforced for the first response after a specific amount of time has passed.

Variable-interval schedule

A reinforcement schedule where behavior is reinforced for the first response after an average, but unpredictable, amount of time has passed.

Type A behavior

A behavior pattern characterized by hostility, competitiveness, and impatience that is linked to heart disease.

Self-efficacy

The belief that you can complete tasks and achieve goals.

Problem-focused coping

Actively addressing a stressful event to solve the issue directly.

Emotion-focused coping

Regulating the emotions that come with stress.

Social integration

The roles an individual assumes in society (such as son, friend, or student) that lead to encouragement from others to maintain a healthy lifestyle and promote long-term mental wellness.

Anorexia nervosa

An eating disorder characterized by extremely low body weight, distorted body image, and a fear of gaining weight.

Bulimia nervosa

An eating disorder characterized by binge eating followed by purging.

Confirmation bias (in placebo response)

A factor where patients hoping to get better focus on signs that they are improving while ignoring signs that indicate otherwise.

Pharmacological conditioning

A mechanism based on classical conditioning where the brain associates taking a pill with relief and produces the same neurochemicals as an active drug even when taking a placebo.

Regression to the mean

The phenomenon in which patients seek medical care when an illness is at its peak severity, but the illness improves naturally over time regardless of treatment.

Social learning (in placebo response)

A process where patients experience a greater placebo response after observing other individuals obtain relief from a placebo treatment.