Psych 1 - Learning Theory

learning

The process of gaining, through experience, relatively permanent information and behaviors.

classical conditioning

A type of learning in which a stimulus gains the power to cause a response.

stimulus

Anything in the environment that one can respond to.

response

Any behavior or action.

unconditioned stimulus (US)

A stimulus that triggers a response reflexively and automatically.

unconditioned response (UR)

An automatic response to the unconditioned stimulus.

conditioned stimulus (CS)

A previously neutral stimulus that, through learning, gains the power to cause a response.

conditioned response (CR)

The response to the conditioned stimulus.

acquisition

The process of developing a learned response.

Extinction (classical conditioning)

In classical conditioning, the diminishing of a learned response after repeated presentation of the conditioned stimulus alone.

stimulus generalization

Producing the same response to two similar stimuli.

stimulus discrimination (classical conditioning)

The ability to distinguish between two signals or stimuli and produce different responses.

behaviorism

The theory that psychology should only study observable behaviors, not mental processes.

operant conditioning

A type of learning in which the frequency of a behavior depends on the consequence that follows that behavior.

reinforcement

Any consequence that increases the future likelihood of a behavior.

punishment

Any consequence that decreases the future likelihood of a behavior.

positive reinforcement

In operant conditioning, anything that increases the likelihood of a behavior by following it with a desirable event or state.

negative reinforcement

In operant conditioning, anything that increases the likelihood of a behavior by following it with the removal of an undesirable event or state.

primary reinforcement

Something that is naturally reinforcing, such as food (if you were hungry), warmth (if you were cold), and water (if you were thirsty).

secondary reinforcement

Something that you have learned to value, like money.

shaping

Reinforcement of behaviors that are increasingly similar to the desired one; the operant technique used to establish new behaviors.

discrimination (operant conditioning)

In operant conditioning, the ability to distinguish between two similar signals or stimuli and produce different responses.

Extinction (operant conditioning)

In operant conditioning, the loss of a behavior when no consequence follows it.

continuous reinforcement

In operant conditioning, a schedule of reinforcement in which a reward follows every correct response.

partial reinforcement schedule

In operant conditioning, a schedule of reinforcement in which a reward follows only some correct responses.

fixed-interval schedule

In operant conditioning, a partial reinforcement schedule that rewards only the first correct response after some defined period.

variable-interval schedule

In operant conditioning, a partial reinforcement schedule that rewards the first correct response after an unpredictable amount of time.

fixed-ratio schedule

In operant conditioning, a partial reinforcement schedule that rewards a response only after some defined number of correct responses.

variable-ratio schedule

In operant conditioning, a partial reinforcement schedule that rewards an unpredictable number of correct responses.

observational learning

Learning by observing others.

model

The person observed in observational learning.

modeling

The process of observing and imitating a specific behavior.

Albert Bandura

researcher famous for work in observational or social learning including the famous Bobo doll experiment

vicarious learning

Learning by seeing the consequences of another person's behavior.

mirror neurons

Brain cells located in the front of the brain that activate when a person performs certain actions or when the person observes another do so.

antisocial behavior

Negative, destructive, unhelpful behavior.

prosocial behavior

Positive, constructive, helpful behavior.