AP Psych Unit 6

Classical Conditioning

A type of learning in which one learns to link two or more stimuli and anticipate events (Pavlov).

Unconditioned Stimulus (US)

"A stimulus that unconditionally—naturally and automatically—triggers a response (e.g.

Unconditioned Response (UR)

"An unlearned

Conditioned Stimulus (CS)

"An originally irrelevant stimulus that

Conditioned Response (CR)

A learned response to a previously neutral (but now conditioned) stimulus.

Acquisition

The initial stage when one links a neutral stimulus and an unconditioned stimulus.

Extinction

The diminishing of a conditioned response; occurs when the CS is no longer followed by the US.

Spontaneous Recovery

"The reappearance

Generalization

"The tendency

Discrimination

The learned ability to distinguish between a conditioned stimulus and stimuli that do not signal a US.

Behaviorism

The view that psychology should be an objective science that studies behavior without reference to mental processes (Watson).

Operant Conditioning

A type of learning in which behavior is strengthened if followed by a reinforcer or diminished if followed by a punisher.

Law of Effect

Thorndike’s principle that behaviors followed by favorable consequences become more likely.

Shaping

An operant conditioning procedure in which reinforcers guide behavior toward closer and closer approximations of the desired behavior.

Positive Reinforcement

"Increasing behaviors by presenting positive stimuli

Negative Reinforcement

Increasing behaviors by stopping or reducing negative stimuli (NOT punishment).

Primary Reinforcer

"An innately reinforcing stimulus

Conditioned (Secondary) Reinforcer

"A stimulus that gains its reinforcing power through its association with a primary reinforcer (e.g.

Fixed-Ratio Schedule

Reinforces a response only after a specified number of responses.

Variable-Ratio Schedule

"Reinforces a response after an unpredictable number of responses (e.g.

Fixed-Interval Schedule

Reinforces a response only after a specified time has elapsed.

Variable-Interval Schedule

Reinforces a response at unpredictable time intervals.

Positive Punishment

"Administering an aversive stimulus to decrease a behavior (e.g.

Negative Punishment

"Withdrawing a rewarding stimulus to decrease a behavior (e.g.

Taste Aversion

A conditioned dislike for a food after becoming ill after eating it (John Garcia).

Instinctive Drift

The tendency of learned behavior to gradually revert to biologically predisposed patterns.

Cognitive Map

"A mental representation of the layout of one's environment (e.g.

Latent Learning

Learning that occurs but is not apparent until there is an incentive to demonstrate it.

Intrinsic Motivation

A desire to perform a behavior effectively for its own sake.

Extrinsic Motivation

A desire to perform a behavior to receive promised rewards or avoid threatened punishment.

Observational Learning

Learning by observing others (also called Social Learning).

Modeling

The process of observing and imitating a specific behavior.

Mirror Neurons

Frontal lobe neurons that fire when performing certain actions or when observing another doing so.

Vicarious Reinforcement

Learning to anticipate a behavior's consequences in situations like those we are observing.

Learned Helplessness

The hopelessness and passive resignation an animal or human learns when unable to avoid repeated aversive events.

Insight Learning

"A sudden realization of a problem's solution (The ""Aha!"" moment)."

Superstitious Behaviors

Produced by the accidental timing of rewards in operant conditioning.

Counterconditioning

Behavior therapy procedures that use classical conditioning to evoke new responses to stimuli that are triggering unwanted behaviors.

One-Trial Learning

Learning that takes place after only a single pairing of the CS and US (common in Taste Aversion).