PSYCH 101 - Chapter 2.3: Behaviourist Psychology

Behaviourism

A psychological perspective that focuses on observable behavior as a means to studying the human psyche, rejecting unobservable mental events.

Classical Conditioning

A learning process that occurs when a previously neutral stimulus becomes associated with a meaningful stimulus, leading to a conditioned response.

Unconditioned Stimulus (UCS)

A stimulus that naturally and automatically triggers a response without any prior learning.

Unconditioned Response (UCR)

The natural response that occurs automatically when presented with an unconditioned stimulus.

Conditioned Stimulus (CS)

A previously neutral stimulus that, after association with an unconditioned stimulus, comes to trigger a conditioned response.

Conditioned Response (CR)

The learned response to a previously neutral stimulus that has become associated with an unconditioned stimulus.

Operant Conditioning

A method of learning that occurs through reinforcement and punishment, influencing behavior based on the consequences of actions.

Reinforcement

Any stimulus which strengthens or increases the likelihood of a specific response.

Positive Reinforcement

Adding a desirable stimulus to increase a behavior.

Negative Reinforcement

Removing an aversive stimulus to increase a behavior.

Punishment

Adding an aversive consequence to decrease a behavior.

Extinction

Removing a reinforcer to decrease a behavior.

Law of Effect

The principle stating that responses followed by satisfaction are strengthened, while those followed by annoyance are weakened.

Radical Behaviourism

A philosophy of behavior analysis that emphasizes the role of environmental histories of reinforcing consequences and rejects private events as explanations for behavior.

Skinner Box (Operant Conditioning Chamber)

A device invented by B.F. Skinner to study animal behavior through operant conditioning.

Escape Learning

Learning to perform a behavior to terminate an unpleasant stimulus.

Avoidance Learning

Learning to perform a behavior to prevent the occurrence of an unpleasant stimulus.