APP Learning Vocab 1

Modules 26-28

conditioned stimulus (CS)

in classical conditioning, an originally irrelevant stimulus that, after association with an UCR, comes to trigger a CR

acquisition

the initial stage in classical conditioning; the phase associating a neutral stimulus with an unconditioned stimulus so that the neutral stimulus comes to elicit a conditioned response
In operant conditioning, the strengthening of a reinforced response

second-order (higher-order) conditioning

conditioning on top of conditioning (ex. food=saliva, food+bell=saliva, bell=saliva, bell+light=saliva, light=saliva)

Mary Cover-Jones

CC--first person to introduce counterconditioning (to treat fears)

systematic desensitization

associates a pleasant, relaxed state with gradually increasing anxiety-triggering stimuli

respondent behavior

behavior that occurs as an automatic response to some stimulus; Skinner's term for behavior learned through classical conditioning

conditioned/secondary reinforcer

a stimulus that gains its reinforcing power through its association with a primary reinforcer

fixed-ratio schedule

in operant conditioning, a reinforcement schedule that reinforces a response only after a specified number of responses; predictable/repetition increases reinforcement

Premack principle

a reinforcer's properties depend on the individual and the situation

habituation

decrease in response to a stimulus after repeated presentations

cognitive learning

the acquisition of mental info, whether by observing events, by watching others, or through language

discriminative stimulus

in operant conditioning, a stimulus that elicits a response after association with reinforcement (in contrast to related stimuli not associated with reinforcement)

learning

a relatively permanent change in an organism's behavior due to experience

associative learning

learning that certain events occur together; the events may be two stimuli (as in classical conditioning) or a response and its consequences (as in operant conditioning)

classical conditioning

a type of learning in which an organism comes to associate stimuli; NS that signals a UCS begins to produce a response that anticipates and prepares for the UCS; also called Pavlovian or respondent conditioning

Ivan Pavlov

Russian physiologist who observed conditioned salivary responses in dogs

behaviorism

the view that psychology (1) should be an objective science that (2) studies behavior without reference to mental processes; most research psychologists today agree with (1) but not (2)

unconditioned response (UCR)

in classical conditioning, the unlearned, naturally occurring response to the UCS, such as salivation when food is in the mouth

unconditioned stimulus (UCS)

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

conditioned response (CR)

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

neutral stimulus (NS)

in classical conditioning, an irrelevant stimulus that is paired with the UCS and is then associated with the UCR to eventually trigger a CR

John Watson

Psychologist; believed that human emotions and behavior, though biologically influenced are mainly a bundle of conditioned responses

Rosalie Rayner

Psychologist; assistant (and mistress) of John Watson

counterconditioning

a behavior therapy procedure that conditions new responses to stimuli that trigger unwanted behavior

extinction

the diminishing of a conditioned response; occurs in classical conditioning when a UCS does not follow a CS; occurs in operant conditioning when a response is no longer reinforced

spontaneous recovery

the reappearance, after a pause, of an extinguished CR

generalization

the tendency, once a response has been conditioned, for stimului similar to the conditioned stimulus to elicit similar responses

discrimination

in classical conditioning, the learned ability to distinguish between a CS and stimuli that do not signal a UCS

operant conditioning

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

B.F. Skinner

Psychologist; behaviorist, did lots of work with operant conditioning

Edward Thorndike

Psychologist; created the law of effect, inspired Skinner

puzzle box

cage with a latch, developed by Thorndike, to test how long it took the animal to figure out how to escape

operant behavior

behavior that operates on the environment, producing consequences

law of effect

Thorndike's principle that behaviors followed by favorable consequences become more likely, and that behaviors followed by unfavorable consequences become less likely

operant chamber/Skinner box

a chamber containing a bar or key that an animal can manipulate to obtain a food or water reinforcer, with attached devices to record the animal's rate of bar pressing or key pecking; used in operant conditioning

shaping

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

reinforcer

in operant conditioning, any event that strengthens the behavior it follows

positive reinforcement

increasing behaviors by presenting positive stimuli, such as food; a positive reinforcer is any stimulus that, when presented after a response, strengthens the response

negative reinforcement

increasing behaviors by stopping or reducing negative stimuli, such as shock; a negative reinforcer is any stimulus that, when removed after a response, strengthens the response (not a punishment)

primary reinforcer

an innately reinforcing stimulus, such as one that satisfies a biological need

continuous reinforcement

reinforcing the desired response every time it occurs

partial/intermittent reinforcement

reinforcing a response only part of the time; results in slower acquisition or a response but much greater resistance to extinction than does continuous reinforcement

variable-ratio schedule

in operant conditioning, a reinforcement schedule that reinforces a response after an unpredictable number of responses; unpredictable/repetition increases reinforcement

fixed-interval schedule

in operant conditioning, a reinforcement schedules that reinforces a response only after a specified time has elapsed; predictable/repetition does not increase reinforcement

variable-interval schedule

in operant conditioning, a reinforcement schedule that reinforces a response at unpredictable time intervals; unpredictable/repetition does not increase reinforcement

punishment

an event that decreases the behavior that it follows

positive punishment

adding a negative consequence after an undesired behavior is emitted to decrease future responses

negative punishment

taking away a certain desired item after the undesired behavior happens in order to decrease future responses

Stimulus

any event or situation that evokes a response