Learning, Classical Conditioning, and Operant Conditioning Notes

A comprehensive vocabulary review of core psychology concepts covering classical conditioning, operant conditioning, learning principles, and schedules of reinforcement.

Stimulus

Anything that can trigger a response.

Orienting Response

An automatic shift of attention toward a new stimulus.

Habituation

A sensory process by which organisms adapt to constant stimulation.

Association

A learning process occurring when one piece of information from the environment is linked repeatedly with another, linking them in the organism's memory.

Conditioning

A specific form of association learning in which behaviors are triggered by associations with events in the environment.

Classical Conditioning

Learning that occurs when a biologically potent stimulus is paired with a neutral stimulus to create behavior.

Unconditioned Stimulus (UCS)

A stimulus that naturally and automatically triggers a response.

Unconditioned Response (UCR)

The unlearned, naturally occurring response to the unconditioned stimulus (UCS).

Conditioned Stimulus (CS)

An originally irrelevant stimulus that, after association with the unconditioned stimulus (UCS), comes to trigger a response.

Conditioned Response (CR)

The learned response to a previously neutral stimulus.

Acquisition

The initial stage of learning where the neutral stimulus is associated with the unconditioned stimulus (UCS) so that it comes to elicit the conditioned response (CR), thus becoming the conditioned stimulus (CS).

Stimulus Generalization

The tendency, once a response has been conditioned, for stimuli similar to the conditioned stimulus (CS) to elicit similar responses.

Stimulus Discrimination

The learned ability to distinguish between a conditioned stimulus (CS) and other stimuli that do not signal the unconditioned stimulus (UCS).

Extinction

The gradual disappearance or diminishing of a conditioned response when it stops being reinforced or when the UCS does not follow the CS.

Spontaneous Recovery

The reappearance of a learned response after it has been extinguished following a rest period.

Learned Taste Aversions (The Garcia Effect)

Extremely strong conditioning that occurs when a salient (noticeable) food is paired with sickness, even when the food and sickness are hours apart.

Learned Helplessness

The passive resignation produced by repeated exposure to negative events that are perceived to be unavoidable; a response to failure rooted in a perceived lack of control.

Operant Conditioning

Learning that occurs through the rewards and punishments that follow voluntary behavior.

Shaping

A method of gradually teaching a new behavior by reinforcing actions that get closer to the desired outcome.

Reinforcement

Anything that strengthens a response, resulting in the behavior being more likely to happen in the future.

Punishment

Anything that decreases a response, resulting in the behavior being less likely to happen in the future.

Positive Reinforcement

Strengthens a response by adding a desired stimulus after a response.

Negative Reinforcement

Strengthens a response by taking away an unpleasant stimulus.

Positive Punishment

Decreases a response by adding an unwanted stimulus after a response.

Negative Punishment

Decreases a response by taking away a desired stimulus.

Continuous Reinforcement

A schedule in which the desired response is reinforced every time it occurs, leading to quick acquisition and quick extinction.

Partial Reinforcement

A schedule in which the desired response is reinforced only part of the time it occurs, resulting in slower acquisition and greater resistance to extinction.

Fixed Ratio Schedule

A schedule that reinforces a response only after a specified number of responses or instances.

Variable Ratio Schedule

A schedule that reinforces a response after an unpredictable number of responses or instances.

Fixed Interval Schedule

A schedule that reinforces a response only after a specified amount of time has elapsed.

Variable Interval Schedule

A schedule that reinforces a response after unpredictable time intervals.