Operant & Classical Conditioning, Memory, and Attention: Psychology Key Concepts

What is operant conditioning?

A learning process that focuses on the consequences of behavior, where behaviors are modified through reinforcement or punishment.

What does reinforcement do to a behavior?

Reinforcement increases the likelihood of a behavior being repeated.

What does punishment do to a behavior?

Punishment decreases the likelihood of a behavior being repeated.

In conditioning, what does 'positive' mean?

In conditioning, 'positive' means adding something to increase a behavior.

In conditioning, what does 'negative' mean?

'Negative' means removing something to decrease a behavior.

What is observational learning?

Learning that occurs through observing the behavior of others.

What is the typical duration of working memory?

Working memory usually holds information for about 20 seconds or less without processing.

What is the typical capacity of short-term memory?

The typical capacity of short-term memory is about 7 ± 2 items.

What is chunking?

Chunking is the process of grouping information into meaningful units to enhance memory.

What are the three basic memory processes?

The three basic memory processes are encoding, storage, and retrieval.

What is encoding?

Encoding is the process of putting information into a usable form for memory.

What is retrieval?

Retrieval is the process of bringing stored information back into consciousness.

What is classical conditioning?

Classical conditioning is a learning process that involves creating associations between a neutral stimulus and an unconditioned stimulus.

What was the unconditioned stimulus in Pavlov's experiment?

In Pavlov's experiment, the unconditioned stimulus was the meat powder.

What did the bell become in Pavlov's experiment?

The bell eventually became the conditioned stimulus.

What was the conditioned response in Pavlov's experiment?

The dog's salivation after hearing the bell was the conditioned response.

What is extinction in classical conditioning?

Extinction is the process of losing a conditioned response when the association is no longer reinforced.

What is vicarious reinforcement?

Vicarious reinforcement is seeing someone else get rewarded, which increases the likelihood of copying their behavior.

What is sensory memory?

Sensory memory holds information for a very brief amount of time from your senses.

What is sustained attention?

Sustained attention is the ability to stay focused on a task or stimulus for a prolonged period.

What is divided attention?

Divided attention is the ability to pay attention to multiple sources of information simultaneously.

What does the cocktail party effect demonstrate?

The cocktail party effect demonstrates that we can focus on one conversation while ignoring others.

What happens during dichotic listening?

In dichotic listening, a person hears different stories in each ear.

What usually happens when people multitask?

When people multitask, errors increase and productivity decreases.