Chapter 9 Review - Psychology Concepts and Terms

Bobo the Clown experiment

Researcher: Albert Bandurra

Aim: To See how the kids would respond

Method: Showed them a clown and put them in a room with it

Results: The kid beat the clown

social learning

process of altering behavior by observing and imitating the behavior of others

cognitive learning

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

latent learning

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

learned helplessness

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

modeling

the process of observing and imitating a specific behavior

self control

the ability to control impulses and delay short-term gratification for greater long-term rewards

neutral stimulus

in classical conditioning, a stimulus that elicits no response before conditioning

classical conditioning

a type of learning in which one learns to link two or more stimuli and anticipate events

unconditioned stimulus

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

unconditioned response

In classical conditioning, the unlearned, naturally occurring response to the unconditioned stimulus (US), such as salivation when food is in the mouth.

conditioned stimulus

in classical conditioning, an originally irrelevant stimulus that, after association with an unconditioned stimulus, comes to trigger a conditioned response

conditioned response

a learned response to a previously neutral stimulus

Extinction

the diminishing of a conditioned response; occurs in classical conditioning when an unconditioned stimulus (US) does not follow a conditioned stimulus (CS); occurs in operant conditioning when a response is no longer reinforced.

generalization

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

discrimination

in classical conditioning, the learned ability to distinguish between a conditioned stimulus and stimuli that do not signal an unconditioned stimulus

operant conditioning

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

Reinforcement

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

punishment

an event that decreases the behavior that it follows

primary reinforcer

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

secondary reinforcer

any reinforcer that becomes reinforcing after being paired with a primary reinforcer, such as praise, tokens, or gold stars

fixed-ratio schedule

in operant conditioning, a reinforcement schedule that reinforces a response only after a specified number of responses

variable-interval schedule

in operant conditioning, a reinforcement schedule that reinforces a response at unpredictable time intervals

shaping

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

aversive control

process of influencing behavior by means of unpleasant stimuli

escape conditioning

Avoidance of unpleasant stimuli by learning new behaviors to help terminate the occurring unpleasant stimuli.

avoidance conditioning

training of an organism to withdraw from an unpleasant stimulus before it starts

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. (Note: not punishment.)

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.

positive punishment

the administration of a stimulus to decrease the probability of a behavior's recurring

negative punishment

the removal of a stimulus to decrease the probability of a behavior's recurring

Ivan Pavlov

discovered classical conditioning; trained dogs to salivate at the ringing of a bell

B.F. Skinner

Behaviorist that developed the theory of operant conditioning by training pigeons and rats

Latent Learning

The form of learning that keeps knowledge hidden until it is needed

Observational learning

The type of learning that occurs when a person observes and imitates others