Unit 6 - Learning Terms

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Behaviorism

Behaviorism

The school of thought that focuses on Observable Behaviors and how they are learned rather than introspection.

Shaping

The process of reinforcing Each Successive Step that gets Closer to the desired behavior until the behavior is learned (AKA Successive Approximation).

Chaining

A type of Shaping where lots of Individual Behaviors are shaped and then Strung together.

Tabula Rasa

The idea that we are born with a Blank Slate and everything we Do and Are is shaped through interaction with our environment. (Locke)

Operant Conditioning

Learning that focuses on Connecting Behaviors With Consequences.

(Thorndike's) Law of Effect

If you do a pleasant behavior and get a Pleasant Result, you'll Do It Again. If the outcome is unpleasant, you won't.

Instrumental (Learning)

Thorndike called Operant Learning __________________ Learning.

(BF) Skinner

A Harvard psychologist who conducted thorough tests on pigeons and rats only through Behaviorism.

Skinner Box

A controlled environment where Operant Conditioning can be studied (AKA - Operant Chamber).

Acquisition

The Moment when the learner Demonstrates the desired behavior.

Generalization

When the learner applies a behavior in situations Other Than the Taught Situation to get reinforcement.

Discrimination

When the learner Only applies a behavior in the Taught Situation and not even in Similar situations.

Extinction

When the learner No Longer gives the taught behavior in response to the stimulus.

Spontaneous Recovery

When the learner gives the taught behavior to a stimulus even After they have been Debriefed/the behavior has become Extinct.

Reinforcement

Any consequence in Operant Condition where the learner is More Likely to Repeat the behavior.

Punishment

Any consequence in Operant Condition where the learner is Less Likely to Repeat the behavior.

Positive

In Operant Conditioning, a ____________(Positive/Negative) Consequence is one where something is Added.

Negative

In Operant Conditioning, a ____________(Positive/Negative) Consequence is one where something is Subtracted.

Positive Punishment

The Consequence in Operant Conditioning where an Undesirable Stimulus is Added.

Negative Punishment

The Consequence in Operant Conditioning where an Desirable Stimulus is Subtracted.

Positive Reinforcement

The Consequence in Operant Conditioning where an Desirable Stimulus is Added.

Negative Reinforcement

The Consequence in Operant Conditioning where an Undesirable Stimulus is Subtracted.

Corporal (Punishment)

Physical punishment used in schools.

Escape (Learning)

A type of Negative Reinforcement Learning that has the learner running away from a Negative stimulus Once They Receive It.

Avoidance (Learning)

A type of Negative Reinforcement Learning that has the learner running away from a Negative stimulus Preemptively since they have learned that it will come.

Primary (Reinforcer)

A Reinforcer that is Naturally and Innately reinforcing (Ex: Food, Water, Sex, Sleep).

Secondary (Reinforcer)

A Reinforcer whose value must be Learned (AKA Conditioned Reinforcer).

Token (Economy)

An Economy where tokens (coupons, poker chips...) are given for Good Behavior, which can later be Traded In for prizes/desirable reinforcers.

Continuous (Schedule)

A Schedule in Operant Conditioning where the consequence is delivered after Every instance of the goal behavior.

Intermittent/Partial (Schedule)

A Schedule in Operant Conditioning where a learner may have to perform a goal behavior Multiple Times or over some Length of Time before being reinforced.

Fixed Ratio (Schedule)

A type of Intermittent Schedule in Operant Conditioning where reinforcement is delivered after a Specified Number of Desired Responses.

Variable Ratio (Schedule)

A type of Intermittent Schedule in Operant Conditioning where reinforcement is delivered On Average a defined number of times (but not necessarily Exactly that many times).

Fixed Interval (Schedule)

A type of Intermittent Schedule in Operant Conditioning where reinforcement is delivered the First Time after a Specified Amount of Time has passed.

Variable Interval (Schedule)

A type of Intermittent Schedule in Operant Conditioning where reinforcement is delivered after some Interval of Time that can Change from one trial to the next.

Partial

_________________(Partial/Continuous) Schedules in Operant Conditioning are much more Resistant to Extinction.

Continuous

Learners learn a behavior More Rapidly with a ___________________(Intermittent/Continuous) Schedule of Reinforcement in Operant Conditioning.

Instinctual Drift

The tendency for learners to, when in doubt, Revert to Natural Behaviors and not those that are learned.

Premack Principle

This states that one should find what is reinforcing for a subject and Use That to reinforce Desired Behaviors that the subject is Not Likely to do On Their Own.

Contingency in operant conditioning

This states that in order for the most Reliable learning to occur, the Consequence must Reliably come after the Behavior.

Overjustification

The phenomenon where offering an Extrinsic Reward for a behavior an individual Already Enjoys can reduce their original, Intrinsic Motivation.

Operant

Superstitions are examples of ______________ Conditioning because they have been reinforced.

Classical Conditioning

A form of Reflexive learning based on making new Associations.

Unconditioned (Stimulus)

A Naturally occurring Stimulus in Classical Conditioning.

Unconditioned (Response)

A Naturally occurring Response in Classical Conditioning.

Conditioned (Stimulus)

A Learned stimulus that is often Paired with an unconditioned stimulus in Classical Conditioning.

Conditioned (Response)

A new, Learned response to a Conditioned Stimulus in Classical Conditioning.

(Ivan) Pavlov

The Father of Classical Conditioning who famously classically conditioned Dogs to Salivate at the sound of a Metronome.

John B(.) Watson

The Father of Behaviorism who famously performed the Little Albert experiment.

(Little) Albert

The Subject of John B. Watson's famous experiment with Phobias, Rats, and Classical Conditioning.

Taste Aversion

The Avoidance of a certain Taste altogether because it was previously paired with an unpleasant stimulus.

Biological Preparedness

The phenomenon where organisms have a Predisposition to form certain Connections considered to be Conditioned because it gives the organism an evolutionary Advantage (Ex: Taste Aversion).

Second Order (Conditioning)

The Classical Conditioning phenomenon of pairing an Unknown Conditioned Stimulus with a Learned Conditioned Stimulus to teach a new behavior with No Innate Stimuli directly involved.

Cognitive (Learning)

A type of Learning that involves Thinking and Mental Processes (other than Operant and Classical).

Insight (Learning)

A type of Cognitive Learning where, when Considering A Problem, an organism will Suddenly come up with the Solution seemingly out of nowhere.

(Wolfgang) Kohler

The 1920's psychologist who observed Insight Learning in Chimps.

Latent (Learning)

A type of Cognitive Learning where a behavior has been Acquired, but will not be Demonstrated until Reinforced/Given some other reason to do so.

Learned Helplessness

A type of Cognitive Learning where when one tries to do something and Continually Fails, they will quit trying altogether. A lack of Self Efficacy.

Social (Learning)

A type of Learning that comes from Watching others be reinforced for some action, then Performing that action Yourself (AKA - Observational Learning).

Self Efficacy

The sense that, after watching someone else do something, You Too could Successfully carry out that act and Control Its Outcomes to some extent - Confidence in your abilities.

Modeling

The act of Showing Some Behavior that others may learn with respect to Social Learning.

(Albert) Bandura

The psychologist who, in 1963, demonstrated Social Learning through his famous Bobo experiment with children observing adult models.

(Martin) Seligman

The psychologist who coined the term Learned Helplessness.

Cognitive Map

A Mental Representation of something that can be Called Up if there is incentive to do so (Like a map of a rat maze).

(Edward) Tolman

The psychologist who coined the term Latent Learning after his experiment involving different Reinforcement Patterns across three groups of rats navigating a maze.

Vicarious (Learning)

A type of Observational Learning that describes learning through the Consequences that other people get, and not merely through what they do.

Aversive (Conditioning)

A type of Classical Conditioning that seeks to Train Away an Unwanted Behavior by creating Negative associations with it.