Unit 3 Area of Study Two - Learning and Memory

Flashcards covering key concepts related to how people learn and remember, including behaviorist, social-cognitive approaches, memory types, and techniques.

Classical Conditioning

A learning process in which a neutral stimulus becomes paired with an unconditioned stimulus to elicit a conditioned response.

Operant Conditioning

A form of learning in which the consequences of a behavior influence the likelihood of that behavior being repeated.

Unconditioned Stimulus (UCS)

Any stimulus that naturally and automatically triggers a response without any prior learning.

Unconditioned Response (UCR)

The unlearned, naturally occurring response to the unconditioned stimulus.

Conditioned Stimulus (CS)

An originally neutral stimulus that, after association with an unconditioned stimulus, comes to trigger a conditioned response.

Conditioned Response (CR)

The learned response to a previously neutral stimulus that has been conditioned.

Reinforcement

Any consequence that strengthens the likelihood of a behavior occurring again in the future.

Positive Reinforcement

The addition of a pleasant stimulus after a behavior to increase the likelihood of that behavior being repeated.

Negative Reinforcement

The removal of an unpleasant stimulus after a behavior to increase the likelihood of that behavior being repeated.

Positive Punishment

The addition of an unpleasant stimulus after a behavior to decrease the likelihood of that behavior being repeated.

Negative Punishment

The removal of a pleasant stimulus after a behavior to decrease the likelihood of that behavior being repeated.

Social Learning Theory

The theory that people learn behavior through observation and imitation of others.

Observational Learning

Learning that occurs by observing the behavior of a model and the consequences of that behavior.

Attention

The process of focusing on a model’s behavior, which is the first stage of observational learning.

Retention

The ability to remember the behavior that has been observed, the second stage of observational learning.

Reproduction (in learning)

The physical and mental capability to imitate the behavior that has been observed, the third stage of observational learning.

Motivation (in learning)

The desire to replicate the observed behavior, influenced by past experiences of reinforcement or punishment.

Episodic Memory

Memory of personal experiences and specific events, including contextual details.

Semantic Memory

Memory of facts, concepts, and knowledge about the world without recollection of specific experiences.

Long-term Memory (LTM)

The relatively permanent and unlimited storage of information.

Short-term Memory (STM)

The storage system that retains information for a limited duration and capacity.

Sensory Memory

The initial storage area that briefly holds sensory information.

Chunking

A memory strategy that groups information into larger, meaningful units to enhance retention.

Method of Loci

A mnemonic technique that involves visualizing the items to be remembered in specific physical locations.

Aphantasia

The inability to form mental images, affecting a person’s ability to visualize during recall.

Alzheimer's Disease

A progressive neurodegenerative disease that causes memory loss, confusion, and cognitive decline.

Kinship (in Aboriginal culture)

The network of relationships defining roles, responsibilities, and knowledge sharing within a community.

Songlines

Oral traditions of Aboriginal peoples that encode navigational knowledge and cultural stories through song.

Reinforcement (vs. Punishment)

Reinforcement increases behavior probability, while punishment decreases it.