Key Concepts in Learning and Conditioning

Habituation

A decrease in response to a stimulus after repeated stimulation. (DONE CONCIOUSLY)

--> ex: A squirrel that becomes less afraid of people after being approached by a person multiple time

Associative learning

Learning occurs when an association is formed between two stimuli or a behavior and a stimulus.

Classical conditioning

Form of Associative Learning--> A learning process that occurs when two stimulis to elicit a desired response/behavior

--> unconscious association

Neutral stimulus

A stimulus that produces no specific response --> bell (bell is not associated with learning yet)

Unconditioned response

An unlearned reaction to an unconditioned stimulus; automatic response before

--> Salivation

Unconditioned stimulus

A stimulus that elicits a response without the need of a conditionitiong --> natural & automatic (biological stimulus)

(food creates saliva—no need for bell)

Acquisition

The stage of learning when a neutral stimulus becomes conditioned stimulus, and conditioned stimulus is associated with conditioned response

--> Learning in where a response is established due to conditioning

Classical Conditioning: Acquisition is the phase when the neutral stimulus (e.g., a bell) is repeatedly paired with an unconditioned stimulus (e.g., food) until the neutral stimulus alone elicits the conditioned response (e.g., salivation).

Operant Conditioning: Acquisition refers to the phase when the subject learns to associate a behavior with a consequence (reinforcement or punishment), leading to an increase or decrease in that behavior.

Higher-order conditioning

A form of learning in which a conditioned stimulus is paired with a new neutral stimulus

--> you added on new neutral stimulus from the bell

Spontaneous recovery

The reappearance of a conditioned response after a pause.

Generalization

The tendency to elicit the conditioned response to stimuluses that are similar to the conditioned stimulus.

Operant conditioning

A method of learning that occurs through rewards and punishments for a desired behavior.

Operant chamber

A device that tests how animals learn through conditioning (Thorndike)

Reinforcement

Any event that strengthens or increases the likelihood of a behavior (can be something negative or positive)

Shaping

Operant Conditioning—Rewarding a behavior and slowly guiding slowly step by step towards desire behavior

Discriminative stimulus

A cue that tells a person or animal when a certain behavior will be rewarded or punished. It helps them know when to act a certain way.

Positive reinforcement

The addition of a pleasurable stimulus following a desired behavior.

Negative reinforcement

The removal of a pleasurable stimulus to increase a behavior.

Primary reinforce

A type of reinforcer that is naturally and biologically rewarding, such as food or water.

Secondary Reinforcer

A type of reinforcer that you learn to want/desire

Reinforcement schedule

A pattern that describes the reinforcer of a desired response

Continuous reinforcement

Reinforcing the desired response every time it occurs.

Partial reinforcement

Reinforcing a response only sometimes

Fixed-ratio schedule

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

Variable interval schedule

A reinforcement schedule where reinforcement comes after a RANDOM number of times (clock time)

Punishment

An event that decreases the behavior that it follows.

Latent learning

Type of learning that occurs without any immediate reward or obvious behavior change (and only becomes apparent when there is motivation to use it)

--> happens without any obvious immediate reinforcement or outward behavior change. It occurs when we acquire knowledge or skills but don't show them until there's a reason or motivation to do so.

(ex: mom drives you home everyday so you learn the route home too)

Intrinsic motivation

The desire to perform a behavior for its own sake.

Extrinsic motivation

The desire to perform a behavior to receive promised rewards or avoid threatened punishment.

Learned helplessness

When an individual feels powerless to change a situation after repeated exposure to uncontrollable negative events. Over time, they stop trying to avoid or escape the situation, even when change is possible.

External locus of control

The perception that chance or outside forces determine one's fate.

Internal locus of control

The perception that one controls their own fate.

Observational learning

Learning by observing others.

Modeling

The process of observing and imitating a specific behavior.

Mirror neurons

Neurons that fire both when an action is performed and when the same action is observed.

Variable Ratio

Provides a reinforcement randomly number of responses