Learning EXAM 2 Feb 17th

What is operant conditioning?

A learning process where a target behavior is followed by reinforcement or punishment to strengthen or weaken the behavior.

What is positive reinforcement?

Adding something pleasant to increase a behavior.

What is negative punishment?

Taking away something pleasant to decrease a behavior.

What occurs during the acquisition phase of operant conditioning?

It is the learning phase where the response is established.

What is spontaneous recovery?

The sudden emergence of an extinguished response after a rest period.

What is the discriminative stimulus?

A stimulus that signals the presence of reinforcement.

Why is reinforcement preferred over punishment?

Reinforcement teaches what to do, while punishment only teaches what not to do.

What is shaping in the context of operant conditioning?

Training more complex behavior by reinforcing gradually closer versions of the target behavior.

What are primary reinforcers?

Innate, natural reinforcers with built-in qualities like food, water, sleep, and touch.

What are secondary reinforcers?

Reinforcers that have no inherent value and only have reinforcing qualities when linked with primary reinforcers.

What is continuous reinforcement?

Reinforcement given after every desired behavior.

What is variable ratio reinforcement?

Reinforcement is delivered after an unpredictable number of responses.

What is latent learning?

Learning that occurs but is not immediately reflected in behavior.

What does observational learning involve?

Watching others and then imitating or modeling their behavior.

Who proposed social learning theory?

Albert Bandura.

What are the four key steps in observational learning?

Attention, Retention, Reproduction, and Motivation.

What is systematic desensitization?

A treatment for phobias that gradually exposes the patient to their feared stimulus while ensuring relaxation.

What is classical conditioning?

A learning process where an organism associates one stimulus with another.

What are the phases of classical conditioning?

Before conditioning, during conditioning, and after conditioning.

What is the unconditioned stimulus (UCS)?

A stimulus that elicits an automatic response.

What is a conditioned stimulus (CS)?

A previously neutral stimulus that now elicits a response due to association with an unconditioned stimulus.

What is the law of effect?

Behaviors followed by satisfying consequences are more likely to be repeated.

What is positive punishment?

Adding an undesirable stimulus to decrease a behavior.

What does a fixed interval schedule entail?

Reinforcement delivered at predictable times.

What is taste aversion?

A learned response where one develops a dislike for a food after becoming ill from it.

What is stimulus generalization?

Demonstrating a conditioned response to stimuli that are similar to the conditioned stimulus.

What is stimulus discrimination?

Learning to respond differently to stimuli that are similar.

Who is known as the founder of behaviorism?

John B. Watson.

What was the purpose of Bandura's Bobo Doll experiment?

To study the effects of observational learning and vicarious reinforcement/punishment.

What is behaviorism?

A perspective in psychology that emphasizes observable behaviors over internal processes.

What can result from excessive punishment?

Fear of the punishing individual, modeling aggressive behavior, and anxiety.

What is the role of cognition in radical behaviorism?

Radical behaviorism denies the importance of cognitive processes.

What is the effect of vicarious reinforcement?

Encourages individuals to imitate behaviors that they observe being rewarded.

What is an example of a primary reinforcer?

Food or water, as these meet basic needs.

What is a token economy?

A system where individuals earn tokens for exhibiting appropriate behavior, which can be exchanged for rewards.

How does variable interval reinforcement affect behavior?

Causes a moderate but steady response rate.

What is spontaneous recovery in classical conditioning?

The reappearance of a previously extinguished conditioned response after a rest period.