AP PSYCH-CHAPTER 6

Learning

the process of acquiring new and relatively enduring info or behaviors

Habituation

an organisms decreasing response to a stimulus with repeated exposure to it

Associative learning

learning that certain events occur together

The events may be two stimuli (as in classical conditioning) or a response and its consequences (as in operant conditioning)

Stimulus

any event or situation that evokes a response

Cognitive learning

The acquisition of mental information, Heather by observing events, by watching others, or through language

Classical conditioning

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

Behaviorism

the view that psychology (1) should be an objective science that (2) studies behavior without reference to mental process

Most research psychologists agree with (1) and not (2)

Neutral stimulus (NS)

in c.c a stimulus that elicits no response before conditioning

Unconditioned response (UR)

in c.c, a stimulus, an unlearned, naturally occurring response to an unconditioned stimulus

application: your mouth salivating when you smell or eat food

Unconditioned stimulus (US)

in c.c, a stimulus that unconditionally- naturally + automatically- triggers a response (UR)

Conditioned response (CR)

in c.c, a learned response to a previously neutral (BUT now conditioned stimulus) (CS)

Acquisition

in c.c, the initial stage, when one links a neutral stimulus and an unconditioned stimulus so that the neutral stimulus begins triggering the conditioned response. In o.c, the strengthening of reinforced response.

Higher-ordering conditioning

a procedure in which the conditioned stimulus is one conditioned experience is paired with a new neutral stimulus, creating a 2nd (often weaker) conditioned stimulus

Extinction

the diminishing of a conditioned stimulus (US) does not follow a conditioned stimulus; occurs in o.c when a response is no longer reinforced

Spontaneous recovery

the reappearance, after a pause, of an extinguished conditioned response

Generalization

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

Discrimination

in c.c, the learned ability to distinguish between a conditioned stimulus + stimuli that do not signal an unconditioned stimulus

Operant Conditioning

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

Law of effect

Throndike’s principle that behaviors followed by favorable consequences become more likely, and that behaviors followed by unfavorable consequences become less likely

Operant Chamber

in o.c research, a chamber (also known as skinners box) containing a bar or key that an animal can manipulate to obtain a food or water reinforcer, attached deices records the animals rate of ar pressing or key pecking

Reinforcement

in o.c, any event that strengthens that behavior it follows

Shaping

In o.c, procedure in which reinforcers guide behavior towered closer approximations of the desired behavior

Discriminative stimulus

in o.c, a stimulus that elicits a response after association with reinforcement (in contrast to related stimuli not associated with reinforcement)

Positive reinforcement

increasing behaviors by presenting positive reinforcers → this will strengthen the response

application: a coach making you do drills you will enjoy more

Negative reinforcement

increasing behaviors by stopping or reducing negative stimuli. A negative reinforcer is any stimulus that, when removed after a response strengthens the response (negative reinforcement is not a punishment)

application:

Primary Reinforcer

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

Conditioned reinforcer

a stimulus that gains its reinforcing power through its association with a primary reinforcer; also known as a secondary reinforcer

Reinforcement schedule

a pattern that defines how ow=often a desired response will be reinforced

Continuous reinforcement

reinforcing the desired response everytime it occurs

Partial (intermittent) Reinforrcement

reinforcing a response only part of the time; results in slower acquisitions of a response but much greater resistance to extinction than does continuous reinforcement

Fixed-ratio schedule

in o.c, a reinforcement schedule that reinforces a response only after a specified number of responses

Variable-ratio schedule

in o.c, a reinforcement schedule that reinforces a response after an unpredictable number of responses

Fixed-interval schedule

in o.c, a reinforcement schedule that reinforces a response only after a specified time has elasped

Variable-interval schedule

in o.c, a reinforcement schedule that reinforces a response at unpredictable time intervals

Punishment

an event that tends to decrease the behavior that follows it

Respondent behavior

behavior that occurs as an automatic response to some stimulus

Operant Behavior

behavior that operates on the environment producing consequences

Cognitive map

a mental representation of the layout of one’s environment

application: map of nkhs that you have in your head

Latent Learning

learning that occurs but is not apparent until there is an intensive to demonstratei t

Insight

a sudden realization of a problem’s solution

Intrinsic motivation

a desire to perform a behavior effectively for its own sake

Extrinsic motivation

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

Coping

alleviating stress using emotional, cognitive, or behavioral methods

Problem-focused coping

attempting to alleviate stress directly-by changing the stressor or the way we interact with that stessor

Emotion focused coping

attempting to alleviate stress by avoiding or ignoring a stessor and attending to emotional needs related to one’s stress reaction

Learned helplessness

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

application: a student failing every class and not doing anything to help themselves

giving up entirely

External locus of control

the perception that chance or outside forces beyond our personal control determine our fate

application: external → outside

Internal locus of control

the perception that you control your own fate

application: internal → inside → you

Self-control

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

Observational learning

Learning by observing others

Modeling

the process of observing an imitating a specific behavior

Mirror neurons

frontal lobe neurons that some scientists believe fire when performing certain actions or when observing another doing so. The brain’s mirroring of another’s action may enable imitation and empathy

Prosocial behavior

positive, constructive, helpful behavior

opposite of antisocial behavior