learning + cognition exam 1 - Dr. Poole

define tabula rasa

define tabula rasa

- means blank slate

- this is a fundamental cornerstone of behaviorism, the environment writes itself upon your personality

- Locke coined this term

define empiricism

- your learning comes through experience and data

- formation of assosciation (Aristotle)

define structuralism

wanting to study what makes up the way you think

define functionalism

wanting to study the usefulness of psychological function

example - using facial symmetry to find someone attractive

define nativism

all knowledge is inborn; introduced by Plato

Neuroplasticity

the brain's ability to change its structure and function in response to experience or damage

synaptic pruning

"use it or lose it" principle; the deletion of old or unused neural connections

3 main structures in the brain where learning occurs

- frontal lobe: "higher functions" (planning, abstract reasoning, motivation, making choices, attention)

• hippocampus: binding, creating, consolidating of memory,

- amygdala - emotional significance

behaviorism

- founded by John Watson

- learning involves a change in behavior

classical conditioning + Pavlov

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

- Ivan Pavlov

- studied digestion in dogs

- measured saliva when dogs are given powdered meat

- dogs salivated at the anticipation of the food

operant conditioning

- believes in the principle of ecopotentionality, they they can be conditioned the same

- creates personality, intelligence, differently

- coined by Edward Thorndike

define reinforcer

behavior that is trying to get you to do something

what are the conditions for operant conditioning

- the reinforcer/punishment should follow the response

- ideally, the reinforcer/punishment should follow immediately

- the reinforcer/punishment should be contingent on the response

define punishment

any stimulus designed to decrease an organisms behavior

differentiate between classical and operant

- classical conditioning associates an involuntary response and a stimulus

- operant conditioning associates a voluntary action with a consequence

define systematic desensitization

- more popular and effective

- definition: gradual, slow exposure to the stimulus

factors influencing brain development and learning

- heredity (nature + genetics)

- environmental factors

- experience

- physical exercise

- laterality of function (means that the two hemispheres process differently)

Synaptogenesis

formation of synapses, neurons

myelination

the formation of a fatty sheath around the axons of a neuron

brain myths

- left-brained: we use both sides, they may process a little differently, but they are getting the same stimulus

- brain-training: brain training makes you better at the activities you are "training" but there is no good evidence that proves it helps developed the brain outside of that one task

- we only use 10% of our brain - we use all of our brain!

define premark principle

- coined by David Premack

- def: a desirable activity, can be used to reinforce a less desirable one

define shaping

- rewarding successive approximations

- slowly reinforcing toward a target behavior

define ratio schedules

- about the number of responses

- fixed ratio: reinforcement given after action completed a set number of times

- variable ratio: vary to change; reinforcement after the action is completed a varying amount of time

define interval schedules

- fixed interval: reinforcement given after a set time if action is completed

- variable interval: reinforcement is given after varying periods of times if action is completed

define primary reinforces

- biological necessity, have to have them in order to be alive

secondary reinforcers

not required for survival, often used to access primary reinforcers