learning + cognition exam 1 - Dr. Poole

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