VCE Unit 3 Psychology - Learning

motivation

Processes within an organism which activate behaviour that is directed towards achieving a particular goal

neutral stimulus (NS)

In classical conditioning, any object or event that does not normally produce a predictable response; becomes a conditioned stimulus through repeated association with the unconditioned stimulus

reflex

An unconscious, automatic, involuntary reaction to a stimulus that occurs in the same way each time

social-cognitive approach (to learning)

Emphasises the role of cognitive processes such as attention, memory and motivation in learning, in addition to environmental stimuli such as conditioning, reinforcement and punishment; see also observational learning

unconditioned stimulus (UCS)

In classical conditioning, any stimulus that consistently produces a particular naturally occurring, involuntary response (i.e. an unconditioned response)

behaviourist approach to learning

Emphasises the study of observable behaviour alone to understand and explain learning, without regard to underlying mental processes see classical conditioning and operant conditioning

conditioning

A learning process through which stimuli and responses become associated with one another

discriminative stimulus

The antecedent stimulus that has stimulus control over behaviour because the behaviour was reliably reinforced in the presence of that stimulus in the past

negative reinforcement

The removal of an unpleasant or aversive stimulus, thereby strengthening or making a desired response more likely to reoccur; compare with positive reinforcement

positive reinforcer

Stimulus that strengthens or increases the frequency or likelihood of a desired response by providing a satisfying consequence

reinforcement

When a stimulus strengthens or increases the frequency or likelihood of a response that it follows; may also refer to the process of administering the stimulus (i.e. reinforcer); see also positive reinforcement and negative reinforcement

reinforce

To strengthen or support an existing feeling, idea, or habit

reproduction (in observational learning)

When a behaviour that has been closely attended to and retained in memory is imitated

social learning

The process of learning by observing the social interactions and behaviours of others

vicarious conditioning

In observational learning, when an individual observes a model displaying behaviour that is either reinforced or punished and later behaves in the same way, in a modified way, or refrains from doing so as a result of the observation

vicarious reinforcement

Being conditioned indirectly by observing someone else's reinforcement

antecedent

What happens just before something else

attention

The process of focusing on specific stimuli or aspects of the sensory environment whilst ignoring and therefore excluding others; in observational learning - the first step in the process which involves watching a model's behaviour and its consequences

behaviour

Any action made by a living person (or animal) that can be observed or measured

behaviourism

The theory that human and animal behaviour can be explained in terms of conditioning, without appeal to thoughts or feelings, and that psychological disorders are best treated by altering behaviour patterns

classical conditioning

A three-phase learning process (before conditioning, during conditioning and after conditioning) that results in the involuntary association between a neutral stimulus and unconditioned stimulus to produce a conditioned response; see also three-phase model of classical conditioning

conditioned response (CR)

In classical conditioning, the learned or acquired response to the conditioned stimulus

conditioned stimulus (CS)

In classical conditioning, the stimulus that is initially neutral and does not normally produce the unconditioned response but eventually becomes associated with the unconditioned stimulus and elicits a conditioned response

consequence

In operant conditioning, the environmental event that occurs immediately after the relevant behaviour and has an effect on the occurrence of the behaviour

learning

A relatively permanent change in behaviour due to experience

maturation

The action or process of maturing

negative punishment

The removal or loss of a desirable stimulus thereby weakening or decreasing the likelihood of a response recurring again; compare with positive punishment

negative reinforcer

Any unpleasant or aversive stimulus that, when removed or avoided, strengthens or increases the frequency or likelihood of a desired response; compare with positive reinforcer

observational learning

Acquisition of information, skills or behaviour through watching the performance of others, either directly or indirectly; involves a sequence of processes called attention, retention, reproduction, motivation and reinforcement; also called modelling

operant

Any response (or set of responses) that acts on the environment to produce some kind of consequence

operant conditioning

A learning process whereby the consequences of a behaviour (e.g reward or punishment) determine the likelihood that it will be performed again in the future; see also three-phase model of operant conditioning

positive punishment

Presentation of an unpleasant stimulus that weakens a response or decreases the likelihood of the response occurring again; compare with negative punishment

positive reinforcement

Presentation of a positive reinforcer following a desired response; compare with negative reinforcement

punishment

Delivery of an unpleasant consequence following a response, or the removal of a pleasant consequence following a response, in order to weaken a response or decrease the likelihood of it occurring again; see also positive punishment and negative punishment

response

A reaction by an organism to a stimulus

retention (in observational learning)

Remembering a behaviour that has been closely attended to

stimulus

Any object or event that elicits (produces) a response from an organism

three-phase model of operant conditioning

Explains operant conditioning as occurring in a specific sequence: (1) presence of an antecedent stimulus that occurs before the behaviour; (2) the behaviour that occurs due to the antecedent and (3) the consequence to the behaviour; see operant conditioning

vicarious punishment

Being conditioned indirectly by observing someone else's punishment

unconditioned response (UCR)

In classical conditioning, an involuntary response that occurs when the unconditioned stimulus is presented

way of knowing

Different ways people arrive at a sense of knowledge of the world and respective fields