Unit 6: Learning Key Vocabulary

Practice vocabulary flashcards defining core terms, schedules of reinforcement, and processes of classical, operant, and observational learning from Unit 6.

Acquisition

Period of initial learning in classical conditioning in which a human or an animal begins to connect a neutral stimulus and an unconditioned stimulus so that the neutral stimulus will begin to elicit the conditioned response.

Associative learning

Form of learning that involves connecting certain stimuli or events that occur together in the environment (classical and operant conditioning).

Classical conditioning

Learning in which the stimulus or experience occurs before the behavior and then gets paired or associated with the behavior.

Cognitive map

Mental picture of the layout of the environment.

Conditioned response (CR)

Response caused by the conditioned stimulus.

Conditioned stimulus (CS)

Stimulus that elicits a response due to its being paired with an unconditioned stimulus.

Continuous reinforcement

Rewarding a behavior every time it occurs.

Extinction

Decrease in the conditioned response when the unconditioned stimulus is no longer paired with the conditioned stimulus.

Fixed interval reinforcement schedule

Behavior is rewarded after a set amount of time.

Fixed ratio reinforcement schedule

Set number of responses must occur before a behavior is rewarded.

Higher-order conditioning (also, second-order conditioning)

Using a conditioned stimulus to condition a neutral stimulus.

Instinct

Unlearned knowledge, involving complex patterns of behavior; instincts are thought to be more prevalent in lower animals than in humans.

Latent learning

Learning that occurs, but is not demonstrated until needed

Law of effect

Behavior that is followed by consequences satisfying to the organism will be repeated and behaviors that are followed by unpleasant consequences will be discouraged.

Learning

Change in behavior or knowledge resulting from experience.

Model

Person who performs a behavior that serves as an example (in observational learning).

Negative punishment

Taking away a pleasant stimulus to decrease or stop a behavior.

Negative reinforcement

Taking away an undesirable stimulus to increase a behavior.

Neutral stimulus (NS)

Stimulus that does not initially elicit a response.

Observational learning

Type of learning that occurs by watching others.

Operant conditioning

Form of learning in which the stimulus/experience happens after the behavior is demonstrated.

Partial reinforcement

Rewarding behavior only some of the time.

Positive punishment

Adding an undesirable stimulus to stop or decrease a behavior.

Positive reinforcement

Adding a desirable stimulus to increase a behavior.

Primary reinforcer

Has innate reinforcing qualities (e.g., food, water, shelter, sex).

Punishment

Implementation of a consequence in order to decrease a behavior.

Radical behaviorism

Staunch form of behaviorism developed by B. F. Skinner that suggested that even complex higher mental functions like human language are nothing more than stimulus-outcome associations.

Reflex

Unlearned, automatic response by an organism to a stimulus in the environment.

Reinforcement

Implementation of a consequence in order to increase a behavior.

Secondary reinforcer

Has no inherent value unto itself and only has reinforcing qualities when linked with something else (e.g., money, gold stars, poker chips).

Shaping

Rewarding successive approximations toward a target behavior.

Spontaneous recovery

Return of a previously extinguished conditioned response.

Stimulus discrimination

Ability to respond differently to similar stimuli.

Stimulus generalization

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

Unconditioned response (UCR)

Natural (unlearned) behavior to a given stimulus.

Unconditioned stimulus (UCS)

Stimulus that elicits a reflexive response.

Variable interval reinforcement schedule

Behavior is rewarded after unpredictable amounts of time have passed.

Variable ratio reinforcement schedule

random number of responses is needed before reward

Vicarious punishment

Process where the observer sees the model punished, making the observer less likely to imitate the model’s behavior.

Vicarious reinforcement

Process where the observer sees the model rewarded, making the observer more likely to imitate the model’s behavior.