Learning
the process of acquiring through experience new and relatively enduring information or behaviors
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)
Respondent Behavior
behavior that occurs as an automatic response to some stimulus
Operant Behavior
behavior that operates on the environment, producing consequences
Cognitive Learning
the acquisition of mental information, whether 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 processes. Most psychologists today agree with (1) but not with (2)
Acquisition
in classical conditioning, the initial stage, when one links a neutral stimulus and an unconditioned stimulus so that the neutral stimulus begins triggering the conditioned response. In operant conditioning, the strengthening of a reinforced response
Extinction
the diminishing of a conditioned response; occurs in classical conditioning when an unconditioned stimulus (US) does not follow a conditioned stimulus (CS); occurs in operant conditioning when a response is no longer reinforced
Operant Conditioning
a type of learning in which behavior is strengthened if followed by a reinforcer 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
Reinforcement
in operant conditioning, any event that strengthens the behavior it follows
Punishment
an event that tends to decrease the behavior that it follows
Observational Learning
learning by observing others
Latent Learning
learning that occurs but is not apparent until there is an incentive to demonstrate it
Cognitive Map
a mental representation of the layout of one’s environment. For example, after exploring a maze, rats act as if they have learned a cognitive map of it
Modeling
the process of observing and imitating a specific behavior
Memory
the persistence of learning over time through the encoding, storage, and retrieval of information
Recall
a measure of memory in which the person must receive information learned earlier, as on a fill-in-the-blank test
Recognition
a measure of memory in which the person identifies items previously learned, as on a multiple-choice test
Relearning
a measure of memory that assesses the amount of time saved when learning material again
Storage
the process of retaining encoded information over time
Retrieval
the process of getting information out of memory storage
Chunking
organizing items into familiar, manageable units; often occurs automatically
Mnemonics
memory aids, especially those techniques that use vivid imagery and organizational devices
Hippocampus
a neural center located in the limbic system; helps process explicit memories for storage
Flashbulb Memory
a clear memory of an emotionally significant moment or event
Serial position effect
our tendency to recall best the last (recency effect) and first (primary effect) items in a list
Retrograde Amnesia
an inability to retrieve information from one’s past
Anterograde Amnesia
an inability to form new memories
Proactive Inteference
the forward-acting disruptive effect of prior learning on the recall of new information
Retroactive Interference
the backward-acting disruptive effect of new learning on the recall of old information