UWRF Psych: Behaviorism

Classical conditioning

A learning process that occurs when two stimuli are repeatedly paired, a response which is at first from the second stimulus happens from only the first stimulus

Parts of classical conditioning

Neutral stimulus, unconditioned stimulus, unconditioned response, conditioned stimulus, conditioned response

Neutral stimulus

No response

Unconditioned stimulus

Stimulus that creates an unconditioned response

Unconditioned response

Response without being conditioned

Conditioned stimulus

Stimulus that creates a conditioned response

Conditioned response

Response that was conditioned

Acquisition

The process of developing an association between a neutral stimulus and an unconditioned stimulus

Extinction

When you stop pairing the conditioned stimulus with the unconditioned stimulus, over time the response disappears

Spontaneous recovery

After extinction the response suddenly comes back

Discrimination

When you discriminate between different stimuli and respond appropriately

John Watson

Founder of behaviorism, baby albert experiment

John Garcia

Taste aversion experiment

Operant conditioning

Actions associated with consequences

Edward Thorndike's law of effect

Our behavior operates on consequences

Positive reinforcement

Add a desirable stimulus

Negative reinforcement

Remove an undesirable stimulus

Positive punishment

Administer an aversive stimulus

Negative punishment

Withdraw a rewarding stimulus

Shaping

Technique in which the desired behavior is molded by rewarding anything similar to that behavior and then needing closer and closer things to get the reward

Aversive control

Influencing behavior through unpleasant stimuli

Types of aversive control

Avoidance and escape conditioning

Escape conditioning

Training an organism to get rid of an unpleasant stimulus that is already being experienced

Avoidance conditioning

Training an organism to respond to prevent the occurrence of an unpleasant stimulus

Primary reinforcer

An innately reinforcing stimulus such as one that satisfies a biological need

Conditioned reinforcer

Aka secondary reinforcer, stimulus that gains its reinforcing power through its association with a primary reinforcer

Continuous reinforcement

Reinforcing the desired response every time it happens

Partial (intermittent) reinforcement

Reinforcing a response only part of the time, results in slower acquisition of a response but more resistance to extinction than continuous reinforcement

4 reinforcement schedules

Fixed ratio, variable ratio, fixed interval, variable interval

Fixed ratio

Reinforcement after every so many times of the behavior

Variable ratio

Reinforcement after a random number of the behavior

Fixed interval

Reinforcement for behavior after a fixed time

Variable interval

Reinforcement for behavior after a random amount of time

Albert Bandura

Developed social learning theory

Social learning theory

Proposes that learning happens through observation and imitation, challenges the idea that direct experience is necessary for learning

Components of social learning theory

Attention, retention, reproduction, motivation

Attention

Observing the model’s behavior

Retention

Remembering the observed behavior

Reproduction

Ability to replicate the behavior

Motivation

Having a reason to imitate the behavior

Modeling

The process of observing and imitating a specific behavior

Mimicry

Short term copying of an action

Vicarious conditioning

Learning from observing consequences of others’ actions

Model similarity

The more similar a model is, the more likely their behavior is learned

Latent learning (Edward Tolman)

Learning that happens but is not apparent until there is a reason to demonstrate it

Insight

A sudden realization of a solution to a problem

Self efficacy

The belief in one’s ability to succeed in specific situations

Instinctive drift

Tendency for animals to revert to instinctive behaviors despite conditioning

Biological preparedness

Innate readiness to form certain associations