AP psych unit 3 vocab words

Behavioral Perspective

how we learn observable responses

classical conditioning

a type of learning in which one learns to link two or more stimuli and anticipate events

association

a group of people who have gathered based on similar goals or beliefs

acquisition

the phase of classical conditioning when the CS and the US are presented together

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).

unconditioned stimulus

in classical conditioning, a stimulus that unconditionally—naturally and automatically—triggers a response.

unconditioned response

In classical conditioning, the unlearned, naturally occurring response to the unconditioned stimulus (US), such as salivation when food is in the mouth.

conditioned response

a learned response to a previously neutral stimulus

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.

spontaneous recovery

the reappearance, after a pause, of an extinguished conditioned response

stimulus discrimination

a differentiation between two similar stimuli when only one of them is consistently associated with the unconditioned stimulus

stimulus generalization

the tendency to respond to a stimulus that is only similar to the original conditioned stimulus with the conditioned response

higher-order conditioning

occurs when a strong conditioned stimulus is paired with a neutral stimulus, causing the neutral stimulus to become a second conditioned stimulus

counterconditioning

A behavior therapy procedure that conditions new responses to stimuli that trigger unwanted behaviors; based on classical conditioning. Includes exposure therapies and aversive conditioning.

taste aversion

a learned avoidance of a particular food

one-trial conditioning

when one pairing of CS and a US produces considerable learning

biological preparedness

a propensity for learning particular kinds of associations over others

habitutation

decreasing responsiveness with repeated stimulation. As infants gain familiarity with repeated exposure to a visual stimulus, their interest wanes and they look away sooner.

operant conditioning

a type of learning in which behavior is strengthened if followed by a reinforcer or diminished if followed by a punisher

Reinforcement

any event that strengthens the behavior it follows

punishment

an event that decreases the behavior that it follows

law of effect

Thorndike's principle that behaviors followed by favorable consequences become more likely, and that behaviors followed by unfavorable consequences become less likely

positive reinforcement

Increasing behaviors by presenting positive stimuli, such as food. when any stimulus that, when presented after a response, strengthens the response.

negative reinforcement

Increasing behaviors by stopping or reducing negative stimuli, such as shock. is any stimulus that, when removed after a response, strengthens the response.

Primary reinforcers

Events that are inherently reinforcing because they satisfy biological needs

secondary reinforcers

learned reinforcers, such as money, that develop their reinforcing properties because of their association with primary reinforcers

reinforcement discrimination

In OC, a stimulus that increases the probability of a response because of a previous history of reinforcement in the presence of that stimulus.

Reinforcement generalization

The tendency to respond to stimuli similar to the original stimulus that was reinforced.

shaping

an operant conditioning procedure in which reinforcers guide behavior toward closer and closer approximations of the desired behavior

instinctive drift

the tendency of learned behavior to gradually revert to biologically predisposed patterns

superstitious behavior

a behavior repeated because it seems to produce reinforcement, even though it is actually unnecessary

learned helpleness

the hopelessness and passive resignation someone learns when unable to avoid repeated negative events

reinforcement schedule

a pattern that defines how often a desired response will be reinforced

continuous reinforcement

reinforcing the desired response every time it occurs

partial reinforcement

reinforcing a response only part of the time; results in slower acquisition of a response but much greater resistance to extinction than does continuous reinforcement

Fixed interval

reinforces a response only after a specified time has elapsed

Variable interval

reinforces a response at unpredictable time intervals

fixed ratio

reinforces a response only after a specified number of responses

variable ratio

reinforces a response after an unpredictable number of responses

scalloped graph

The graphed pattern of a fixed interval reinforcement schedule

modeling

the process of observing and imitating a specific behavior

insight learning

The process of learning how to solve a problem or do something new by applying what is already known

latent learning

learning that occurs but is not apparent until there is an incentive to demonstrate it

Cognitive Maps

An internal representation of the spatial relationships between objects in an animal's surroundings.