AP Psych-Unit 4 -Conditioning

Learning

Any relatively permanent change in behavior brought about by change or practice.

Behaviorists

Believed psychology should be the scientific study of observable behaviors and that all learning occurs through interaction with the enviornment

Classical Conditioning

Forming an association between two stimuli resulting in a learned response.

Neutral Stimulus

Produce no effect until paired with an unconditioned stimulus.

Unconditioned Stimulus

Naturally and automatically trigger an unconditioned response or reflex.

Unconditioned Response

An unlearned response that occurs naturally in response to the unconditioned stimulus.

Conditioned Stimulus

Previously neutral stimulus that, after associated with unconditioned stimulus, triggers a conditioned response.

Conditioned Response

Learned response to the previously neutral stimulus(conditioned stimulus).

Acquisition

First stage of learning when a response is first established and gradually strengthened.

Higher-Order Conditioning(Second-Order)

A procedure in which the conditioned stimulus is paired with a new neutral stimulus, creating a second conditioned stimulus.

Extinction

Occurrences of a conditioned response decrease and disappear when no longer paired with an unconditioned stimulus.

Spontaneous Recovery

Return of a previously extinguished conditioned response following a rest period.

Stimulus Generalization

Tendency for the conditioned stimulus to evoke similar responses after the response has been conditioned.

Stimulus Discrimination

Ability to differentiate between conditioned stimulus and other stimuli that haven't been paired with an unconditioned stimulus.

Taste Aversion

Avoidance of a certain food following a period of illness after consuming that food.

Biological Preparedness

Some associations form more readily because they aid in survival.

Law of Effect

Thorndike's principle that actions that follow desirable consequences are more likely to be repeated than those following undesirable outcomes.

Operant Conditioning

Method of learning that occurs through rewards and punishments for behavior.

Shaping

Reinforcers gradually guide an animal's actions toward a desired behavior.

Chaining

Breaks tasks down into small steps and teaches those steps within the sequence itself.

Reinforcing Stimulus

Any event that strengthens the behavior it follows.

Positive Reinforcement

Adding something good to increase a behavior.

Negative Reinforcement

Removing something bad to increase a behavior.

Primary Reinforcement

Occurs naturally and doesn't require learning. Evolutionary basis: food, air, sleep, water, and sex.

Secondary (Conditioned) Reinforcers

Stimuli that have become rewarding by being paired with another reinforcing stimulus. Ex: money

Token Reinforcer

Symbols or tokens that can be exchanged for other reinforcers. Ex: arcade tickets

Punishment

Adverse event or outcome that causes a decrease in the behavior it follows.

Positive Punishment

Adding something bad to decrease a behavior.

Negative Punishment

Removing something good to decrease a behavior.

Overjustification Effect

Being rewarded for doing something diminishes intrinsic motivation.

Schedules of Reinforcement

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

Continuous Reinforcement

Desired behavior is reinforced each and every time it occurs.

Partial Reinforcement

The response is reinforced only part of the time, less quick to learn, but sticks longer.

Fixed-Ratio Schedule

Reinforced only after a specific number of responses.

Variable-Ratio Schedule

Response is reinforced after an unpredictable number of responses.

Fixed-Interval Schedule

First response is rewarded only after a specific amount of time has gone by.

Variable-Interval Schedule

A response is rewarded after an unpredictable amount of time has passed.

Observational Learning

L:earning through watching others. "Monkey see, monkey do"

Mirror Neurons

Nervous system cells that fire both when an organism itself is doing a behavior and also when observing another doing the behavior.

Latent Learning

One can learn something right away but not show it right away.

Insight Learning

A sudden realization of the problem's solution. "Light Bulb"

The Premack Principle

A person will perform less desirable tasks in order to perform more desirable ones as a consequence.

Learned Helplessness

A mental state in which an organism continues to experience a painful or unpleasant stimulus because it has learned that it has no ability to change the outcome.

External Locus of Control

The perception that a chance or outside forces beyond our control determine out fate.

Cognitive Learning

Learning mental information by observing events, watchign others, ir through language.

Intrinsic Motivation

A desire to perform a behavior effectively for its own sake, for internal reward.