AP Psych Mods 26-30

learning

process of acquiring new and relatively enduring information or behaviors

habituation

an organism’s decreasing response to a stimulus w repeated exposure to it

neutral stimulus (NS)

in classical conditioning; a stim that produces no response before conditioning

unconditioned response (UCR)

in classical conditioning; unlearned, nautrally occurring response (salivation) to an unconditioned stimulus (UCS) like food in the mouth

unconditioned stimulus (UCS)

in classical conditioning; stimulus that unconditionally/naturally and automatically triggers a response

conditioned response (CR)

in classical conditioning; learned response to a previously neutral, but conditional, stimulus

conditioned stimulus (CS)

in classical conditioning; an originally irrelevant stimulus that, after association with an unconditioned stim (UCS), triggers a conditioned response

acquisition

initial stage, when one links a neutral stimulus and an unconditioned stimulus so that the neutral stimulus begins triggering the conditioned response

higher order/2nd order conditioning

procedure in which the conditioned stimulus in one conditioning experience is paired with a new neutral stimulus, creating a second (often weaker) conditioned stimulus

[ex. light →tone →treat, responds to light alone]

spontaneous recovery

reappearance, after a pause, of an extinguished conditioned response

generalization

the tendency, once a response has been conditioned, for stimuli similar to the conditioned stimulus to elicit similar responses

discimination

in classical conditioning; the learned ability to distinguish between a conditioned stimulus and stimuli that do not signal an unconditioned stimulus

law of effect

Thorndike’s principle that behaviors followed by favorable consequences become more likely and those followed by unfavorable consequences become less likely

shaping

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

fixed-ratio (ration→amount)

reinforcement schedule that reinforces response only after a specified number of responses

[ex. car salesman gets bonus after 5 cars]

variable-ratio (ration→amount)

reinforcement schedule that reinforces response after an unpredictable # of responses

[ex. gambling and slot machines - pays out after average number of pulls]

fixed-interval (time)

reinforcement schedule that reinforces response only after specified time has elapsed

[ex. my paycheck! after 2 weeks you get paid no matter what]

vaiable-interval (time)

reinforcement schedule that reinforces response at unpredictable time intervals

[ex. random teacher evaluations]

cognitive map

mental repsentation of layout of one’s environment

[ex. after exploring a maze, rats act as if they have learned cognitive map of it]

modeling

process of observing and imitating a specific behavior

observational/social learning

learning by observing others

prosocial behavior

positive, constructive, helpful behaviors - opposite of antisocial

classical conditioning

biological: natural predispositions constrain what stimuli and responses can be easily associated

cognitive:developed expectation that CS→UCS

operant conditioning

biological: organisms learn behaviors similar to natural ones; unnatural ones “drift” back towards natural ones

cognitive: expectation that response will be reinforced/punished; also exhibit latent learning without reinforcement