3.7-3.9 Myers Key Terms Ap Psych

Learning

A process where experience produces lasting changes in behavior or understanding

Habituates

Reacting less to something after repeated exposure

Associative learning

Learning that two events or cues are connected

Respondent behavior

Automatic, involuntary reactions

Operant behavior

Voluntary actions shaped by consequences

Cognitive learning

Learning through thinking, processing, or problem-solving

Classical conditioning

Learning by pairing a neutral stimulus with an automatic one

Behaviorism

Focus on observable behavior rather than internal thoughts

Neutral stimulus

Stimulus that causes no natural response at first

Unconditioned response

Natural, automatic reaction

Unconditioned stimulus

Something that triggers an automatic response

Conditioned response

Learned reaction to a previously neutral stimulus

Conditioned stimulus

Previously neutral stimulus that now triggers a learned response

Acquisition

Initial stage where learning and associations form

Higher-order conditioning

When a conditioned stimulus creates learning with a new stimulus

Extinction

When a learned response weakens because pairing stops

Spontaneous recovery

Sudden return of an extinguished response

Generalization

Responding to stimuli similar to the conditioned one

Discrimination

Learning to respond only to a specific cue

Preparedness

Biological readiness to learn certain behaviors more easily

Operant conditioning

Learning shaped by rewards and punishments

Law of effect

Behaviors followed by good outcomes become more likely

Operant chamber

Box used to study learning through reinforcement

Reinforcement

Anything that increases a behavior

Shaping

Reinforcing small steps toward a target behavior

Discriminative stimulus

A signal that a behavior will be reinforced

Positive reinforcement

Adding something good to increase behavior

Negative reinforcement

Removing something unpleasant to increase behavior

Primary reinforcers

Naturally rewarding things (biological)

Conditioned reinforcers

Learned rewards linked to primary reinforcers

Reinforcement schedules

Patterns for when behavior gets reinforced

Continuous reinforcement

Reinforcing every behavior every time

Partial reinforcement

Reinforcing behavior only sometimes

Fixed ratio

Reinforcement after a set number of responses

Variable ratio

Reinforcement after an unpredictable number of responses

Fixed interval

Reinforcement after a set amount of time

Variable interval

Reinforcement after changing, unpredictable times

Punishment

Consequence meant to decrease behavior

Instinctive drift

When learned behavior returns to natural instincts

Cognitive map

Mental layout of an environment

Latent learning

Learning that isn’t shown until it’s needed

Insight learning

Sudden understanding of a solution

Observational learning

Learning by watching others

Modeling

Copying someone else’s behavior

Mirror neurons

Brain cells active when doing or watching an action

Prosocial behavior

Positive, helpful behavior

Antisocial behavior

Harmful or negative behavior toward others

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