AP Psych unit 6

mr lane with applications

learning

a relatively permanent change in an organism’s behavior due to experience

habituation

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

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

classical conditioning

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

behaviorism

the view that psychology should be an objective science that studies response to stimuli without reference to mental processes

unconditioned response (UR)

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

conditioned response (CR)

in classical conditioning the learned reaction to a previously neutral but now conditioned stimulus (CS)

unconditioned stimulus (US)

in classical conditioning a stimulus that naturally and automatically triggers an involuntary response

conditioned stimulus (CS)

in classical conditioning an originally irrelevant stimulus that after association with an unconditioned stimulus (US) comes to trigger a conditioned response

acquisition

in classical conditioning the initial stage when one links a neutral stimulus and an unconditioned stimulus so that the neutral stimulus begins triggering the conditioned response In operant conditioning the strengthening of a reinforced response

higher-order conditioning

a procedure in which the conditioned stimulus in one conditioning experience is paired with a new neutral stimulus creating a second often weaker conditioned stimulus For example an animal that has learned that a tone predicts food might then learn that a light predicts the tone and begin responding to the light alone

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

generalization

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

discrimination

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

learned helplessness

the hopelessness and passive resignation an animal or human learns when unable to avoid repeated aversive events

respondent behavior

behavior that occurs as an automatic response to some stimulus

operant conditioning

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

operant behavior

behavior that operates on the environment producing consequences

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

operant chamber

in operant conditioning research a chamber also known as a Skinner box containing a bar or key that an animal can manipulate to obtain a food or water reinforcer attached devices record the animal’s rate of bar pressing or key pecking

shaping

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

discriminative stimulus

in operant conditioning a stimulus that elicits a response after association with reinforcement in contrast to related stimuli not associated with reinforcement

reinforcer

in operant conditioning any event that strengthens the behavior it follows

positive reinforcement

increasing behaviors by presenting pleasant stimuli such as food A positive reinforcer is any stimulus that when presented after a response strengthens the response

negative reinforcement

increasing behaviors by stopping or reducing unpleasant stimuli such as shock A negative reinforcer is any stimulus that when removed after a response strengthens the response (Note negative reinforcement is not punishment)

primary reinforcer

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

conditioned reinforcer

a stimulus that gains its reinforcing power through its association with a primary reinforcer also known as a secondary reinforcer

continuous reinforcement

reinforcing the desired response every time it occurs

partial (intermittent) 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

punishment

an event that decreases the behavior that it follows

fixed-ratio schedule

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

variable-ratio schedule

in operant conditioning a reinforcement schedule that reinforces a response after an unpredictable number of responses

fixed-interval schedule

in operant conditioning a reinforcement schedule that reinforces a response only after a specified time has elapsed

variable-interval schedule

in operant conditioning a reinforcement schedule that reinforces a response at unpredictable time intervals

cognitive map

a mental representation of the layout of one’s environment For example after exploring a maze rats act as if they have learned a cognitive map of it

latent learning

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

insight

a sudden and often novel realization of the solution to a problem it contrasts with strategy-based solutions

intrinsic motivation

a desire to perform a behavior effectively for its own sake

extrinsic motivation

a desire to perform a behavior to receive promised rewards or avoid threatened punishment

biofeedback

a system for electronically recording amplifying and providing information to monitor a subtle physiological state such as blood pressure or muscle tension

observational learning

learning by watching others Also called social learning

modeling

the process of observing and imitating a specific behavior

mirror neurons

frontal lobe nerve cells that fire when performing certain actions or when observing another doing so The brain’s mirroring of another’s action may enable imitation and empathy

prosocial behavior

positive constructive helpful behavior The opposite of antisocial behavio