Classical and Operant Conditioning Key Concepts

Flashcards covering key concepts related to classical and operant conditioning.

Learning

A lasting change in behavior due to experience.

Habituation

Decreased response to a repeated stimulus.

Associative learning

Learning that certain events go together (like stimuli or behavior and consequence).

Stimulus

Anything that causes a response.

Respondent behavior

Automatic response to a stimulus.

Operant behavior

Behavior controlled by consequences.

Cognitive learning

Gaining mental information by observing, watching, or listening (without direct experience).

Classical Conditioning

Learning by linking two stimuli to produce a new response.

Neutral stimulus

A stimulus that has no response before conditioning.

Unconditioned response (UR)

Natural reaction to a stimulus (like salivating to food).

Unconditioned stimulus (US)

Something that naturally causes a response (like food).

Conditioned response (CR)

Learned response to a previously neutral stimulus.

Conditioned stimulus (CS)

Originally neutral, now causes a response after learning.

Acquisition

The moment learning occurs (NS becomes CS and triggers CR).

Higher-order conditioning

When a new neutral stimulus becomes a CS by being paired with an existing CS.

Extinction

The fading of a learned response when the CS is no longer paired with the US.

Spontaneous recovery

The reappearance of a weakened CR after a pause.

Generalization

Responding similarly to similar stimuli.

Discrimination

Learning to respond only to the specific CS.

Counterconditioning

Replacing a negative response with a positive one.

Preparedness

Biological tendency to learn certain associations more easily.

Taste aversion response

Avoiding food that made you sick, even once.

Operant conditioning

Learning based on rewards or punishments after behavior.

Law of Effect

Behaviors followed by good outcomes are more likely to be repeated.

Reinforcement

Any consequence that strengthens behavior.

Positive reinforcement

Adding something good to increase behavior.

Negative reinforcement

Removing something bad to increase behavior.

Primary reinforcer

Naturally rewarding (like food, water).

Continuous reinforcement

Reinforcing every time the behavior happens.

Partial (intermittent) reinforcement

Reinforcing behavior only some of the time.

Fixed ratio schedule

Reward after a set number of responses.

Variable ratio schedule

Reward after an unpredictable number of responses.

Fixed interval schedule

Reward after a set amount of time.

Variable interval schedule

Reward after unpredictable time intervals.

Punishment

A consequence that decreases behavior.

Positive punishment

Adding something bad to reduce behavior.

Negative punishment

Taking away something good to reduce behavior.

Instinctive drift

Tendency to return to natural behaviors even after conditioning.

Cognitive map

Mental layout of a place.

Latent learning

Learning that isn’t obvious until there’s a reason to show it.

Insight learning

Sudden realization of a solution (the “aha” moment).

Observational learning

Learning by watching others.

Social Learning Theory

We learn behavior by observing and imitating others.

Modeling

Imitating someone else’s behavior.

Vicarious conditioning

Learning through others’ rewards or punishments.

Prosocial behavior

Positive, helpful behavior.

Antisocial behavior

Negative, harmful behavior.