ap psych unit 6 flashcards

learning

the process of acquiring new and relatively enduring information or behaviors

habituaiton

decreasing the response to a stimulus with repeated exposure or simulation. As infants gain familiarity with a certain stimulation, and get a lot of exposure from it, they begin to look away when it comes again

associative learning

learning that two events come together whether they are classical conditioning or operant conditioning

stimulus

any event or situation that envokes a response

cognitive learning

the acquring of mental info whether its through observing events, by watching others, or through language

classical conditioning

a type of learning where one learns to link two or more stimuli to a certain event to anticipate it

behaviorism

(1) the view that psychology should be objective science (2) studies behavior without care about mental processes. most scientist agree with 1 and not 2

neutral stimulus

in classical conditioning, a stimulus that has no response before conditioning it

unconditioned response

in classical conditioning, it is a universal naturally occruing response to an unconditioned stimulus such as food in the mouth makes you happy

unconditioned stimulus

in classical conditioning a stimulus thay naturally automatically triggers a response

conditioned response

in classical conditioning a learned response to a previously neutral but now conditioned stimulus

conditioned stimulus

in classical conditioning, an originally irrelevant stimulus that, after association with an unconditoned stimulus, comes to trigger a conditioned response

acquisition

in classical conditioning the first stage when a neutral stimulus is linked to an unconditioned stimulus so that now the neutral stimulus begins triggering the conditioned response giving the neutral stimulus meaning

higher-order conditioning

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

higher order 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 instead bc it comes first

extinciton

the diminishing of a conditioned response, occurs in a classical conditioning when unconditioned stimulus does not follow a conditioned stimulus.

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 emit the same response

discrimination

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

operant conditioning

a type of learning in which behavior is strenghtened if followed by a reinforce or deterieating if followed by a punishment

law of effect

thorrndikes principle that behaviors followed by favorble consequences become more likely, and that behaviors followed by unfavorable consequences become more likeleu

operant chamber

in operant conditioning research, a chamber (skinner box) containing a bar or key that an animal can manipulate to obtain food or water (reinforcer)

reinforcement

in operant conditioning conditioning, any event that strenghthens the behavior it follows

shaping

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

discriminative stimulus

in operant conditioning, a stimulus that emits a response after association with reinforcement

positive reinforcement

increasing behaviors by present positive reinforcers. a positive reinforcer is any stimulus that, when present after a repsonse, strenghtens the response

negative reinforcement

increasing behaviors by stopping or reducing negative stimulu. a negative reinforcer is any stimulus that, when removed after a response, strengthens the response (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

reinforcement schedule

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

continuous reinforcement

reinforcing the desired response everytime it occurs

partial (intermittent) reinforcement

reinforcing a response only part of the time; results get recieved slower off the response but much more resistance to extinciton than does continuous reinforcement

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

punishment

an event that tends to decrease the behavior that it follows

biofeedback

a system for electronically recording, amplifying, and feeding back information regarding a subtle physiological state, such as blood pressure or muscle tension

respondant behavior

behavior that occurs as an automatic response to some stimulus

operant behavior

behavior that operates on the environement

cognitive map

a mental representation of the layout of ones 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

insishgt

a sudden realization of a problems solution 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 recieve promised rewards or avoid threatened punishment

coping

alleviating stress using emotional, cogntiive, or behavioral methods

problem focused coping

attempting to alleviate stress directly, by changing the stressor or the way we interact with it

emotion focused coping

attempting to alleviate stress by avoidniug or ignoring a stressor and attending to emotional needs related to ones stress reaction

learned helplessness

the hopelessness and resignation a person or animal learns when they cant avoid something they dont like

external locus of control

the perception that chance or outside forces controls or determines our fate

internal locus of control

the perception that you control your own fate

self control

the ability to control impluses and daily short term gratification for better long term reward

modeling

the process of observing and imitating a specific behavior

observational learning

learning by observing others also called social learning

mirror neurons

frontal lobe neurons that some scientists believe fire when performing certain actions or when observing another do so. the brains mirroring of anothers action may enable imiation or empathy

prosocial behavior

positive, contrusctive, helpful behavior, the opposite of antisocial behavior