Unit 4: learning

AP Psychology Unit 4 learning

Learning

The process of acquiring new and relatively enduring information or behaviors

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 (classical conditioning) or a response and its consequences (operant conditioning)

Stimulus

An event or situation that evokes a response

Cognitive learning

The acquisition of mental information, whether by observing events, by watching others, or through language

Classical conditioning

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

Behaviorism

The view that psychology (1) should be an objective science that (2) studies behavior without reference to mental processes - psychologists today agree with (1) but not (2)

Neutral stimulus (NS)

In classical conditioning, a stimulus that elicits no response before conditioning

Unconditioned response (UR)

In classical conditioning, an unlearned, naturally occurring response to an unconditioned stimulus (US)

Unconditioned stimulus (US)

In classical conditioning, a stimulus that unconditionally - naturally and automatically - triggers a response (UR)

Conditioned response (CR):

In classical conditioning, a learned response to a previously neutral (but now conditioned) stimulus (CS)

Conditioned stimulus (CS)

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

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 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

Extinction

The diminishing of a conditioned response; occurs in classical conditioning when an unconditioned stimulus does not follow a conditioned stimulus; 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

Operant conditioning

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

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 (skinner box)

In operant conditioning research, a chamber containing a bar or key that an animal can manipulate to obtain a food or water reinforcer; attached devices record that animal’s rate of bar pressing or key pecking

Reinforcement

In operant conditioning, any event that strengthen the behavior it follows

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)

Positive reinforcement

Increasing behaviors by presenting positive reinforcers; strengthens the response when presented after a response

Negative reinforcement

Increasing behaviors by stopping or reducing negative stimuli; strengthens the response when removed after a response

Primary reinforcer

An innately reinforcing stimulus, such as one that satisfies a biological need

Conditioned reinforcer (secondary reinforcer)

AReinforcement schedule stimulus that gains its reinforcing power through its association with a primary reinforcer

Reinforcement schedule

A pattern that deines how often a desired response will be reinforced

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

Fixed-ratio schedule

In operant conditioning, a schedule that reinforces a response only after a specified number of responses

Variable-ratio schedule

In operant conditioning, a schedule that reinforces a response after an unpredictable number of responses

Fixed-interval schedule

In operant conditioning, a schedule that reinforces a response only after a specified time has elapsed

Variable-interval schedule

In operant conditioning, a 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

Respondent behavior

Behavior that occurs as an automatic response to some stimulus

Operant behavior

Behavior that operates on the environment, producing consequences

Cognitive map

A mental representation of the layout of one’s environment

Latent learning

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

Insight

A sudden realization of a problem’s solution

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

Coping

Alleviating stress using emotional, cognitive, or behavioral method

Problem

Focused coping: attempting to alleviate stress directly - by changing the stressor or the way we interact with the stressor

Emotion-faced coping

Attempting to alleviate stress by avoiding or ignoring a stressor and attending to emotional needs related to one’s stress reaction

Learned helplessness

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

External-locus of control

The perception that chance or outside forces beyond our personal control determine our fate

Internal-locus of control

The perception that you control your own fate

Self-control

The ability to control impulses and delay short-term gratification for greater long-term rewards

Observational learning

Learning by observing others (aka social learning)

Modeling

The process of observing and imitating a specific behavior

Mirror neurons

Frontal lobe neurons that some scientists believe fire when performing certain actions or when observing another doing so, enabling imitation and empathy

Prosocial behavior

Positive constructive, helpful behavior; opposite of antisocial behavior