3A
- Behavioral Perspective
A psychological approach that emphasizes observable behaviors and their relationship with the environment. It focuses on learning through conditioning.
- Classical Conditioning
A type of learning in which an organism learns to associate a neutral stimulus with an unconditioned stimulus, leading to a conditioned response.
- Acquisition
The initial stage of learning when the neutral stimulus is consistently paired with the unconditioned stimulus and begins to trigger the conditioned response.
- Unconditioned Stimulus (US)
A stimulus that naturally triggers a response without prior learning (e.g., food causing salivation in dogs).
- Unconditioned Response (UR)
The natural, unlearned response to an unconditioned stimulus (e.g., salivation in response to food).
- Conditioned Stimulus (CS)
A previously neutral stimulus that, after being paired with an unconditioned stimulus, triggers a conditioned response (e.g., a bell that triggers salivation after being paired with food).
- Conditioned Response (CR)
The learned response to the conditioned stimulus (e.g., salivation in response to the bell alone).
- Extinction
The diminishing of a conditioned response when the conditioned stimulus is no longer paired with the unconditioned stimulus.
- Spontaneous Recovery
The reappearance of a previously extinguished conditioned response after a rest period without further conditioning.
- Stimulus Discrimination
The learned ability to differentiate between similar stimuli and respond only to the conditioned stimulus.
- Generalization
The tendency for a conditioned response to be triggered by stimuli similar to the conditioned stimulus.
- Higher-order Conditioning
A form of learning where a neutral stimulus becomes a conditioned stimulus by being paired with an already established conditioned stimulus.
- Counterconditioning
A behavioral therapy technique that replaces a negative response to a stimulus with a positive one.
- Taste Aversion
A form of classical conditioning in which an organism associates the taste of a food with an unpleasant experience (e.g., nausea) and avoids it.
- Biological Preparedness
The idea that organisms are naturally predisposed to learn certain associations, such as food aversions, more easily than others.
- One-trial Learning
Learning that occurs after a single pairing of a stimulus and response (e.g., taste aversion).
- Habituation
The decreasing response to a repeated stimulus over time, where the stimulus no longer elicits the same reaction.
- Operant Conditioning
A form of learning in which behavior is strengthened or weakened based on its consequences (reinforcement or punishment).
- Law of Effect
The principle that behaviors followed by satisfying consequences are more likely to be repeated, while behaviors followed by unpleasant consequences are less likely to be repeated.
- Positive Reinforcement
The addition of a pleasant stimulus to increase the likelihood of a behavior being repeated (e.g., giving a treat for good behavior).
- Negative Reinforcement
The removal of an unpleasant stimulus to increase the likelihood of a behavior being repeated (e.g., stopping loud noise when a desired action is performed).
- Positive Punishment
The addition of an unpleasant stimulus to decrease the likelihood of a behavior (e.g., giving a child extra chores for misbehavior).
- Negative Punishment
The removal of a pleasant stimulus to decrease the likelihood of a behavior (e.g., taking away a child's video game for misbehavior).
- Primary Reinforcer
A stimulus that satisfies a biological need (e.g., food, water).
- Secondary Reinforcer
A stimulus that has gained reinforcing power through association with a primary reinforcer (e.g., money, praise).
- Shaping
The process of reinforcing successive approximations of a target behavior, gradually guiding the individual toward the desired behavior.
- Instinctive Drift
The tendency of an animal to revert to instinctive behaviors that interfere with learned behavior.
- Superstitious Behavior
A behavior that is accidentally reinforced due to coincidental association with a positive outcome (e.g., wearing lucky socks to win a game).
- Learned Helplessness
A condition in which a person or animal learns to believe they have no control over their situation, leading to passive resignation.
- Continuous Reinforcement
A reinforcement schedule in which every correct response is rewarded.
- Partial Reinforcement
A reinforcement schedule in which only some correct responses are rewarded.
- Fixed Ratio Schedule
A reinforcement schedule in which a behavior is reinforced after a specific number of responses (e.g., reward after every 5 correct actions).
- Variable Ratio Schedule
A reinforcement schedule in which a behavior is reinforced after an unpredictable number of responses (e.g., gambling).
- Fixed Interval Schedule
A reinforcement schedule in which a behavior is reinforced after a specific amount of time has passed (e.g., weekly paycheck).
- Variable Interval Schedule
A reinforcement schedule in which a behavior is reinforced after an unpredictable amount of time has passed (e.g., checking email for an unpredictable response).
- Pattern Graphing Schedules (VI Scalloped Graph)
A visual representation of reinforcement schedules, showing a characteristic "scalloped" pattern in variable interval schedules due to periodic responses.
- Social Learning
The theory that people learn behaviors by observing others and modeling their actions, often through processes like imitation and vicarious reinforcement.
- Vicarious Conditioning
Learning through observing the consequences of another person’s behavior, rather than direct experience.
- Insight Learning
A sudden realization of the solution to a problem, often involving a "eureka" moment, without trial and error.
- Latent Learning
Learning that occurs without reinforcement but is only apparent when there is an incentive to demonstrate it.
- Cognitive Map
A mental representation of the layout of an environment, often used in navigation and problem-solving.