Psy

Key Terms & Concepts

1. What are the four lobes of the cerebral cortex? Frontal, parietal, temporal, and occipital lobes.

2. What does the occipital lobe primarily process? Visual information.

3. What is the function of the hippocampus? It plays a central role in forming and consolidating new long-term memories.

4. What neurotransmitter is most associated with reward, motivation, and pleasure? Dopamine.

5. Define classical conditioning. A type of learning in which a neutral stimulus becomes associated with a meaningful stimulus, eventually triggering a similar response on its own.

6. In Pavlov's experiment, what was the unconditioned stimulus? The food (which naturally caused salivation).

7. In Pavlov's experiment, what was the conditioned stimulus? The bell (which triggered salivation only after being paired with food).

8. Define operant conditioning. A type of learning where behavior is shaped by its consequences — reinforcement increases a behavior, punishment decreases it.

9. What is the difference between positive and negative reinforcement? Positive reinforcement adds a desirable stimulus to increase a behavior; negative reinforcement removes an unpleasant stimulus to increase a behavior.

10. Who is the psychologist most associated with operant conditioning? B.F. Skinner.