Psychology Ch. 5 Learning

unconditioned stimulus (US), unconditioned response

neutral stimulus

conditioned stimulus, conditioned response

conditioning which results in a neutral stimulus eliciting the same response as an unconditioned stimulus.

After a response to a certain stimulus is extinguished, it may return again spontaneously at a later time when the animal is again exposed to the conditioned stimulus

The proces of relearning a conditioned response after extinction. It usually occurs much more rapidly than the first time around.

the tendency of stimuli similar to the CS to elicit a CR

the ability to differntiate among related stimuli. For example, you may be afraid of big dogs, but you know for a fact that golden retrievers, although they are big, are friendly.

the probability of a response is changed by a change in its consequences.

a response that is followed by satisfying consequences becomes more probable (reinforcement) and a response that is following by dissatisfying consequences becomes less probable.

reinforcer refers to a stimulus or event that increases the likelihood that the behavior it follows will be repeated.

receiving reinforcement (a reward) every time one behaves a certain way

not receiving reinforcement every time one behaves a certain way, but only sometimes.

• 1. fixed ratio
• - ex. every 100 envelopes stuffed

• 2. variable ratio
• - ex. slot machines

• 3. fixed-interval
• ex. mid-term

• 4. Variable interval
• ex. pop quizzes

variable ratio

rewarding actions that are closer and closer to a goal action

distress due to not being able to predict when a reward is coming

when one perceives a coincidental stimulus to play a role in receiving a reward

a stimulus in the presence of which a particular response will be reinforced

ex. in skinners experiment, the lever is the discriminative stimulus

if you give someone a cake --> that person says it was good --> then you give a cake to someone else because of the response you got from the other person

you give someone a cake --> person says it was great --> you give that person some coffee next time. you are trying a different response/behavior

negative reinforcement from an event.

ex. dog is on a shock pad and is shocked --> jumps to other side. jumping to the other side is being conditioned

negative reinforcement from anticipation

• ex. 
• a dog is on a shock pad and is shown a light that indicates that it will be shocked--> so jumps to other side --> jumping to other side is being conditioned

attention, retention in memory, reproduction of observed behavior, reinforcement