Learning and Stuff

• learning that certain events occur together
• the events may be two stimuli (as in classical conditioning) or a response and its consequences (as in operant learning)

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

in classical conditioning, the unlearned, naturally occurring response to the unconditioned stimulus (US) such as salivation when food is in the mouth

in classical conditioning, a stimulus that unconditionally - naturally and automatically - triggers a response

in classical conditioning, the learned response to previously neutral (but now conditioned) stimulus

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

• in classical conditioning, the initial stage, when one links a neutral stimulus and an unconditioned stimulus so that the neutral stimulus begins triggering a response
• in operant conditioning, the strengthening of a reinforced response

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

• the diminishing of a conditioned response
• Occurs in classical conditioning when a US does not follow a CS
• Occurs in operant conditioning when a response is no longer reinforced

the reappearance, after a pause, of an extinguished condittioned response

the tendency, once a response has been conditioned, for stimuli similar to the conditioned stimulus to elicit similar responses

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

the view that psychology should be an objective science that studies behavior without reference to mental processes

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

behavior that occurs as an automatic response to some stimulus (involved in classical conditioning)

behavior that operates on the environment, producing consequences

Thorndike's principle that behaviors followed by favorable consequences become more likely, and behaviors followed by unfavorable consequences become less likely

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

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

in operant conditioning, any even that strengthens behavior it follows

• increasing behaviors by presenting a positive stimuli, such as food
• any stimulus that, when presented after a response, strengthens the response

• increasing behaviors by stopping or reducing negative stimuli, such as shock
• any stimulus that, when removed after a response, strengthens the response (does not equal punishment)

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

a stimulus that gains its reinforcing power through its association w/a primary reinforcer (aka secondary reinforcer)

reinforcing the desired response every time it occurs

• 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

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

• in operant conditioning, a reinforcement schedule that reinforces a response after an unpredictable number of responses
• best reinforcement schedule

reinforcement schedule that reinforces a response only after a specific time has elapsed

reinforces a response at unpredictable time intervals

an event that decreases the behavior that follows

• Punished Behavior is suppressed, not forgotten
• Punishment teaches discrimination
• Punishment can teach fear
• Physical punishment may increase aggressiveness by modeling aggression as a way to cope with problems

• Administers an aversive stimulus
• Ex: spanking, parking ticket

• Withdraw a desirable stimulus
• Ex: Time-out from privileges (such as time w/friends); revoked driver's license

a mental representation of the layout of one's environment

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

a desire to perform a better behavior effectively for its own sake

a desire to perform a behavior to receive promised rewards or avoid threatened punishment

learning by observing others

the process of observing and imitating a specific behavior

• frontal lobe neurons that fire when performing certain actions or when observing another doing so
• The brain's mirroring of another's action may enable imitation and empathy