Psych chapter 6 terms

Conditioned stimulus

A previously neutral stimulus that has, through conditioning, acquired the capacity to evoke a conditioned response

Observational learning

A type of learning that occurs when an organism's responding is influenced by the observation of others, who are called models.

Secondary or conditioned reinforcers

Events that acquire reinforcing qualities by being associated with primary reinforcers I.e. money

Primary reinforcers

Events that are inherently reinforcing because they satisfy biological needs

Operant conditioning

Form of learning in which voluntary responses come to be controlled by their consequences

Extinction

Gradual weakening and disappearance of a conditioned response tendency

Positive reinforcement

Occurs when a response is strengthened because it is followed by the presentation of a rewarding stimulus

Negative reinforcement

Occurs when a response is strengthened because it is followed by the removal of an aversive or unpleasant stimulus

Stimulus discrimination

Occurs when a stimulus similar to the conditioned stimulus fails to evoke the response

Punishment

Occurs when an event following a response weakens the tendency to make that response

Resistance to extinction

Occurs when an organism continues to make a response after delivery of the reinforcer has been terminated

Stimulus generalization

Occurs when an organism that has learned a response to a specific stimulus responds in the same way to new stimuli that are similar to the original stimulus.

Continuous reinforcement

Occurs when every instance of a designated response is reinforced.

Emit

Send forth

Reinforcement contingencies

The circumstances or rules that determine whether responses lead to the presentation of reinforcers

Unconditioned response UR

Unlearned reaction to an unconditioned stimulus that occurs without previous conditioning

Higher-order conditioning

When a conditioned stimulus functions as if it were an unconditioned stimulus

Reinforcement

When an event following a response increases an organisms tendency to make that response

Cumulative recorder

creates a graphic record of responding and reinforcement in a Skinner box as a function of time

Skinner box

A small enclosure in which an animal can make a specific response that is systematically recorded while the consequences of the response are controlled.

A Schedule of reinforcement

A specific pattern of presentation of reinforcers over time

Unconditioned stimulus US

A stimulus that evokes an unconditioned response without previous conditioning

Behavior modification

A systematic approach to changing behavior through the application of the principles of conditioning

Classical conditioning

A type of Learning in which a stimulus acquires the capacity to evoke a response that was originally evoked by another stimulus

Escape learning

An organism acquires a response that decreases or ends some aversive or unpleasant stimulation

Avoidance learning

An organism acquires a response that prevents some aversive stimulation from occurring

Discrimination stimuli

Cues that influence operant behavior by indicating the probable consequences (reinforcement or nonreinforcement) of a response.

Elicited

Drawn forth

Evaluative conditioning

Efforts to transfer the emotion attached to a US to a new CS.

Trial

In classical conditioning consists of any presentation of a stimulus or pair of stimuli

Acquisition

Initial stage of learning a new response tendency

Preparedness

Involves species-specific predispositions to be conditioned in certain ways and not others

Latent learning

Learning that is not apparent behavior when it first occurs

Intermittent reinforcement

Occurs when a designated response is reinforced only some of the time

Spontaneous recovery

Recurrence of an extinguished conditioned response, usually following a rest period

Variable-ratio VA schedule

Reinforce is given after a variable number of nonreinforced responses

Variable - interval VI schedule

Reinforcer 8 given for the first response after a variable time interval has elapsed. The interval length varies around a predetermined average

Shaping

Reinforcing of closer and closer approximations of a desired response

Fixed-ratio FR schedule

The reinforcer is given after a fixed number of nonreinforced responses

Fixed-interval FI schedule

a schedule in which a reinforcer is given following the first correct response after a specific period of time has elaspsed

Renewal effect

if a response is extinguished in a different environment than it was acquired, the extinguished response will reappear if the animal is returned to the original environment where acquisition took place

Conditioned response CR

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