Chapter 6 - PSYC 2301 - Learning
positive reinforcement
a desirable stimulus is added to increase a behavior
negative punishment
a desirable stimulus is removed to decrease a behavior
unconditioned response (UCR)
a natural (unlearned) reaction to a given stimulus
operant conditioning
a process by which we associate a behavior and its consequence
classical conditioning or Pavlovian conditioning
a process by which we learn to associate stimuli and, consequently, to anticipate events
learning
a relatively permanent change in behavior or knowledge that results from experience
neutral stimulus (NS)
a stimulus that does not naturally elicit a response
unconditioned stimulus (UCS)
a stimulus that elicits a reflexive response in an organism
conditioned stimulus (CS)
a stimulus that elicits a response after repeatedly being paired with an unconditioned stimulus
models
individuals performing the imitated behavior
instincts
innate behaviors that are triggered by a broader range of events (i.e. aging or change of seasons)
latent learning
learning that occurs but is not observable in behavior until there is a reason to demonstrate it
observational learning
learning that occurs by watching others and then imitating, or modeling, what they do or say
reflexes
motor or neural reactions to a specific stimulus in the environment
associative learning
occurs when an organism makes connections between stimuli or events that occur together in the environment
habituation
occurs when we learn not to respond to a stimulus that is presented repeatedly without change
higher-order conditioning or second-order conditioning
pairing a new neutral stimulus with the conditioned stimulus
Albert Bandura
proposed a brand of behaviorism called social learning theory
fixed ratio reinforcement schedule
reinforcement is delivered after a predictable number of responses (e.g., 2, 4, 6, and 8 responses)
variable ratio reinforcement schedule
reinforcement is delivered after an unpredictable number of responses (e.g., after 1, 4, 5, and 9 responses)
variable interval reinforcement schedule
reinforcement is delivered at unpredictable time intervals (e.g., after 5, 7, 10, and 20 minutes)
secondary reinforcers
reinforcers that has no inherent value and only has reinforcing qualities when linked with a primary reinforcer
primary reinforcers
reinforcers that have innate reinforcing qualities
law of effect
states that behaviors that are followed by unpleasant consequences that are satisfying to the organism are more likely to be repeated, and behaviors that are followed by unpleasant consequences are less likely to be repeated; proposed by Edward Thorndike
unconditioned (unlearned) and conditioned (learned)
two types of responses that organisms have to their environment
stimulus generalization
when an organism demonstrates the conditioned response to stimuli that are similar to the conditioned stimulus
partial reinforcement or intermittent reinforcement
when an organism does not receive a reinforcer every time it performs the desired behavior
stimulus discrimination
when an organism learns to respond differently to various stimuli that are similar
continuous reinforcement
when an organism receives a reinforcer each time it displays a behavior
fixed interval reinforcement schedule
when behavior is rewarded after a set amount of time; reinforcement is delivered at predictable time intervals (e.g., after 5, 10, 15, and 20 minutes)
vicarious punishment
when the model was punished for the behavior and the imitator becomes less motivated to copy the model
vicarious reinforcement
when the model was reinforced for the behavior and the imitator becomes more motivated to copy the model
shaping
when we reward successive approximations of a target behavior instead of only rewarding the the target behavior
positive punishment
an undesirable stimulus is added to decrease a behavior
negative reinforcement
an undesirable stimulus is removed to increase a behavior
conditioned response (CR)
behavior caused by the conditioned stimulus
John B. Watson
founder of behaviorism
extinction
the decrease in the conditioned response when the unconditioned stimulus is no longer presented with the conditioned stimulus
acquisition
the initial period of learning in classical conditioning when an organism learns to connect a neutral stimulus and a unconditioned stimulus
spontaneous recovery
the return of a previously extinguished conditioned response following a rest period
