PSY 108 7c) Biology, Cognition, and Learning

Henry, a heavy smoker, is interested in quitting. Given what is known about the cognitive processes involved in classical conditioning, what is the MOST likely reason he still has trouble quitting after he is treated with a drug that induces nausea when he smokes a cigarette?

He realizes his nausea is due to the drug, not simply the cigarette.

Leonard is a heroin addict. He is very careful about overdosing. He typically shoots up in his basement apartment, but is now at a friend's house and needs a fix really badly. He's never done drugs at his friend's house before, but he's desperate. He injects his normal safe dosage of heroin but almost dies of an overdose. According to the principles of classical conditioning, what happened?

The effect of the heroin was increased because Leonard injected it in a strange environment and his body could not use the stimuli in his basement to prepare for it.

Psychologist John Garcia found that rats did not learn to associate a taste with flashing lights and noise. However, rats do learn to associate a taste with getting ill. Which of the following concepts best accounts for this observation?

biological preparedness

The predictability of an association between a conditioned stimulus (CS) and an unconditioned stimulus (US) facilitates an organism's ability to expect or anticipate the occurrence of the US. This fact is most likely to be highlighted by a _____ perspective.

cognitive

Learning that is not immediately demonstrated in overt behavior is called:

latent

The process of learning and imitating behavior is called _____.

modeling

Teaching a dog to touch a target with its nose is fairly easy, because it works with the dog's _____

natural instinct

Children who have fathers who are incarcerated for committing violent crimes are at high risk for following the same path in life, unless the child is adopted near the time of his birth. Then, he is no more at risk for violence than the average child. This difference in outcome can be attributed to _____.

observational learning

Studies show that a significant number of children who are victims of child abuse become child abusers themselves. This unfortunate incidence is learned through _____ and the area of the brain that models this behavior involves the _____.

observational learning; mirror neurons

Michelle always drives down Hampton Avenue to go to the work. One morning Michelle discovers that Hampton Avenue is closed at Wood Street because of construction. Michelle immediately takes a different route to work. She is able to make a quick route change because:

she has formed a cognitive map of the area