Psychology - Chapter 5

unconditioned stimulus (UCS)

a naturally occuring stimulus that leads to an involuntary response

higher-order conditioning

a second NS becomes a CS; when a strong conditioned stimulus is paired with a neutral stimulus, causing the NS to become a second CS

four elements of observational learning

attention, memory, imitation, motivation

neurofeedback

form of feedback using brain scanning devices to provide feedback about brain activity in an effort to modify behavior

B.F. Skinner

gave operant conditioning it's name

Thorndike's Law of Effect

if a response is followed by a pleasureable consequence, it will tend to be repeated

positive reinforcement

the reinforcement of a response by the addition or experience of a pleasureable stimulus

continuous reinforcement

the reinforcement of each and every correct response

shaping

the reinforcement of simple steps in behavior that lead to a desired, more complex behavior

negative reinforcement

the reinforcment of a response by the removal, escape from, or avoidance or an uspleasant stimulus

insight

the sudden perception of relationships among various parts of a problem, allowing the solution to the problem to come quickly

biological preparedness

the tendency of animals to learn certain association, like taste and nausea with only one or few pairings due to the survival value of the learning

learned helplessness

the tendency to fail to act to escape from a situation because of a history of repeated failures in the past

behavior modification

the use of operant conditioning techniques to bring about desired changes in behavior

biofeedback

the use or feedback about biological conditions to bring involuntary responses such as blood pressure and relaxation under voluntary control

token economy

type of behavior modification in which desired behavior is rewarded with tokens

instinctive drift

tendency for an animal's behavior to revert to genetically controlled patterns

stimulus generalization

tendency to respond to a stimulus that is similar to the original

punishment by removal

the punishment of a response by the removal of a pleasurable stimulus

stimulus substitution

Pavlov theory that states that classical conditioning occured because the conditioned stimulus became a substitute for the UCS by being paired closely together

Ivan Pavlov

Russian physiologist who discovered classical conditioning through his work on digestion in dogs

discriminative stimulus

any stimulus such as a stop sign or a doorknob that provides the organism with a cue for making a certain response in order to obtain reinforcement

unconditioned response (UCR)

an involuntary response to a naturally occuring or unconditioned stimulus

operant

any behavior that is voluntary

reinforcer

any event of object that, when following a response, increases the likelihood of that response occuring again

reinforcement

any event or stimulus, that when following a response, increases the probability that the response will occur again

secondary reinforcer

any reinforcer that becomes reinforcing after being paired with a primary reinforcer, such as praise, tokens, or gold stars

primary reinforcer

any reinforcer that is naturally reinforcing by meeting a basic biological need, such as hunger, thirst, or touch

learning

any relatively permanent change in behavior brought about by experience of practice

cognitive perspective

classical conditioning is seen to occur because the CS provides information or an expectancy about the coming of the UCS

vicarious conditioning

classical conditioning of a reflex response or emotion by watching the reaction or another person

conditioned taste aversion

development of a nausea or aversive response to a particular taste because that taste was followed by a nausea reaction, occuring after only one association

conditioned emotional response (CER)

emotional response that has become classically conditioned to occur to learned stimulus

conditioned response (CR)

learned reflex response to a conditioned stimulus

classical conditioning

learning by association

observational learning

learning new behavior by watching a model perform that behavior

latent learning

learning that remains hidden until its application becomes useful

punishment

makes response less likely to happen again

applied behavior analysis (ABA)

modern term for a form of behavior modification that uses shaping techniques to mold a desired behavior or response

learning/performance distinction

referring to the observation that learning can take place without actual performance of the learned behavior

partial reinforcement

response that is reinforced after some, but not all correct responses; to be very resistant to extinction

spontaneous recovery

responses come back even after extinction

variable interval schedule of reinforcement

schedule of reinforcement in which the interval of time that must pass before reinforcement becomes possible is different for each trial or event

fixed ratio schedule of reinforcement

schedule of reinforcement in which the number of responses required for reinforcement is always the same

fixed interval schedule of reinforcement

schedule or reinforcement in which the interval of time that must pass before reinforcement becomes possible is always the same

successive approximations

small steps in behavior, one after the other, that lead to a particular goal behavior

conditioned stimulus (CS)

stimulus that becomes able to produce a learned reflex response by being paired with the original unconditioned stimulus

neutral stimulus (NS)

stimulus that has no effect on the desired response

stimulus discrimination

tendency to stop making a generalized response to a stimulus that is similar to the original conditioned stimulus because the similar stimulus is never paired with the unconditioned stimulus

extinction

the dissappearance or weakening of a learned response following the removal or absence of the unconditioned stiumulus or the removal of a reinforcer

operant conditioning

the learning of voluntary behavior throught consequences

punishment by application

the punishment of a response by the addition or experiencing of an unpleasant stimulus