psych

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 conditioning).

associative learning

in classical conditioning, a stimulus that unconditionally—naturally and automatically triggers a response (UR)

unconditioned stimulus

Classical and operant conditioning involves learning through _____, whereas observational learning involves learning through _____.

association; observation and imitation

Every time Martin opens the cabinet where he stores his dog's treats his dog begins to bark in anticipation. This is an example of:

associative learning

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 conditioning)

associative learning

The difficulty in introducing captive-bred animals successfully into the wild (there is only an 11 percent success rate) is evidence that successful adaptation into the wild requires both _____ and _____.

nature; nurture

When Juan was a child he was attacked by a swarm of hornets in his back yard. Now every time he hears the sound of hornets he immediately becomes frightened. This is an example of:

classical conditioning

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

classical conditioning

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

conditioned stimulus

reinforcing the desired response every time it occurs.

continuous reinforcement schedule

While classical conditioning involves the conditioning of _____ behavior, operant conditioning involves the conditioning of _____ behavior.

involuntary; voluntary

in classical conditioning, a stimulus that elicits no response before conditioning.

neutral stimulus

Both Watson and Pavlov believed that psychology should study only _____ and _____ psychological phenomena.

objective; observable

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

primary reinforcer

an event that tends to decrease the behavior that it follows.

punishment

B.F. Skinner believed that external influences NOT _____, shape animal and human behavior.

thoughts and feelings

Because she is responsible for overseeing the servicing and repair of her company's fleet of cars, Rhonda frequently calls the garage mechanic to inquire whether service on various cars has been completed. Because service completion times are unpredictable, she is likely to be reinforced with positive responses to her inquiries on a _____ schedule.

variable interval

in operant conditioning, a reinforcement schedule that reinforces a response at unpredictable time intervals.

variable interval schedule

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

variable ratio schedule

The famous Bobo doll research was conducted by _____ and showed the power of _____.

Albert Bandura, observational learning

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

acquisition

the view that psychology (1) should be an objective science that (2) studies behavior without reference to mental processes. Most research psychologists today agree with (1) but not with (2).

behaviorism

If Georgia gets violently ill a couple of hours after eating contaminated food, she will probably develop an aversion to the taste of that food but not to the sight of the restaurant where she ate or to the sound of the music she heard there. This best illustrates that associative learning is constrained by:

biological predispositions

Which of the following is evidence that animals are predisposed to learn associations that help them adapt and survive in their environment?

birds appearing biologically primed to develop aversions to the sight of tainted food because they hunt by sight

Five-year-old Destiny is frightened by the noise thunder makes. Destiny associates lightning with thunder because lightning regularly precedes thunder. Thus, when Destiny sees lightning, she often cries in anticipation that she will hear thunder soon afterward. This is an example of:

classical conditioning

Marshall ate a hamburger he purchased from his favorite fast food restaurant. An hour later his stomach became very upset and he spent the rest of the evening vomiting. A week later he entered the restaurant and immediately became nauseous when he saw a hamburger. Marshall's nausea when he saw the hamburger is an example of:

classical conditioning

While 5-year-old Martha was looking at one of the balloons her mother set out for her birthday, Martha's brother Timmy took a pin and popped the balloon causing Martha to flinch and blink quickly. Later during the party Martha's mother approached her with a balloon and she blinked and flinched. This is an example of:

classical conditioning

the acquisition of mental information, whether by observing events, by watching others, or through language.

cognitive learning

If the onset of a light reliably signals the onset of food, a rat in a Skinner box will work to turn on the light. In this case, the light is a _____ reinforcer.

conditioned

a stimulus that gains its reinforcing power through its association with a primary reinforcer; also known as a secondary reinforcer

conditioned reinforcer

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

conditioned response

1) in classical conditioning, the learned ability to distinguish between a conditioned stimulus and stimuli that do not signal an unconditioned stimulus. (2) in social psychology, unjustifiable negative behavior toward a group and its members.

discrimination

Four-year-old Tommy developed a fear of going down steps after falling down the steps in his house several times. When he was at his grandmother's house he demonstrated no fear of climbing the steps to her front door. Unlike Little Albert's fear of white rats and other white items, Tommy was demonstrating:

discrimination

the diminishing of a conditioned response; occurs in classical conditioning when an unconditioned stimulus (US) does not follow a conditioned stimulus (CS); occurs in operant conditioning when a response is no longer reinforced.

extinction

During a typical morning, Colin will check the clock more frequently as the time for his regularly scheduled lunch break approaches. In this case, Colin's clock-checking behavior is reinforced on a _____ schedule.

fixed interval

in operant conditioning, a reinforcement schedule that reinforces a response only after a specified time has elapsed.

fixed interval schedule

Scott received a great money-saving credit card offer in the mail complete with a frequent-flyer reward program. He reads on further to find that the one mile for every dollar spent may not be such a great offer after all because he gets a $500 airline ticket only after he acquires 25,000 miles or spend $25,000. This is a _____ schedule.

fixed ratio

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

fixed ratio schedule

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

generalization

Critics of B. F. Skinner were concerned that:

he dehumanized people because he ignored the existence of personal freedom and dignity.

a procedure in which the conditioned stimulus in one conditioning experience is paired with a new neutral stimulus, creating a second (often weaker) conditioned stimulus. For example, an animal that has learned that a tone predicts food might then learn that a light predicts the tone and begin responding to the light alone. (Also called second-order conditioning.)

higher order conditioning

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

law of effect

the process of acquiring through experience new information or behaviors.

learning

Michael is busy with the work project that he brought home. His son wants him to put a movie in the DVD player. Michael tells him to wait 10 minutes; however, his son whines and complains so much that Michael decides to put the movie in right now. This best illustrates the value of:

negative reinforcement

increasing behaviors by stopping or reducing negative stimuli. A negative reinforcer is any stimulus that, when removed after a response, strengthens the response. (Note: Negative reinforcement is not punishment.)

negative reinforcement

Jim and Laurie hosted some friends over for a cook-out. One of the visiting couples had a three-year-old daughter, Bethany, who was playing with Jim and Laurie's three-year-old-daughter Kirsten. While the food was being set out Bethany noticed some cookies were being placed on the table and requested a cookie. Bethany's parents said no which caused Bethany to throw a tantrum. Bethany's parents gave Bethany a cookie so she would stop the tantrum. All of this took place while Kirsten was watching. The next day Jim and Laurie were preparing dinner and Kirsten requested a cookie and she was told she could have a cookie, but not until after dinner. Kirsten then proceeded to throw a tantrum which she had never done before. Kirsten's behavior can be explained through which kind of learning?

observational learning

behavior that operates on the environment, producing consequences.

operant behavior

in operant conditioning research, a chamber (also known as a Skinner box) containing a bar or key that an animal can manipulate to obtain a food or water reinforcer; attached devices record the animal's rate of bar pressing or key pecking.

operant chamber

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

operant conditioning

_____ behavior operates on the environment, whereas _____ behavior occurs as an automatic response to some stimulus.

operant; respondent

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.

partial reinforcement schedule

Anne has been working nights and weekends to get a project completed at work. She is successful, and a couple of weeks later she comes into work and her boss presents her with a bonus check. This best illustrates the value of:

positive reinforcement

increasing behaviors by presenting positive reinforcers. A positive reinforcer is any stimulus that, when presented after a response, strengthens the response.

positive reinforcement

in operant conditioning, any event that strengthens the behavior it follows.

reinforcement

a pattern that defines how often a desired response will be reinforced.

reinforcement schedule

behavior that occurs as an automatic response to some stimulus.

respondent behavior

In teaching her son to play basketball, Mrs. Richards initially reinforces him with praise for simply dribbling while standing still, then only for walking while dribbling, and finally only for running while dribbling. She is using a procedure known as:

shaping

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

shaping

the reappearance, after a pause, of an extinguished conditioned response.

spontaneous recovery

any event or situation that evokes a response.

stimulus

Jane had leukemia as a child and had to undergo numerous bouts of chemotherapy. The chemotherapy always made her nauseous. As she underwent a year of treatment, the waiting room started to make her nauseous. The nausea from the chemotherapy is the: Please choose the correct answer from the following choices, and then select the submit answer button.

unconditioned response

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

unconditioned response

Researchers conditioned a flatworm to contract when exposed to light by repeatedly pairing the light with an electric shock. The electric shock is a(n):

unconditioned stimulus

Jack finds it extremely difficult to pull himself away from the blackjack table. He keeps thinking he will break even as the next hand will be his winning one. This is a _____ schedule.

variable ratio