UNIT 6 JOURNAL QUESTIONS AP PSYCH

What effects do cognitive processes have on classical conditioning?

Pavlov and Watson underestimated the importance not only of biological constraints on an organism's learning capacity, but also the effects of cognitive processes (thoughts, perceptions, expectations). It was soon learned that unlike previous beliefs, an animal can learn the predictability of an event (e.g. if a shock always is preceded by a tone, and then may also be preceded by a light that accompanies the tone, a rat will react with fear to the tone but not the light because the tone is a better predictor. The more predictable the association, the stronger the conditioned response.

What is the difference between problem-focused coping and emotion-focused coping? Provide an example of each.

Problem-focused coping is when we attempt to alleviate stress directly, by changing the stressor or the way we interact with that stressor. Instead of avoiding it, we tend to solve the problem (ex. Having a fight with your best friend, so you call them up to try to become friends again). In this case, we believe we can change the circumstances. Emotion-focused coping is when we attempt to alleviate stress by avoiding or ignoring the stressor and attending to the emotional needs related to one's stress reaction. We believe we can't change the situation so we instead try to get support from others (friends/family). We might also exercise or become busy with work. (ex. After breaking up with your gf/bf, you asked for your friends support and try to focus on getting good grades).

What is learned helplessness? Describe Martin Seligman's experiment with dogs.

This is hopelessness and passive resignation an animal or human learns when unable to avoid repeated aversive events, and we become more vulnerable to stress and ill health, and we feel depressed. Dogs were strapped in a harness and given repeated shocks, with no opportunity to avoid them. When later they were placed in a escapable situation, they acted as if they were without hope as they weren't able to escape the first shocks. Animals who escaped the first shocks didn't face this problem.

What effects do cognitive processes have on operant conditioning?

We acquire mental information that guides our behavior as we associate a response and its consequences. Ex. fixed interval schedule shows that animals will respond more frequently as the fixed time period ends They develop an expectation that a response will be reinforced or punished. They also exhibit latent learning, insight learning, and intrinsic motivation.

How do biological predispositions affect learning, specifically operant conditioning?

We most easily learn and retain behaviors that reflect our biological predispositions. There is a principle: biological constraints predispose organisms to learn associations that are naturally adaptive. (e.g. you can teach pigeons to flap their wings to avoid being shocked, but they would have a hard time learning to peck and avoid a shock, or flap their wings to obtain food). There tends to be an "instinctive drift" that occurs to the animals to revert to their biologically predisposed patterns.

What is insight?

a sudden realization of a problem's solution.If you were taking a math test and went blank, you may later instantly remember how to solve it.

Why does self-control often fluctuate?

(Self Control is the ability to control impulses and delay short term gratification for greater long term rewards) Self control is like a muscle it temporarily weakens after exertion, (exertion meaning meatal exertion) replenishes with rest, and becomes stronger with exercise. Practicing self control can strengthen your overall ability to exert self control. Also exercising willpower depeates blood sugar and mental focus)

What is an example of a respondent behavior?

Any behavior that occurs as an automatic response to some stimulus. It is Skinner's term for behavior learned through classical conditioning.

How did Garcia and Koelling's experiment explain biological dispositions in classical conditioning?

Garcia and Koelling noticed that rats avoided drinking water from plastic bottles in radiation chambers. They exposed the rats to numerous smells, tastes, and sounds followed by radiation that led to nausea and vomiting. Even if sickened hours after exposure to a particular flavor, the rats then avoided that flavor. However, this did not hold true for the smells and sounds. This makes sense because the easiest way to identify tainted food is to taste it.

How does intrinsic motivation and extrinsic motivation affect operant conditioning?

Intrinsic motivation is performing a behavior for internal rewards. Extrinsic motivation is performing a behavior to either avoid punishment or gain a reward. Intrinsic motivation can be destroyed by excessive external rewards, leading to decrease the odds of a behavior being performed intrinsically. For example if a child gets rewarded with candy for reading, they may not want to read for enjoyment anymore, as without a reward it no longer seems worth it.

What is a taste aversion?

It is a response when an animal associates the taste of a certain food with symptoms caused by a toxic, spoiled, or poisonous substance (e.g if you become violently ill after eating seafood, you will probably develop an aversion to the taste of seafood. Similarly, the rats in Garcia and Koelling's experiment avoided drinking water from plastic bottles because they noticed it was making them sick).

Explain the difference between internal vs. external locus of control.

Julian Rotter Called an Internal locus of control The believe that people can control their own destiny, While external locus of control Is the belief that chance or outside forces determine their fate. In a study people who were in the internal category got higher grades on their school work, acted more independently, had better health, and felt less depressed than the people in the external category.

What is latent learning? Describe Tolman's study with the rats in the maze.

Latent learning is learning that occurs but is not apparent until there is an incentive to demonstrate it. Ex. you have a brief cognitive map of where the bathroom is at your new big office, but there is an incentive to demonstrate what you remember only when you actually have to go to the bathroom.