Psychology--Chapter 6.1

What is the difference between a reflex and a learned behavior?

A reflex is a behavior that humans are born knowing how to do, such as sucking or blushing; these behaviors happen automatically in response to stimuli in the environment. Learned behaviors are things that humans are not born knowing how to do, such as swimming and surfing. Learned behaviors are not automatic; they occur as a result of practice or repeated experience in a situation.

associative learning

form of learning that involves connecting certain stimuli or events that occur together in the environment (classical and operant conditioning)

Which of the following is an example of a reflex that occurs at some point in the development of a human being?

infant sucking on a nipple

Learning is best defined as a relatively permanent change in behavior that ________.

occurs as a result of experience

instinct

unlearned knowledge, involving complex patterns of behavior; instincts are thought to be more prevalent in lower animals than in humans

reflex

unlearned, automatic response by an organism to a stimulus in the environment

Compare and contrast classical and operant conditioning. How are they alike? How do they differ?

Both classical and operant conditioning involve learning by association. In classical conditioning, responses are involuntary and automatic; however, responses are voluntary and learned in operant conditioning. In classical conditioning, the event that drives the behavior (the stimulus) comes before the behavior; in operant conditioning, the event that drives the behavior (the consequence) comes after the behavior. Also, whereas classical conditioning involves an organism forming an association between an involuntary (reflexive) response and a stimulus, operant conditioning involves an organism forming an association between a voluntary behavior and a consequence.

learning

change in behavior or knowledge that is the result of experience

In ________ the stimulus or experience occurs before the behavior and then gets paired with the behavior.

classical conditioning

Two forms of associative learning are ________ and ________.

classical conditioning; operant conditioning