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Psyc Chapter 7
Learning, adaptation, experience
51
Psychology
Undergraduate 1
10/23/2013

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Term
Sensitization
Definition
The increase of the strength of response to a repeated stimulus
Term
Classical Conditioning
Definition
Where an organism learns to associate two stimuli (sex and dripping hot wax) so that on stimulus produces a response that was originally only produced by the other. (Example: the dripping of hot wax anywhere on my body now makes me ejaculate)
Term
Acquisition (each one is called a learning trial)
Definition
Refers to the period in which a response is being learned.
Term
(UCS) Unconditioned Stimulus
Definition
A stimulus that causes a natural reaction - where no learning was required to produce a specific response. For example: cold weather, or a knife flying towards your head.
Term
(UCR) Unconditioned Response
Definition
A response that is natural, which requires no learning or conditioning. For example, sweating in heat, or pulling your hand away from a flame
Term
(CS) Conditioned Stimulus
Definition
A stimulus that required learning in order to produce a specific response, one that is not natural. For example: hearing a whistle, or seeing santa. (in this case the sound of a whistle could make you run home for dinner, and seeing santa could cause you to get a hard on)
Term
(CR) Conditioned Response
Definition
A response to a stimulus that had to be learned, that is not natural. For example, crying when you hear the happy birthday song (maybe because your great-grandpappy choked and died while singing it)
Term
Extinction (each one is called an extinction trial)
Definition
The process where a conditioned response (CR) weakens, and eventually disappears. This usually happens when the CS is presented repeatedly in the absence of the UCS.
Term
Spontaneous Recovery
Definition
The reappearance of a previously extinguished CR after a rest period and without new learning trials.
Term
Stimulus Generalization
Definition
When stimuli similar to the initial CS elicit a CR
Term
Discrimination
Definition
Demonstrated when a CR (such as an alarm reaction) occurs to one stimulus (a specific sound) but not to others.
Term
Higher-order Conditioning
Definition
A neutral stimulus becomes a CS after being paired with an already established CS
Term
Exposure Therapies
Definition
When a psychologist exposes the phobic patient to the feared stimulus (CS) without any UCS, allowing extinction to occur.
Term
Systematic Desensitization
Definition
When a therapist teaches a phobic patient muscle relaxation techniques and then gradually exposes the fear stimulus (CS)
Term
Flooding
Definition
When a therapist exposes a phobic patient to the feared stimulus (CS) without any attempts to soften the blow of fear - hoping to weaken the CS until it is extinct.
Term
Aversion Therapy
Definition
Attempts to condition an aversion (a repulsion) to a stimulus that triggers unwanted behaviour by pairing it with a noxious UCS. (Example: A Clockwork Orange, pairing violent movies with vomit inducing injections --> the patient will now feel sick at the sight of violence)
Term
Emitted Response
Definition
A voluntary response to a stimulus
Term
Elicited Response
Definition
An involuntary response to a stimulus
Term
Instrumental Learning
Definition
When an organism's behaviour is involved in bringing about certain outcomes. With trial-and-error, the organism can eliminate responses that failed. (Example: a cat pushes every single button before hitting the right one, which gives him food)
Term
Skinner's Law of Effect
Definition
States that in a given situation, a response followed by a satisfying consequence will become more likely to occur, and a response followed by an unsatisfying consequence will become less likely to occur.
Term
Operant Conditioning
Definition
A type of learning in which behaviour is influenced by its consequences (akin to Thorndike's instrumental learning)
Term
ABCs of Operant Conditioning
Definition
If and then, which is to say, if antecedent stimulus is presented and behaviour is emitted then consequence will occur. Example: you say sit, dog sits, dog gets a treat.
Term
Contingencies
Definition
Something that occurs only if something else occurs. Example, dog will only sit if I tell him, dog will only get treat if he sits. (aka the relation of A to B and B to C)
Term
Discriminative Stimulus
Definition
An antecedent stimulus that signals the likelihood of certain consequences if a response is made. Example, a light above a food lever for a rat in a box. Food is dispensed when the light is on and the lever is pulled. Rat knows to pull the lever only when the light is on.
Term
Positive Reinforcement
Definition
A response is strengthened by the subsequent presentation of a stimulus.
Term
Negative Reinforcement
Definition
A response is strengthened by the subsequent removal or avoidance of a stimulus.
Term
Operant Extinction
Definition
The weakening and eventual disappearance of a response because it is no longer reinforced.
Term
Resistance to Extinction
Definition
The degree to which non-reinforced responses persist (remain).
Term
Positive Punishment
Definition
A response is weakened by the subsequent presentation of a(n undesirable) stimulus.
Term
Negative Punishment
Definition
A response is weakened by the subsequent removal of a (desirable) stimulus. Example: that'll cost you $100. No more TV. Go to jail for stealing a car. For that, I will kill your wife.
Term
Primary Reinforcers
Definition
Stimuli such as food and water (and in some respects, other human needs, such as shelter, sense of purpose, social acceptance, and reproducing) that an organism naturally finds reinforcing because they satisfy biological needs.
Term
Secondary reinforcers
Definition
Stimuli such as money and positive feedback which reinforce behaviour due to its association with primary reinforcers. Example: earning money reinforces working, and money leads to food.
Term
Delay of Gratification
Definition
The ability to forgo (go without) an immediate smaller reward for a delayed but more satisfying outcome.
Term
Shaping
Definition
Involves reinforcing successive steps toward a final response. aka The Method of Successive Approximations. Example: teaching a shy child to speak. Reinforce him to say words, then to say them loudly. Than reinforce him to speak sentences, and then sentences in the presence of other people.
Term
Chaining
Definition
Used to develop a sequence of responses by reinforcing each response with the opportunity to perform the next response. Example: rat hits a bell which turns on a light which means food is ready to be dispensed.
Term
Continuous Reinforcement Schedule
Definition
Every response of a particular type is reinforced
Term
Partial Reinforcement
Definition
Only some responses are reinforced, aka intermittent reinforcement.
Term
Fixed-Ratio (FR) Schedule
Definition
Reinforcement is given after a fixed number of responses. Example 1: FR-3 means that reinforcement occurs after every third response, regardless of how long it takes for those responses to occur. Example 2: Working for piecework, you get paid $10 per every three Jews that you shoot.
Term
Variable-Ratio (VR) Schedule
Definition
Reinforcement is given after an unpredictable number of correct responses, based on an average. Example 1: a VR-3 schedule means that on average three responses are required for reinforcement. Example 2: Gambling at a slot machine, you never know when the next payout, or reinforcement, will happen.
Term
Fixed-Interval (FI) Schedule
Definition
The first correct response that occurs after a fixed time interval is reinforced. Example 1: A rat presses a lever and every three minutes it gives out food. Example 2: An FI-4 schedule in Psychology class means there is a test every interval of 4 weeks, and therefore little studying happens following a test, and lots happens right before it.
Term
Variable-Interval (VI) Schedule
Definition
Reinforcement is given for the first response that occurs after a variable time interval. Example 1: A VI-3 schedule means that on average there is a three-minute interval between opportunities to obtain reinforcement. Example 2: Pop quizzes, random drug tests, roadside speed traps.
Term
Escape Conditioning
Definition
Organisms learn a response to terminate an aversive (undesirable) stimulus. example: wearing a sweater to avoid the cold. yawning to make the dork who is talking to you go away
Term
Avoidance Conditioning
Definition
Organisms learn to respond to completely avoid aversive (undesirable) stimuli, that is, before it even occurs. Example, sun screen before going to the beach, or wearing diapers to a scary movie before you piss yourself
Term
Two-Factor Theory of Avoidance Learning
Definition
Theory that avoidance learning first involves the classical conditioning of fear, followed by learning operant responses that avoid an anticipated aversive stimulus and thus are reinforced by anxiety reduction.
Term
Applied Behaviour Analysis
Definition
Combines a behavioural approach with the scientific method to solve individual and societal problems
Term
Preparedness
Definition
Through evolution, animals are biologically prewired to easily learn behaviours related to their survival as a species.
Term
Conditioned Taste Aversion
Definition
A learned repulsion to a food that formerly was neutral or desired, by virtue of pairing the food with an aversive UCS (e.g., nausea, stomach illness)
Term
Instinctive Drift
Definition
A conditioned response shifts back towards instinctive behaviour
Term
Insight
Definition
The sudden perception of a useful relationship or a solution to a problem
Term
Cognitive Map
Definition
A mental representation of the spatial layout of an area
Term
Latent Learning
Definition
Refers to learning that occurs but is not demonstrated until there is an incentive to perform
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