Ch. 7 Learning

Question 1

Learning

Answer 1

the process of acquiring through experience new and relatively enduring information or behaviors

Question 2

Behaviorism

Answer 2

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).

Question 3

Classical Conditioning

Answer 3

a type of learning in which one learns to link two or more stimuli and anticipate events (basic form of learning by which all organisms adapt to their environment)

Question 4

Unconditioned Stimulus (US

Answer 4

a stimulus that elicits a response without prior learning (unconditionally/naturally/automatically triggers a UR)
-Ex: food in mouth

Question 5

Unconditioned Response (UR)

Answer 5

a response to the US that is unlearned

Ex: salivation

Question 6

Neutral Stimulus (NS)

Answer 6

a stimulus that elicits no response before conditioning

Question 7

Conditioned Stimulus (CS)

Answer 7

a stimulus that elicits a response only after an association has been learned
-Stimulus that after association with US triggers a CR

Question 8

Conditioned Response (CR)

Answer 8

a response to the CS that has been learned

Question 9

Acquisition

Answer 9

In classical conditioning, the initial stage, when one links a NS and an US so that the NS begins triggering the CR. In operant conditioning, the strengthening of a reinforced response.

• Learning association; NS+US
• NS must come first or at same time as US (bell must come first) & not too far apart

Question 10

Extinction

Answer 10

The diminishing of a conditioned response; occurs in classical conditioning when an US does not follow CS; occurs in operant conditioning when a response is no longer reinforced
-Unlearn → CR weakened, CS only (bell only, no food following)

Question 11

Spontaneous Recovery

Answer 11

the reappearance, after a pause, of an extinguished CR

(1) extinguish response (2) wait (3) present CS

Question 12

Generalization

Answer 12

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

Question 13

Discrimination

Answer 13

In classical conditioning, the learned ability to distinguish between a CS and stimuli that do not signal an US

Question 14

Conditioning Stages

Answer 14

1. Acquisition
2. Extinction
3. Spontaneous Recovery
4. Generalization
5. Discrimination

Question 15

Conditioned Taste Aversion

Answer 15

One pairing between the Taste (CS) and Radiation (US) that creates Nausea (CR) that is aversive so the animal will no longer eat food with that taste

Question 16

Operant Conditioning (instrumental)

Answer 16

type of learning in which behavior is strengthened if followed by a reinforcer or diminished if followed by a punisher; learning to associate a response with a consequence (adjust behavior to avoid - response or get + response)
-Can either be positive (something added) or negative (something removed)

Question 17

Positive Reinforcement

Answer 17

increases a behavior by adding a desired stimulus

Question 18

Negative Reinforcement

Answer 18

increases a behavior by removing an aversive stimulus

Question 19

Positive Punishment

Answer 19

decreases a behavior by adding an aversive stimulus

Question 20

Negative Punishment

Answer 20

decreases a behavior by removing a desired stimulus

Question 21

Downsides of Punishment

Answer 21

1. Feels coercive
2. Needs to be prompt/ immediate; certain/ consistently applied; strong
3. Behavior is just suppressed, not forgotten
4. Can lead to discrimination among situations
5. Can create fear/avoidance
6. Doesn’t tell what behavior is more appropriate

Question 22

Shaping

Answer 22

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

Question 23

Variable schedule of reinforcement ***

Answer 23

not rewarded every time, behavior will last longer once reward is removed (extinguish more slowly)
Vending machine vs. slot machine

Question 24

Observational Learning

Answer 24

learning by observing others’ behavior

Question 25

Violence viewing effect

Answer 25

to some extent, prepares people who watch violence to act more cruelly when irritated; especially true when an attractive person commits seemingly justified, realistic violence that goes unpunished and causes no visible pain or harm
-imitation, desensitization, social scripts, priming

Question 26

Predictability

Answer 26

an animal can learn the predictability of an event (the more predictable an association, the stronger the conditioned response)
-cognitive constraint on operant conditioning

Question 27

Latent Learning

Answer 27

learning that occurs but is not apparent until there is an incentive to demonstrate it
-cognitive constraint on operant conditioning