Ch6 - Learning

Question 1

Define

Learning

Answer 1

An enduring or durable change in behaviour or mental processes due to experience.

Question 2

What are other characteristics of learning?

Answer 2

• Relatively permanent
• causes a change in behaviour
• Occurs because of interactions with environment

Question 3

What are the different types of learning?

Answer 3

• Event-alone learning
• Event-event learning
• Behaviour event learning
• Social learning

Question 4

Define

Innate

Answer 4

Something inborn or naturally occurring

Question 5

Define

Reflex

Answer 5

Stimulus-response relationship which is either learned or innate. Behaviour happens automatically

Question 6

What is habituation?

Answer 6

A process where we respond less strongly over time to repeated stimuli

Question 7

True or False?

Learning habituation is the same thing is as sensory habituation

Answer 7

False!
* Learning habituation is a simple form of learning while sensory habituation is when information is still available if it becomes relevant

Question 8

What is sensitization?

Answer 8

An increase in the strength of a response to a repeated stimulus.

Question 9

What is Classical (Pavlovian) Conditioning?

Answer 9

A form of learning in which a neutral stimulus comes to signal the occurrence of a second stimulus.

Question 10

Define

Elicits

Answer 10

brings about

Question 11

Define

Stimulus

Answer 11

Anything in the environment that we can detect, is measurable, and can evoke a response or behaviour

Question 12

Define

Association

Answer 12

A relationship between two stimuli

Question 13

Define

Acquisition

Answer 13

Time while an association is being learned

Question 14

What is an unconditioned stimulus?

Answer 14

Biologically significant stimulus that already has a response to it such as food and pain.

Question 15

What is an unconditioned response?

Answer 15

Response naturally associated with the unconditioned stimulus such as salivation or being startled.

Question 16

What is a neutral stimulus ?

Answer 16

A stimulus that does not naturally elicit a response/

Question 17

What is a conditioned stimulus?

Answer 17

A previously neutral stimulus that comes to elicit a conditioned response

Question 18

What is a conditioned response?

Answer 18

A learned response to an environmental stimulus.

Question 19

What are two ways that unconditioned stimulus can be classified as?

Answer 19

• Appetitive: a stimulus that animals find pleasant
• Aversive: a stimulus that animals find unpleasant

Question 20

What makes a good unconditioned stimulus?

Answer 20

Something that evokes a strong bodily response such as drugs, loud noise etc.

Question 21

What are the types of conditioned stimulus - unconditioned stimulus pairings?

Answer 21

• Short-delayed conditioning
• Long-delayed conditioning
• Trace conditioning
• Simultaneous conditioning
• Backward conditioning

Question 22

CS - US pairings

Short-delayed conditioning

Answer 22

US starts just after the CS started (and CS is still on)

Question 23

CS - US pairings

Long-delayed conditioning

Answer 23

US starts after the CS has been on for a while (and CS is still on)

Question 24

CS - US pairings

Trace conditioning

Answer 24

CS begins and ends before US is presented

Question 25

# CS - US pairings **Simultaneous conditioning**

Answer 25

CS and US begin and end together

Question 26

# CS - US pairings **Backward conditioning**

Answer 26

US occurs before the CS

Question 27

What is **preparedness**?

Answer 27

species-specific predisposition to be conditioned some specific way usually do to evolutionary adaptations

Question 28

What is **extinction** ?

Answer 28

Process in which CS is presented in absence of US which causes CR to weaken and eventually disappear.

Question 29

What is **spontaneous recovery**?

Answer 29

When a seemingly extinct CR reappears if the CS is presented again. The CR is usually somehwat weaker.

Question 30

What is a **conditioned excitor**?

Answer 30

A CS that produces a CR

Question 31

What is a **safety signal**/**conditioned inhibitor**?

Answer 31

A CS that lets us know an US is not coming.

Question 32

What is **stimulus generalization**?

Answer 32

A process where once a CS has been established, similar stimuli may also produce a CR

Question 33

What is **stimulus discrimination**?

Answer 33

Process where we exhibit less pronounced CR to CS's that differ from original CS

Question 34

What is **Higher-order conditioning**?

Answer 34

=conditioning procedure in which an already conditioned signal is paired with a neutral stimulus.

Question 35

What is a **phobia**?

Answer 35

Extreme and irrational fear directed towards people, objects, or situations.

Question 36

What is **systemic desensitization**? | A.K.A exposure therapy

Answer 36

A therapeutic technique based on Pavlovian conditioning to reduce fear response

Question 37

What is **operant(instrumental) conditioning**?

Answer 37

Learning that is controlled by the consequences of the organisms behavour

Question 38

# Define **Antecedent**

Answer 38

Something detectable in the environment that set the occasion to respond

Question 39

What is **contingency**?

Answer 39

If-then rule; if you do this (behaviour), then that will happen (consequence)

Question 40

What is an outcome that strengthens the probability of a response?

Answer 40

Reinforcement

Question 41

What is an outcome that weakens the probability of a response?

Answer 41

Punishment

Question 42

What is **escape behaviour**?

Answer 42

Performance of a behaviour terminates an aversive stimulus

Question 43

What is **avoidance behaviour**?

Answer 43

Performance of the behaviour prevents the aversive stimulus from occuring.

Question 44

What is **learned helplessness**?

Answer 44

Experiencing an aversive situation you can't control prevents you from learning to control other aversive situations