Chapter 4

Question 1

learning

Answer 1

a lasting change in behavior or mental processes that results from experience

Question 2

habituation

Answer 2

learning NOT to respond to the repeated presentation of a stimulus

Question 3

mere exposure effect

Answer 3

a learned preference for stimuli to which we were previously exposed

Question 4

behavioral learning

Answer 4

forms of learning, such as classical and operant conditioning, that can be described in terms of stimuli and responses

Question 5

classical conditioning

Answer 5

a form of behavioral learning in which a previously neutral stimulus acquires the power to produce the same innate reflex typically produced by another stimulus

Question 6

neutral stimulus

Answer 6

any stimulus that produces no conditioned response prior to learning. It is called the conditioned stimulus when it is brought into the experiment

Question 7

unconditioned stimulus

Answer 7

in classical conditioning, it is the stimulus that produces the unconditioned response

Question 8

unconditioned response

Answer 8

in classical conditioning, it is the response generated from the unconditioned stimulus prior to learning

Question 9

acquisition

Answer 9

the initial learning stage where the conditioned response is produced by the conditioned stimulus

Question 10

conditioned stimulus

Answer 10

previously the neutral stimulus, through learning this produces the conditioned response

Question 11

conditioned response

Answer 11

the response produced by the previously neutral stimulus that used to be associated with the unconditioned stimulus

Question 12

extinction (classical conditioning)

Answer 12

the weakening of the conditioned response in the absence of the unconditioned stimulus

Question 13

spontaneous recovery

Answer 13

the unexpected reappearance of an extinguished conditioned response after a time delay

Question 14

stimulus generalization

Answer 14

the extension of the learned response to stimulus that is similar to the conditioned stimulus

Question 15

stimulus discrimination

Answer 15

learning to respond to a particular stimuli but not ones that are similar

Question 16

operant conditioning

Answer 16

behavioral learning where a response is changed by consequences - stimuli follows response

Question 17

law of effect

Answer 17

the idea that responses that produce desirable results would be learned or “stamped” into the organism

Question 18

reinforcer

Answer 18

a condition that occurs after a response that strengthens that response

Question 19

positive reinforcement

Answer 19

a stimulus/condition added that causes the behavior to occur again

Question 20

negative reinforcement

Answer 20

a stimulus/condition removed that causes the behavior to occur again

Question 21

operant chamber

Answer 21

a boxlike apparatus that can be programmed to deliver reinforcers and punishers contingent on the animals behavior

Question 22

reinforcement contingencies

Answer 22

relationships between a response and the changes in stimulation that follow that response

Question 23

continuous reinforcement

Answer 23

a type of reinforcement schedule where all correct responses are reinforced

Question 24

shaping

Answer 24

operant learning technique in which a new behavior is produced by reinforcing responses that are similar to the desired response

Question 25

intermittent reinforcement

Answer 25

a schedule in which some, but not all, responses are reinforced

Question 26

extinction (operant conditioning)

Answer 26

a process in which a response learned has been weakened by the removal/absence of reinforcement

Question 27

schedule of reinforcement

Answer 27

a program specifying the frequency and timing of reinforcments

Question 28

ratio schedule

Answer 28

a program by which reinforcement depends on the number of correct responses

Question 29

interval schedule

Answer 29

a program by which reinforcement depends on the time elapsed since the last reinforcement

Question 30

fixed ratio schedule

Answer 30

a program by which reinforcement is contingent on a certain, unvarying number of responses

Question 31

variable ratio schedule

Answer 31

a reinforcement program by which the number or responses needed for reinforcement vary from trial to trial

Question 32

fixed interval schedule

Answer 32

reinforcement is contingent on a fixed time period

Question 33

variable interval schedule

Answer 33

time period between reinforcements vary from trial to trial

Question 34

primary reinforcer

Answer 34

a reinforcer (food, sex) that has an innate basis because of it’s biological value to the organism

Question 35

conditioned (secondary) reinforcer

Answer 35

a stimulus (money/tokens) that acquires its reinforcing power due to association with the primary reinforcer

Question 36

instinctive drift

Answer 36

the tendency of an organism’s innate response to interfere with the learned behavior

Question 37

token economy

Answer 37

therapeutic method that uses tokens are used as reinforcers (rewards) and these tokens can be redeemed for a variety of rewards/privileges

Question 38

premack principle

Answer 38

the concept that a more preferred activity can be used to reinforce a less preferred one

Question 39

punishment

Answer 39

adverse consequences occurring after a response to diminish the strength of the response

Question 40

positive punishment

Answer 40

the addition of an adverse stimulus after a response

Question 41

negative punishment

Answer 41

the removal of an adverse stimulus after a response

Question 42

insight learning

Answer 42

form of cognitive learning in which problem solving occurs by a sudden reorganizations of perceptions

Question 43

cognitive map

Answer 43

mental representation of a maze or other physical space, but it is an understanding between concepts

Question 44

observational learning

Answer 44

form of cognitive learning in which new responses are acquired after watching other people’s behavior and the consequences to those behaviors

Question 45

long-term potentiation

Answer 45

a biological process involving physical changes that strengthen the synapses in groups of nerve cells that is believed to be the neural basis for learning