chapter 5: learning

Question 1

conditioning

Answer 1

the process of learning associations between environmental events and behavioral responses.

Question 2

classical conditioning

Answer 2

the basic learning process that involves repeatedly pairing a neutral stimulus with a response-producing stimulus until the neutral stimulus elicits the same response.

Question 3

unconditioned stimulus (UCS)

Answer 3

the natural stimulus that reflexively elicits a response without the need for prior learning

Question 4

unconditioned response (UCR)

Answer 4

the unlearned, reflexive response that is elicited by an unconditioned stimulus

Question 5

conditioned stimulus (CS)

Answer 5

a formerly neutral stimulus that acquires the capacity to elicit a reflexive response.

Question 6

conditioned response (CR)

Answer 6

the learned, reflexive response to a previously neutral stimulus.

Question 7

stimulus generalization

Answer 7

the occurrence of a learned response not only to the original stimulus but to other, similar stimuli as well.

Question 8

stimulus discrimination

Answer 8

the occurrence of a learned response to a specific stimulus but not to other, similar stimuli.

Question 9

higher order conditioning

Answer 9

second order conditioning, is a procedure in which a conditioned stimulus from one learning trial functions as the unconditioned stimulus in a new conditioning trial.

Question 10

spontaneous recovery

Answer 10

the reappearance of a previously extinguished conditioned response after a period of time without exposure to the conditioned stimulus.

Question 11

operant

Answer 11

active behavior that operates upon the environment to generate consequences

Question 12

reinforcement

Answer 12

the occurrence of a stimulus or an event following a response that increases the likelihood of that response being repeated.

Question 13

discriminative stimulus

Answer 13

a specific stimulus that increases the likelihood of a particular response because it indicates that reinforcement is likely to occur.

Question 14

positive reinforcement

Answer 14

a situation in which a response is followed by the addition of a reinforcing stimulus, increasing the likelihood that the response will be repeated in similar situations

Question 15

negative reinforcement

Answer 15

a situation in which a response results in the removal of, avoidance of, or escape from an aversive, or undesired, stimulus, increasing the likelihood that the response will be repeated in similar situations.

Question 16

primary reinforcer

Answer 16

is a stimulus or event that is naturally or inherently reinforcing for a given species.

Question 17

conditioned reinforcer

Answer 17

secondary reinforcer, is a stimulus or event that has acquired reinforcing value by being associated with a primary reinforcer.

Question 18

positive punishment

Answer 18

punishment by application, is a situation in which an operant is followed by the presentation of an stimulus.

Question 19

negative punishment

Answer 19

punishment by removal, a situation in which an operant is followed by the removal or subtraction of a reinforcing stimulus

Question 20

continuous reinforcement

Answer 20

a schedule of reinforcement in which every occurrence of a particular response is followed by a reinforcer

Question 21

partial reinforcement

Answer 21

a schedule of reinforcement in which every occurrence of a particular response is followed by a reinforcer

Question 22

instinctive drift

Answer 22

the tendency of an animal to revert to its instinctive behaviors that can interfere with the performance of an operantly conditioned response

Question 23

observational learning

Answer 23

learning that occurs through observing the actions of others.