Chapter 8 Flashcards
condition relation
a relation in which the significance of one stimulus or event depends on the status of another stimulus
configural-cue approach
An approach to the analysis of stimulus control which assumes that organisms respond to a compound stimulus as an integral whole rather than a collection of separate and independent stimulus elements. (Compare with the stimulus-element approach.)
descriptive stimulus
a stimulus that controls the performance of instrumental behavior because it signals the availability (or lack of) of reinforcement
excitatory generalization gradient
A gradient of responding that is observed when organisms are tested with the S+ from a discrimination procedure and with stimuli that increasingly differ from the S+. Typically the highest level of responding occurs to the S+; progressively less responding occurs to stimuli that increasingly differ from the S+. Thus, the gradient has an inverted-U shape.
facilitation
a procedure in which one cue designated when another cue will be reinforced. Also called occasion setting
intradimentional discrimination
A discrimination between stimuli that differ only in terms of the value of one stimulus feature, such as color, brightness, or pitch.
modulator
A stimulus that signals the relation between two other events. A modulator may signal that a CS will be followed by a US or that an instrumental response will be reinforced. The modulator is part of a conditional relation in which the status of a binary relation depends on the status of the modulator.
multiple schedule of reinforcement
A procedure in which different reinforcement schedules are in effect in the presence of different stimuli presented in succession. Generally, each stimulus comes to evoke a pattern of responding that corresponds to whatever reinforcement schedule is in effect during that stimulus.
negative patterning
A discrimination procedure in which reinforcement is provided when each of two stimuli appear by themselves (A+ and B+) but not when the two stimuli appear simultaneously (AB–)
occasion settng
same as facilitation
overshadowing
interference with the conditioning of a stimulus because of the simultaneous presence of another stimulus that is easier to condition
peak-shade effect
A displacement of the highest rate of responding in a stimulus generalization gradient away from the S+ in a direction opposite the S–.
positive patterning
A discrimination procedure in which reinforcement is provided when two stimuli (A and B) are presented simultaneously (AB+) but not when those stimuli appear by themselves (A– and B–).
stimulus discrimination
differential responding in the presence of two or more stimuli
stimulus discrimination training
Training with a stimulus discrimination procedure that results in stimulus discrimination.
stimulus discrimination procedure (in classical conditioning)
(in classical conditioning) A classical conditioning procedure in which one stimulus (the CS+) is paired with the US on some trials and another stimulus (the CS–)
is presented without the US on other trials. As a
result of this procedure, the CS+ comes to elicit a
conditioned response and the CS– comes to inhibit
this response.
stimulus discrimination procedure (in instrumental conditioning)
A procedure in which reinforcement for responding is available whenever one stimulus (the S+, or SD) is present and not available whenever another stimulus (the S–, or SΔ) is present.
stimulus-element approach
An approach to the analysis of control by compound stimuli which assumes that participants respond to a compound stimulus in terms of the stimulus elements that make up the compound. (Compare with the configural-cue approach.)
stimulus equivalence
Responding to physically distinct stimuli as if they were the same because of common prior experiences with the stimuli.
stimulus generalization gradient
A gradient of responding that is observed if participants are tested with stimuli that increasingly differ from the stimulus that was present during training. (See also excitatory generalization gradient.)
