Intro to Psych

Question 1

Learning

Answer 1

long-lasting change in behavior that comes about due to the individual’s experience

Question 2

Instinct

Answer 2

is a fairly elaborate pattern of behavior that is shown by all members of a species
* not learned

Question 3

Reflex

Answer 3

a simple pattern of behavior that does not involve the brain, but only a simple connection in the spinal cord
* not learned

Question 4

Habituation

Answer 4

simplest form of learning
* is a decrease in response to a repeated stimulus

Question 5

Classical conditioning

Answer 5

basic form of learning in which existing reflex responses come to be elicited (caused) by new stimuli

Question 6

Pavlov

Answer 6

observed that meat powder caused reflex salivation
* Pavlov rang a bell; initially the bell was a neutral stimulus
* he placed meat powder on the dog’s tongue
* after this sequence was repeated many times, the bell alone began to cause salivation
by association, the bell which before had no effect, began to produce the same response that the food did

Question 7

Neutral stimulus

Answer 7

stimulus that does not evoke a response

Question 8

Unconditioned stimuli

Answer 8

produce reflexive responses or involuntary emotional reactions

Question 9

Extinction

Answer 9

the gradual decline and disappearance of a conditioned response when it is no longer reinforced

Question 10

Spontaneous recovery

Answer 10

the reappearance of an extinguished response upon returning to the familiar situation and the conditioned stimulus

Question 11

Unconditioned response

Answer 11

response that will occur without previous conditioning

Question 12

Conditioned stimulus

Answer 12

a previously neutral stimulus that has, through conditioning, acquired the capacity to elicit a conditioned response

Question 13

Conditioned response

Answer 13

the response which is elicited by the conditioned stimulus

Question 14

Stimulus generalization

Answer 14

the tendency for a conditioned response to be evoked by similar stimuli or situations

Question 15

Stimulus discrimination

Answer 15

the learned ability to detect differences among stimuli and to respond differently to each

Question 16

Operant conditioning or instrumental learning

Answer 16

a form of learning in which a voluntary response is strengthened or diminished by its consequences

Question 17

Operant

Answer 17

a response that has some effect

Question 18

Reinforcer

Answer 18

increases the probability that a behavior will occur again

Question 19

Law of Effect

Answer 19

acts that are reinforced (rewarded) tend to be repeated
responses that are followed by satisfying consequences increase in probability

Question 20

Primary reinforcers

Answer 20

satisfy biological needs

Question 21

Secondary reinforcers

Answer 21

depend on learning

Question 22

Watson’s theory

Answer 22

three basic human emotions: fear, rage, and love, which get transferred to other situations through classical conditioning

Question 23

Skinner box

Answer 23

conditioning chamber used to “teach” operant conditioning

Question 24

Positive reinforcement

Answer 24

• reward
  *increases responding

Question 25

Negative reinforcement

Answer 25

occurs when making a response removes an unpleasant event * ends discomfort

Question 26

Reinforcement

Answer 26

increases the rate of a response

Question 27

Punishment

Answer 27

decreases the rate of a response

Question 28

Continuous reinforcement

Answer 28

* one behavior, one reinforcement * quickest way to teach a behavior * quickest to extinguish

Question 29

Partial reinforcement effect

Answer 29

* highly resistant to extinction * basic patterns: fixed ratio variable ratio fixed interval variable interval

Question 30

Fixed ratio

Answer 30

ratio of reinforcers to responses is fixed * produce high rates of response

Question 31

Variable ratio schedule

Answer 31

* slight variation fixed ratio * less predictable * greater resistance to extinction than fixed ratio schedules

Question 32

Fixed interval pattern

Answer 32

reinforcement is given for the first correct response made after a fixed amount of time has passed

Question 33

Variable intervals schedules

Answer 33

* variation on fixed intervals * reinforcement is given for the first correct response made after a varied amount of time * produce slow, steady rates of response and tremendous resistance to extinction.

Question 34

Superstitious behavior

Answer 34

reinforcement affects not only the last response that precedes it, but also other responses occurring shortly before * often becomes part of response chains

Question 35

Vicarious learning or observational learning

Answer 35

behavior that is learned through classical or operant conditioning (especially of emotions) brought about by observing the reactions or results of another person to a particular stimulus

Question 36

Social psychology

Answer 36

studies how people think about, influence and relate to one another

Question 37

Attribution theory

Answer 37

researches and describes how people explain others’ behavior

Question 38

Attributions

Answer 38

the inferences that people draw about the causes of events, others’ behavior and their own behavior

Question 39

Attribution

Answer 39

process by which people explain the causes of behavior

Question 40

Internal attributions

Answer 40

* dispositional * explain behavior as due to characteristics of the person

Question 41

External attributions

Answer 41

* situational * explain behaviors as arising from the situation

Question 42

Fundamental attribution error

Answer 42

* tendency to over-emphasize internal characteristics in explaining the behavior of others * people also use mental shortcuts to make judgments and decisions quickly

Question 43

Self-serving bias

Answer 43

attributing one’s successes to dispositional factors and one’s failures to situational factors

Question 44

Social influence

Answer 44

influence by one person to alter the behavior and attitudes of one or more others

Question 45

Normative social influence

Answer 45

conform to avoid rejection or to gain social approval

Question 46

Informational social influence

Answer 46

accepting others’ opinions about reality

Question 47

Asch study

Answer 47

research on compliance * found that group size, cohesiveness and having an ally can affect whether or not one conforms

Question 48

Reactance persuasion | Ways to resist persuasion

Answer 48

doing the opposite of what is trying to be persuaded; occurs when attempts to persuade are seen as attempts to limit personal freedom

Question 49

Forewarning | Ways to resist persuasion

Answer 49

advance warning; protects by allowing a forming of advance counter-arguments

Question 50

Selective avoidance | Ways to resist persuasion

Answer 50

attempts to find consistent viewpoints while avoiding inconsistent viewpoints

Question 51

Foot in the door | Techniques used in compliance

Answer 51

making a small request before a large request

Question 52

Door in the face | Techniques used in compliance

Answer 52

following a large request with a small request

Question 53

That’s not all | Techniques used in compliance

Answer 53

includes a bonus to whatever you buy

Question 54

Low-ball | Techniques used in compliance

Answer 54

get person committed, then make terms of acting less desirable

Question 55

Social loafing

Answer 55

reduced efforts by some individuals in group tasks * to reduce social loafing: identify contributions of group members increase group members’ commitment to successful task performance strengthen group’s cohesiveness

Question 56

Social facilitation theory

Answer 56

the mere presence of other people can affect the speed and quality of an individual's task performance

Question 57

Group polarization

Answer 57

tendency for group decisions to take extreme course of action * pressured by deadlines * leader of the group makes his/her position known * group is insulated

Question 58

Pro-social behavior

Answer 58

altruistic behavior: actions that provide a benefit to others while not having obvious benefits to oneself.

Question 59

Bystander effect

Answer 59

failure to help is related to number of people present

Question 60

Diffusion of responsibility

Answer 60

people feel less responsible for dealing with emergency when there are other people around

Question 61

Frustration aggression hypotheses

Answer 61

* occurs when goal-directed behavior is blocked * tendency to aggress varies directly with amount of frustration * strongest tendency is to aggress towards source of frustration * aggression is often inhibited

Question 62

Heat hypotheses

Answer 62

positive correlation between the increase in temperature and violent crimes

Question 63

Attitudes

Answer 63

* evaluative response directed at specific objects * attitudes are learned through classical conditioning, operant conditioning and social learning * we tend to be more attracted to people with attitudes similar to ours as opposed attitudes different than ours

Question 64

Cognitive dissonance theory

Answer 64

* negative feelings arising from inconsistent attitudes and voluntary behavior * to eliminate cognitive dissonance, must change either the attitude or behavior

Question 65

Causes of prejudice

Answer 65

* realistic conflict theory * social learning * social categorization * ingroup versus outgroup

Question 66

Sternberg’s triangular theory

Answer 66

love has three basic components: * passion * intimacy * commitment

Question 67

Seven types of love

Answer 67

types of love are based on three components that are passion, intimacy, and love * non-love * infatuation * empty love * romantic * companionate * fatuous * consummate love

Question 68

Hendrick love styles

Answer 68

* eros – romantic, passionate love * philia – affectionate, friendly love * storge – unconditional, familial love * agape – selfless, universal love * ludus – playful, flirtatious love * pragma – committed, eternal love * manic love – intense, obsessive love

Question 69

Women tend to be more ____ in their love styles

Answer 69

pragmatic, manic and storgic

Question 70

Men tend to be more ____ in their love styles

Answer 70

erotic and ludic