learning Flashcards
what is learning?
adapting to new enviros and circumstances, is a relatively permanent change in behaviour due to experience
what does learning result from?
the influence of one particular stimulus
what is solomon’s opponent theory of learning?
new stimuli disrupt equilibrium, opposite process restores homeostasis
what is the process of habituation in learning?
adapting to stimuli that do not change
what is dishabituation?
the reappearance of original response when stimulus changes
what does sensitisation lead to?
exaggerated responses to unexpected events
what is stimulus generalisation in learning?
a phenomenon in which conditioned response is elicited by stimuli that is similar but not identical to conditioned stimulus
what is the adaptive advantage of stimulus generalisation?
avoid things similar to known dangers
what is stimulus discrimination?
a process through which individuals differentiate among similar stimulus
what is classical conditioning?
a procedure in which a neutral stimulus is repeatedly paired with a stimulus that elicits a reflex until the neutral stimulus alone elicits a similar response
what is an unconditioned stimulus?
a stimulus that elicits a response without conditioning
what is an unconditioned response?
the automatic reaction to a stimulus
what is a conditioned stimulus?
the originally neutral stimulus that, through pairing with the unconditioned stimulus comes to elicit conditioned response
what is the conditioned response?
the response that the conditioned stimulus elicits
what are the different conditioned responses over time?
- extinction
- reconditioning
- spontaneous recovery
what is the conditioned response over time of extinction?
the gradual disappearance of a conditioned response when a conditioned stimulus is no longer followed by an unconditioned stimulus
what is the conditioned response over time of reconditioning?
the quick relearning of a conditioned response following extinction
what is the conditioned response over time of spontaneous recovery?
the reappearance of the conditioned response after extinction and without further pairings of the conditioned and unconditioned stimuli
what are factors that influence the learning of conditioned responses?
- timing
- attention
- predictability
- bioprepardness
- intensity of signal
- higher-order conditioning
what is operant conditioning?
a process through which an organism learns to respond to the enviro in a way the produces positive consequences and avoids negative ones
what is operant?
a response that has some effect on the world
what is a reinforcer?
a stimulus that increases the probability that the response immediately following will occur again
what is a positive reinforcement?
stimuli that strengthens a response if they follow that response
what is a negative reinforcement?
unpleasant stimuli, such as pain, that strengthens a response if they are removed following that response
