Untitled Quiz

Questions and Answers

Who is Pavlov?

Psychologist who pioneered research on classical conditioning with dogs and bells.

Who is Skinner?

Psychologist who pioneered research on operant conditioning by training rats to activate switches for food.

Who is Watson?

Psychologist who coined behaviorism and classical conditioning with his 'Baby Albert' experiments.

What is learning?

The process of acquiring new and relatively enduring information or behaviors. Signup and view all the answers

What is association?

The type of learning that certain events occur together. Signup and view all the answers

What is behaviorism?

The view that psychology should be an objective science that studies behavior without reference to mental processes. Signup and view all the answers

What is classical conditioning?

The type of conditioning where one learns to associate two or more stimuli and anticipate events. Signup and view all the answers

What is a neutral stimulus?

A stimulus that elicits no response before conditioning. Signup and view all the answers

What is an unconditioned response?

A natural response to stimuli, such as salivation. Signup and view all the answers

What is an unconditioned stimulus?

A stimulus that naturally and automatically triggers a response. Signup and view all the answers

What is a conditioned stimulus?

An originally irrelevant stimulus that, when paired with an unconditioned stimulus, comes to trigger a conditioned response. Signup and view all the answers

What is operant conditioning?

The type of conditioning in which behavior is strengthened if followed by a reinforcer or diminished if followed by a punisher. Signup and view all the answers

What is a reinforcer?

An event that strengthens the behavior behind it. Signup and view all the answers

What is shaping?

A procedure in which reinforcers guide behavior toward closer and closer approximations of the desired behavior. Signup and view all the answers

What is a discriminatory stimulus?

A stimulus that elicits responses after association with a reinforcer. Signup and view all the answers

What is a primary reinforcer?

An innately reinforcing stimulus, such as one that satisfies a biological need. Signup and view all the answers

What is a secondary reinforcer?

A learned association with primary reinforcers. Signup and view all the answers

What is positive reinforcement?

The type of reinforcement that gives something the subject wants to serve as a reinforcer. Signup and view all the answers

What is negative reinforcement?

The term used to describe taking away something the subject does not like or want to serve as a reinforcer. Signup and view all the answers

What is negative punishment?

The term used to describe withdrawing a rewarding stimulus as a punishment. Signup and view all the answers

What is positive punishment?

The term used to describe administering an aversive stimulus as a punishment. Signup and view all the answers

What is continuous reinforcement?

The reinforcement schedule that rewards the subject every time. Signup and view all the answers

What is a fixed interval reinforcement schedule?

The reinforcement schedule that rewards the subject after a specific amount of times. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Key Psychologists in Conditioning

Pavlov: Conducted seminal research on classical conditioning using dogs, demonstrating how stimuli can elicit conditioned responses through paired associations.
Skinner: Developed operant conditioning principles by training rats to perform tasks for food rewards, emphasizing reinforcement in behavior modification.
Watson: Founded behaviorism and demonstrated classical conditioning through the 'Baby Albert' experiments, showing emotional responses can be conditioned.

Concepts of Learning

Learning: Defined as the acquisition of new and relatively enduring information or behaviors throughout an individual's life.
Association: Refers to the learning process where certain events are linked together, forming a connection between stimuli and responses.

Behaviorism and Conditioning Types

Behaviorism: A perspective in psychology advocating for the study of observable behavior while disregarding internal mental processes.
Classical Conditioning: Involves learning by associating two or more stimuli to anticipate events, foundational in behavioral psychology.

Classical Conditioning Components

Neutral Stimulus: A stimulus that does not trigger a response prior to conditioning; crucial for forming associations.
Unconditioned Response: A natural, involuntary reaction to an unconditioned stimulus, such as salivation in response to food.
Unconditioned Stimulus: A stimulus that naturally and automatically elicits an unconditioned response without prior learning.
Conditioned Stimulus: An initially neutral stimulus that, after being paired with an unconditioned stimulus, begins to evoke a conditioned response.

Operant Conditioning Framework

Operant Conditioning: A learning principle where behaviors are modified based on reinforcement or punishment following the behavior.
Reinforcer: An event that increases the likelihood of a behavior recurring.
Shaping: A method in operant conditioning where successive approximations to desired behavior are reinforced, guiding behavior closer to the target.

Types of Reinforcement

Discriminatory Stimulus: A stimulus that signals when a particular response will be reinforced, crucial for guiding behavior.
Primary Reinforcer: Naturally reinforcing stimuli, like food, that satisfy basic biological needs.
Secondary Reinforcer: Stimuli that acquire value through their association with primary reinforcers, facilitating conditioned behaviors.
Positive Reinforcement: Introduction of a desirable stimulus to increase a behavior's occurrence.
Negative Reinforcement: Removal of an aversive stimulus to enhance the likelihood of a behavior.

Punishment and Reinforcement Schedules

Negative Punishment: Involves withdrawing a rewarding stimulus to reduce undesired behavior.
Positive Punishment: Administration of an unpleasant stimulus to decrease an undesirable behavior.
Continuous Reinforcement: A schedule of reinforcement where every instance of a desired behavior is rewarded.
Fixed Interval Schedule: A reinforcement schedule where rewards are provided after a set period or number of responses, promoting consistency in behavior.