Learning Chapter 8 Flashcards

Classical Conditioning

• Involves learning through association of stimuli.
• Key components: Unconditioned Stimulus (US), Unconditioned Response (UR), Conditioned Stimulus (CS), and Conditioned Response (CR).
• Initially neutral stimuli can become conditioned stimuli after being paired with an unconditioned stimulus.

Reinforcement Schedules

• Differentiated by delivery timing: ratio (based on number of responses) or interval (based on time passage).
• Can be fixed (constant pattern) or variable (changing pattern).

Observational Learning

• Also referred to as modeling.
• Studied by Albert Bandura within the framework of social-learning theory.
• Research shows children can learn violent behaviors by observing aggressive actions in media or from adults.

Latent Learning

• Hidden learning that may not be immediately evident.
• Edward Tolman's experiments with rats demonstrated that rewards can reveal previously unexpressed knowledge in behaviors.

Abstract Learning

• Involves understanding broader concepts rather than specific instances.
• Notable example: pigeons trained in Skinner boxes to identify particular shapes.

Classical Conditioning Process

• Introduced by Ivan Pavlov; involves pairing a neutral stimulus with an unconditioned stimulus to elicit a conditioned response.

Emotional Conditioning

• Classical conditioning can apply to emotional responses, leading to conditioned emotional responses (CERs) like phobias.
• Emotional responses can be conditioned directly or vicariously.

Associative Learning

• Learning through associating two events that occur close together, observed in various species like sea snails and seals.

Behaviorism

• Proposes that psychology should focus objectively on observable behavior without delving into mental processes, though there's some disagreement among psychologists regarding this stance.

Unconditioned Response (UCR)

• An innate and automatic reaction to an unconditioned stimulus, such as salivating when food is presented.

Unconditioned Stimulus (UCS)

• Stimulus that automatically triggers a physiological response without prior learning.

Conditioned Response (CR)

• A learned reaction to a previously neutral stimulus that has been paired with an unconditioned stimulus.

Conditioned Stimulus (CS)

• Initially neutral stimulus that gains ability to elicit a response after being associated with an unconditioned stimulus.

Acquisition

• The initial phase of learning when a neutral stimulus begins to elicit a conditioned response; also applicable in operant conditioning for reinforcing behavior.

Extinction

• Gradual decrease in the conditioned response when the conditioned stimulus is presented without the unconditioned stimulus.

Spontaneous Recovery

• The reappearance of a conditioned response after a pause, following a phase of extinction.

Generalization

• Tendency to respond similarly to stimuli that are similar but not identical to the conditioned stimulus.

Discrimination

• Learned ability to differentiate between a conditioned stimulus and other irrelevant stimuli, reducing responses to non-target stimuli.

Operant Conditioning

• Learning process where behaviors are modified through consequences (reinforcements or punishments).
• Key figures include B.F. Skinner, who developed concepts like the "law of effect" and used the Skinner box for experimentation.

Operant Behavior

• Actions that influence the environment, leading to specific consequences based on the individual's choices.

Respondent Behavior

• An automatic response to a stimulus, often associated with classical conditioning.

Operant Chamber (Skinner Box)

• A controlled environment for conducting operant conditioning experiments, allowing tracking of behaviors like bar pressing for rewards.

Reinforcement

• In operant conditioning, any stimulus that increases the likelihood of a behavior recurring.