Learning Psychology Flashcards

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Questions and Answers

What is learning?

The ability to recall past events

A temporary change in behavior

The process of acquiring new and relatively enduring information or behaviors (correct)

Only memorizing information

What is associative learning?

The process of learning that certain events occur together.

What is classical conditioning?

The learning process in which we learn to associate two or more stimuli.

What is operant conditioning?

The learning process where we associate a response and its consequences. Signup and view all the answers

What is cognitive learning?

The acquisition of mental information that guides behavior. Signup and view all the answers

What is a conditioned stimulus?

A previously neutral stimulus that triggers a conditioned response after association with an unconditioned stimulus. Signup and view all the answers

What is spontaneous recovery?

The appearance of a formerly extinguished response after a rest period. Signup and view all the answers

What is generalization in classical conditioning?

The tendency to respond to stimuli that are similar to the conditioned stimulus. Signup and view all the answers

What is discrimination in the context of classical conditioning?

The learned ability to distinguish between a conditioned stimulus and other irrelevant stimuli. Signup and view all the answers

What did Ivan Pavlov contribute to psychology?

He laid the foundation for behaviorism through his work on classical conditioning. Signup and view all the answers

What is taste aversion?

It occurs when an animal associates the taste of a certain food with symptoms caused by a toxic or spoiled substance. Signup and view all the answers

What is the law of effect?

Rewarded behavior is likely to occur and recur. Signup and view all the answers

What is self-control?

The ability to control impulses and delay short-term gratification for long-term rewards. Signup and view all the answers

What does biological influence refer to?

Genetic predispositions and unconditioned responses that affect learning. Signup and view all the answers

What is the difference between fixed-ratio and variable-ratio reinforcement?

Fixed-ratio reinforcement occurs after a set number of responses while variable-ratio reinforcement occurs after an unpredictable number of responses. Signup and view all the answers

What is negative reinforcement?

Strengthening a response by reducing something negative. Signup and view all the answers

What impact does observational learning have?

Individuals learn behaviors by observing and imitating others. Signup and view all the answers

What is intrinsic motivation?

The desire to perform a behavior effectively for its own sake. Signup and view all the answers

What is the effect of overjustification?

The overuse of bribes leads people to perceive their actions as externally controlled rather than internally appealing. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Learning and Types of Conditioning

Learning encompasses the acquisition of new and lasting information or behaviors.
Associative learning involves understanding that certain events occur together.
Classical conditioning entails associating two or more stimuli, leading to an automatic response.
Operant conditioning connects behavior with its consequences, highlighting the importance of reactions to actions.

Key Concepts in Classical Conditioning

Unconditioned Response is a natural reaction (e.g., salivation) to an unconditioned stimulus (e.g., food).
Unconditioned Stimulus automatically triggers a response without prior learning.
Conditioned Stimulus becomes associated with an unconditioned stimulus to elicit a conditioned response.
Conditioned Response is the learned reaction to the previously neutral conditioned stimulus.

Behaviorism and Learning Principles

Ivan Pavlov's research on classical conditioning laid the groundwork for behaviorism, emphasizing objective study of behavior.
Behaviorists claim that learning principles apply universally across species, including humans.
Acquisition is the initial learning phase where a neutral stimulus begins to trigger a conditioned response.

Extinction and Recovery in Conditioning

Extinction occurs when the conditioned stimulus no longer signals an unconditioned stimulus, leading to reduced responses.
Spontaneous recovery refers to the reappearance of an extinguished response after a rest period.
Generalization involves responding similarly to stimuli resembling the conditioned stimulus, while discrimination allows for distinguishing between similar stimuli.

Major Figures in Learning Theory

Ivan Pavlov demonstrated that significant psychological phenomena can be objectively studied.
John B. Watson advanced behaviorism, focusing on observable behavior rather than mental processes.
B.F. Skinner modernized behaviorism and emphasized the law of effect, where rewarded behaviors are likely to recur.

Reinforcement and Punishment

Positive reinforcement involves presenting a pleasant stimulus to enhance behavior.
Negative reinforcement strengthens behavior by removing an unpleasant stimulus.
Positive punishment adds a negative stimulus to decrease behavior, while negative punishment involves taking away a stimulus to reduce behavior.
Continuous reinforcement leads to rapid learning, whereas intermittent reinforcement is slower but enhances resistance to extinction.

Observational Learning and Cognitive Aspects

Observational learning occurs through observing others, allowing for anticipation of behavior consequences.
Mirror neurons reflect activity in response to observing actions in others, facilitating imitation.
Children often imitate adult behavior, whether positive or negative.

Influences on Learning

Biological influences encompass genetic predispositions, unconditioned responses, and adaptive learning.
Psychological influences arise from past experiences, association predictability, and discrimination.
Socio-cultural influences include culturally learned preferences and motivation influenced by others' presence.

Advanced Learning Concepts

Taste aversion develops when an animal associates a food's taste with adverse symptoms post-ingestion.
Instinctive drift refers to animals reverting to biologically predisposed behaviors amidst conditioning.
Latent learning happens without clear reinforcement, surfacing only when incentivized to demonstrate learned behavior.
Cognitive maps represent mental visualizations of spatial information and environments.

Motivation and Coping Strategies

Intrinsic motivation drives individuals to perform tasks for personal satisfaction, while extrinsic motivation seeks external rewards or to avoid punishment.
Problem-focused coping targets the issue directly, whereas emotional-focused coping involves accepting unchangeable situations.
Learned helplessness describes a passive resignation following repeated failures.

Control and Self-Regulation

Locus of control refers to individuals’ beliefs regarding their influence over outcomes: external leads to attributing fate to outside forces, internal suggests self-determination.
Self-control involves managing impulses to prioritize long-term rewards over immediate gratification, a concept explored by Walter Mischel in delayed gratification research.

Modeling and Learning By Example

Modeling is a critical process through which individuals learn behaviors by observing and imitating the actions of others.

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Description

Test your knowledge of key concepts in learning psychology with these flashcards. This quiz covers terms such as associative learning, classical conditioning, and operant conditioning, helping you understand how we acquire new information and behaviors. Perfect for students and enthusiasts alike!