PSY 201 - Ch. 6: Learning Flashcards

Questions and Answers

What is learning?

The process of acquiring, through experience, new and relatively enduring information or behaviors.

What are the two main types of learning?

Associative learning (correct)

Emotional learning

Cognitive learning (correct)

Behavioral learning

What is associative learning?

Learning that events occur together.

What is cognitive learning?

The acquisition of mental information, whether by observing events, by watching others, or through language. Signup and view all the answers

What are the two types of associative learning?

Classical conditioning Signup and view all the answers

What is classical conditioning?

Learning to link two or more stimuli and anticipate events. Signup and view all the answers

What is operant conditioning?

Learning to associate a response (our behavior) with its consequence. Signup and view all the answers

What is observational learning?

One form of cognitive learning that lets us learn from others' experiences. Signup and view all the answers

What is a stimulus?

Any event or situation that evokes a response. Signup and view all the answers

What is a neural stimulus?

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

Who developed classical conditioning, and how?

Ivan Pavlov - through experiments on how much a dog would salivate in response to stimuli associated with food. Signup and view all the answers

How does classical conditioning demonstrate associative learning?

Classical conditioning is learning to link two or more stimuli and anticipate events. Signup and view all the answers

What are the types of responses and stimuli used in classical conditioning?

Unconditioned response, unconditioned stimulus, conditioned response, conditioned stimulus. Signup and view all the answers

What is an unconditioned response?

An unlearned, naturally occurring response to an unconditioned stimulus. Signup and view all the answers

What is an unconditioned stimulus?

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

What is a conditioned response?

A learned response to a previously neutral (but now conditioned) stimulus. Signup and view all the answers

What is a conditioned stimulus?

An originally irrelevant stimulus that, after association with an unconditioned stimulus, triggers a conditioned response. Signup and view all the answers

What are the five major processes for classical and operant conditioning?

Extinction Signup and view all the answers

What is acquisition in classical conditioning?

When we link a neutral stimulus and an unconditioned stimulus so that the neutral stimulus begins triggering the conditioned response. Signup and view all the answers

What is extinction in classical conditioning?

The weakening of a conditioned response when an unconditioned stimulus does not follow a conditioned stimulus. Signup and view all the answers

Does extinction suppress or eliminate the conditioned response?

True Signup and view all the answers

What is spontaneous recovery?

The reappearance, after a pause, of an extinguished conditioned response. Signup and view all the answers

What is generalization in classical conditioning?

The tendency to respond similarly to stimuli that resemble the conditioned stimulus. Signup and view all the answers

What is discrimination in classical conditioning?

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

What is respondent behavior and what type of conditioning is it associated with?

Behavior that occurs as an automatic response to some stimulus; classical conditioning. Signup and view all the answers

Operant conditioning is a type of learning in which behavior is strengthened if followed by a _ or diminished if followed by a _.

reinforcer, punisher Signup and view all the answers

What is operant behavior?

Behavior that operates on the environment, producing consequences. Signup and view all the answers

What is the law of effect?

Thorndike's principle that behaviors followed by favorable consequences become more likely, and that behaviors followed by unfavorable consequences become less likely. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Learning Concepts

Learning involves acquiring new and relatively enduring information or behaviors through experiences.
Major types of learning include associative learning and cognitive learning.

Types of Learning

Associative learning links events occurring together through conditioning.
Cognitive learning involves acquiring mental information through observation or language.

Associative Learning Types

Classical conditioning links stimuli to anticipate events.
Operant conditioning associates behaviors with consequences.

Classical Conditioning

Developed by Ivan Pavlov via experiments on dog salivation in response to stimuli.
Involves linking multiple stimuli where a neutral stimulus becomes associated with an unconditioned stimulus.

Key Terms in Classical Conditioning

Stimulus: An event that evokes a response.
Neutral Stimulus: Does not trigger a response prior to conditioning.
Unconditioned Stimulus: Naturally triggers an unlearned response.
Unconditioned Response: Unlearned response to an unconditioned stimulus.
Conditioned Stimulus: Initially irrelevant stimulus that eventually evokes a conditioned response.
Conditioned Response: Learned response to a previously neutral stimulus.

Processes in Conditioning

Acquisition: Linking a neutral stimulus with an unconditioned stimulus in classical conditioning; strengthening a response in operant conditioning.
Extinction: Weakening of a conditioned response when the unconditioned stimulus does not follow the conditioned stimulus or when reinforcement ceases in operant conditioning.
Spontaneous Recovery: Reappearance of an extinguished conditioned response after a pause.
Generalization: Responding similarly to stimuli resembling the conditioned stimulus.
Discrimination: Distinguishing between a conditioned stimulus and other stimuli.

Operant Conditioning

Behaviors are strengthened by reinforcement and weakened by punishment.
Operant Behavior: Actions that produce consequences in the environment.
Law of Effect: Behaviors followed by favorable outcomes increase in likelihood, while those followed by unfavorable outcomes decrease.

Summary of Terms

Respondent Behavior: Automatic response to a stimulus, primarily linked with classical conditioning.
Reinforcement: A consequence that strengthens behavior.

These bullet points distill the essential concepts of learning from the provided flashcards, making the material easier to review and understand.

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Description

Test your knowledge on key concepts from Chapter 6 of PSY 201, focusing on learning processes. This quiz covers definitions and types of learning, including associative and cognitive learning. Challenge yourself with flashcards that reinforce your understanding.