Psychology Chapter 6 Flashcards

Questions and Answers

What must be paired together for classical conditioning to occur?

neutral stimulus & unconditioned stimulus

Which of the following illustrate an unconditioned stimulus (UCS)?

a thick juicy steak

What conditioning process is seen when Dan becomes afraid when climbing anything higher than three feet off the ground?

generalization

What is the latter response of a dog salivating to the bell after it was presented alone until the dog stopped salivating an example of?

spontaneous recovery Signup and view all the answers

What type of learning did Walter experience after becoming sick from eating two chili dogs?

taste-aversion learning Signup and view all the answers

A positive reinforcer is a stimulus that is and thus the probability of a response.

presented; increases Signup and view all the answers

What is the example of giving a cookie after cleaning up a room?

positive reinforcement Signup and view all the answers

A negative reinforcer is a stimulus that is and thus the probability of a response.

removed; increases Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is an example of a secondary reinforcer?

a gold star Signup and view all the answers

What schedule of reinforcement do Sally's parents use when they give her $10 for every six A's she accumulates?

intermittent reinforcement Signup and view all the answers

Who is Ivan Pavlov?

Russian physiologist who discovered classical conditioning Signup and view all the answers

What is classical conditioning?

learning to make a reflex response to a stimulus other than the original Signup and view all the answers

What is an unconditioned stimulus (UCS)?

a naturally occurring stimulus that leads to an involuntary response Signup and view all the answers

What defines an unconditioned response (UCR)?

an involuntary response to a naturally occurring or unconditioned stimulus Signup and view all the answers

What is a neutral stimulus?

a stimulus that does not naturally bring about the response of interest Signup and view all the answers

What is a conditioned stimulus?

previously neutral stimulus that elicits a conditioned response Signup and view all the answers

What is a conditioned response?

learned reaction to a conditioned stimulus Signup and view all the answers

What is operant conditioning?

learning through voluntary behavior and its subsequent consequences Signup and view all the answers

What is reinforcement?

adding or taking away a stimulus following a response, which increases the likelihood of that response being repeated Signup and view all the answers

What is punishment?

adding or taking away a stimulus following a response, which decreases the likelihood of that response being repeated Signup and view all the answers

What is Thorndike's Law of Effect?

responses that produce a satisfying effect are more likely to occur again Signup and view all the answers

What was Skinner's contribution to behaviorism?

extended Thorndike's law to more complex behaviors Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Classical Conditioning

Classical conditioning occurs when a neutral stimulus is paired with an unconditioned stimulus (UCS).
An example of a UCS is a thick juicy steak, which naturally elicits a response.
Generalization occurs when a learned response, such as fear, extends to similar stimuli; e.g., Dan's fear of heights after falling from a tree.
Spontaneous recovery refers to the re-emergence of a conditioned response after a period of extinction; seen when a dog salivates to a bell after a while without conditioning.
Taste-aversion learning is a specific type of conditioning where an individual develops an aversion to a food after associating it with illness, as in Walter's dislike for chili dogs post-sickness.

Operant Conditioning

Positive reinforcers are stimuli that, when presented, increase the likelihood of a response.
An example of positive reinforcement is a grandmother rewarding her grandchild with a cookie for cleaning up.
Negative reinforcers are stimuli that, when removed, also increase the likelihood of a response.
A secondary reinforcer, like a gold star, is a learned reinforcer that gains its reinforcing properties through association with primary reinforcers.

Reinforcement Schedules

Intermittent reinforcement occurs when a reward is given only after a certain number or interval of responses; illustrated by Sally receiving $10 for six A's on her tests.

Key Figures in Conditioning

Ivan Pavlov, a Russian physiologist, discovered classical conditioning through experiments with dog digestion.
Classical conditioning is defined as learning to make a reflexive response to a stimulus that is not originally associated with that response.

Definitions in Conditioning

Unconditioned stimulus (UCS) is a naturally occurring stimulus that leads to an involuntary response.
Unconditioned response (UCR) is the involuntary response elicited by the UCS.
A neutral stimulus is one that does not naturally elicit the response of interest before conditioning.
A conditioned stimulus is a previously neutral stimulus that begins to elicit a response after being paired with the UCS.
A conditioned response is the learned reaction to a conditioned stimulus that results from pairing with the UCS.

Principles of Operant Conditioning

Operant conditioning involves learning through voluntary behavior and its consequences, influenced by reinforcement (which increases behavior) and punishment (which decreases behavior).
Reinforcement involves adding or removing a stimulus to increase the likelihood of a behavior, while punishment reduces behavior likelihood.
Thorndike's Law of Effect states that behaviors producing satisfying effects are more likely to recur, while those with discomforting effects are less likely to be repeated.
B.F. Skinner expanded on Thorndike's principles, emphasizing that reinforcement and punishment should follow the behavior in question.

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Test your knowledge of classical conditioning with these flashcards from Psychology Chapter 6. This quiz includes definitions and examples of key concepts such as unconditioned stimuli and conditioning processes. Perfect for reinforcing your understanding of behavioral psychology.