Psychology Chapter 6 Flashcards

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.

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.