Psychology Chapter 8 Flashcards

Questions and Answers

What is a reflex?

A response requiring prior experience

An inevitable, involuntary response to stimuli (correct)

A voluntary action

A learned response to stimuli

What is instinct?

An inborn pattern of behavior elicited by environmental stimuli.

Define learning.

A relatively permanent change in behavior or the capacity for behavior due to experience.

What is associative learning?

The formation of associations or connections among stimuli and behavior. Signup and view all the answers

What is classical conditioning?

A type of learning in which associations are formed between two stimuli that occur sequentially in time. Signup and view all the answers

What characterizes operant conditioning?

A type of learning in which associations are formed between behaviors and their outcomes. Signup and view all the answers

Define nonassociative learning.

Learning that involves changes in the magnitude of responses to a stimulus. Signup and view all the answers

What is habituation?

A simple form of learning in which reactions to repeated stimuli that are unchanging and harmless decrease. Signup and view all the answers

What does sensitization refer to?

An increased reaction to many stimuli following exposure to one very strong stimulus. Signup and view all the answers

What is observational learning?

Learning that occurs when an organism watches the actions of another. Signup and view all the answers

Define conditioned stimulus (CS).

An environmental event whose significance is learned through classical conditioning. Signup and view all the answers

What is an unconditioned stimulus (UCS)?

A stimulus that elicits a response without any prior experience. Signup and view all the answers

What is a conditioned response (CR)?

A response learned through classical conditioning. Signup and view all the answers

What does unconditioned response (UCR) refer to?

A response to an unconditioned stimulus that requires no previous experience. Signup and view all the answers

Define acquisition in learning.

The development of a learned response. Signup and view all the answers

What is extinction?

The reduction of a learned response. Signup and view all the answers

What is spontaneous recovery?

The reappearance of conditioned responses after periods of rest during extinction training. Signup and view all the answers

What does inhibition mean in classical conditioning?

A feature in which a conditioned stimulus predicts the nonoccurrence of an unconditioned stimulus. Signup and view all the answers

Define generalization in learning.

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

What is discrimination in psychology?

A learned ability to distinguish between stimuli. Signup and view all the answers

What is higher order conditioning?

Learning in which stimuli associated with a conditioned stimulus also elicit conditioned responding. Signup and view all the answers

What does latent inhibition refer to?

The slower learning that occurs when a conditioned stimulus is already familiar. Signup and view all the answers

Define systematic desensitization.

A type of counterconditioning in which people relax while being exposed to stimuli that elicit fear. Signup and view all the answers

What is a conditioned reinforcer?

A reinforcer that gains value from being associated with other things that are valued. Signup and view all the answers

What is negative reinforcement?

A method for increasing behaviors that allow an organism to escape or avoid an unpleasant consequence. Signup and view all the answers

Define punishment in behavioral psychology.

A consequence that eliminates or reduces the frequency of a behavior. Signup and view all the answers

What is positive punishment?

A consequence that eliminates or reduces the frequency of a behavior by applying an aversive stimulus. Signup and view all the answers

What is negative punishment?

A method for reducing behavior by removing something desirable whenever the target behavior occurs. Signup and view all the answers

Define partial reinforcement.

The reinforcement of a desired behavior on some occasions but not others. Signup and view all the answers

What is a fixed ratio (FR) schedule?

A schedule of reinforcement in which reinforcement occurs following a set number of behaviors. Signup and view all the answers

What characterizes a variable ratio (VR) schedule?

A schedule of reinforcement in which reinforcement occurs following some variable number of behaviors. Signup and view all the answers

Define fixed interval (FI) schedule.

A schedule of reinforcement in which the first response following a specified interval will be reinforced. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Key Concepts in Psychology

Reflex: Involuntary response triggered by stimuli.
Instinct: Inborn behavioral patterns activated by environmental factors; also referred to as fixed action patterns.
Learning: Lasting change in behavior resulting from experience.
Associative Learning: Establishment of connections between stimuli and behaviors.
Classical Conditioning: Learning process where two sequential stimuli become associated.
Operant Conditioning: Learning through associations formed between behaviors and outcomes.
Nonassociative Learning: Changes in response magnitude to a single stimulus without forming associations.
Habituation: A decrease in response to repeated, non-threatening stimuli.
Sensitization: Heightened response to a wide range of stimuli following exposure to a strong stimulus.
Observational Learning: Acquisition of behaviors by watching others.

Key Terms in Conditioning

Conditioned Stimulus (CS): A learned environmental event linked to a specific response in classical conditioning.
Unconditioned Stimulus (UCS): A stimulus that naturally produces a response without prior conditioning.
Conditioned Response (CR): A response learned through association with a conditioned stimulus.
Unconditioned Response (UCR): Response elicited by an unconditioned stimulus without prior learning.
Acquisition: The process of developing a learned response.
Extinction: Reduction in learned responses; in classical conditioning, occurs when CS is presented alone, and in operant conditioning, when reinforcement stops.
Spontaneous Recovery: Reappearance of conditioned responses after a rest period during extinction training.

Advanced Concepts

Inhibition: A prediction aspect of classical conditioning where a CS forecasts the absence of a UCS.
Generalization: Responding similarly to stimuli that resemble the original CS.
Discrimination: The learned ability to differentiate between different stimuli.
Higher Order Conditioning: Learning where stimuli connected with a CS also prompt conditioned responses.
Latent Inhibition: Slower learning when a CS is already known versus being novel.
Systematic Desensitization: A therapeutic technique where exposure to fear-inducing stimuli occurs while practicing relaxation.

Reinforcement and Punishment

Conditioned Reinforcer: A secondary reinforcer that derives value from associations with primary reinforcers.
Negative Reinforcement: Increases behaviors by allowing escape from or avoidance of unpleasant outcomes.
Punishment: Consequences that diminish the frequency of a specific behavior.
Positive Punishment: Diminishing a behavior by introducing an aversive stimulus.
Negative Punishment: Reducing behavior by withdrawing something desirable.

Schedules of Reinforcement

Partial Reinforcement: Rewarding a behavior occasionally rather than every time.
Fixed Ratio (FR) Schedule: Reinforcement follows a set number of behaviors.
Variable Ratio (VR) Schedule: Reinforcement is provided after a variable number of behaviors.
Fixed Interval (FI) Schedule: Provides reinforcement after the first response following a specific time interval.

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Test your knowledge on key terms from Psychology Chapter 8 with these flashcards. Each card highlights important concepts such as reflexes, instincts, and learning processes. This quiz aims to reinforce fundamental psychology definitions and their applications.