Psychology Chapters 16-18 Flashcards

Questions and Answers

Define stimulus generalization and give an example.

A procedure of reinforcing a response in the presence of a stimulus or situation, making the response more probable in the presence of another stimulus. For example, if a child sees an animal with wings and their parent yells 'bird!', the child generalizes the stimulus of wings and is likely to yell 'bird!' when seeing another winged animal.

Explain the difference between stimulus generalization and stimulus discrimination. Provide examples.

Stimulus discrimination involves reinforcing a response in the presence of a stimulus and extinguishing it in the presence of a different stimulus. For example, a child might swear on the playground (SD) but wouldn't receive reinforcement from grandparents (SΔ). In contrast, stimulus generalization makes a response more likely with a similar stimulus.

What is a primary distinction between stimulus generalization involving a common-element stimulus class and an equivalence class?

A common-element stimulus class involves learning stimuli that share physical characteristics, while an equivalence class includes dissimilar stimuli learned to be matched or grouped together.

Define unlearned response generalization due to physical similarity of responses, and give an example.

<p>Unlearned response generalization occurs when responses that are physically similar lead to a greater likelihood of generalization. For example, mastering a forehand shot in racquetball likely translates to performing a forehand in squash or tennis.</p> Signup and view all the answers

List four tactics for programming operant stimulus generalization and provide an example for each.

<ol> <li>Train in the target situation, e.g., teaching a child to count change in a store. 2. Vary the training conditions, e.g., teaching a child to avoid strangers in different settings. 3. Program common stimuli, e.g., using the same academic materials in different classrooms. 4. Train sufficient stimulus exemplars, e.g., training the child with various strangers in multiple situations.</li> </ol> Signup and view all the answers

Describe the generalization strategy referred to as general case programming and provide an example.

<p>General case programming involves identifying a range of relevant stimulus situations for which a learner is expected to respond and controlling the behavior based on those stimuli. An example is teaching adolescents with developmental disabilities to use vending machines by exposing them to various machines and required responses.</p> Signup and view all the answers

List three tactics for programming operant response generalization and provide an example for each.

<ol> <li>Training sufficient response exemplars, e.g., teaching a child to name singular and plural objects using many examples. 2. Varying acceptable responses during training, e.g., reinforcing diverse block-building responses in nursery school. 3. Capitalizing on behavioral momentum, e.g., giving instructions leading to a series of successful responses.</li> </ol> Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Stimulus Generalization

Defined as reinforcing a response in the presence of a stimulus, leading to a higher probability of that response with similar stimuli.
Example: A child identifies an animal with wings as a "bird" upon seeing it and generalizes this term to other winged animals.

Stimulus Generalization vs. Stimulus Discrimination

Stimulus Discrimination: Reinforcement occurs for response to a specific stimulus (SD) while not reinforcing it for a different stimulus (SΔ). Example: A child swears on the playground (SD) but does not receive reinforcement when doing the same in front of grandparents (SΔ).
Stimulus Generalization: Involves similar responses to multiple stimuli without differentiation.

Common-Element vs. Equivalence Class

Common-Element Stimulus Class: Involves stimuli sharing physical characteristics and leading to similar responses.
Equivalence Class: Involves completely dissimilar stimuli that an individual learns to group or match together.

Unlearned Response Generalization

Defined as greater response generalization due to physical similarities among responses.
Example: Mastering a forehand shot in racquetball aids in performing similar shots in tennis and squash.

Tactics for Operant Stimulus Generalization

Train in the Target Situation: Teaching counting changes in an actual store setting.
Vary Training Conditions: Teaching avoidance of strangers in various locations like playgrounds or malls.
Program Common Stimuli: Using the same academic materials in both remedial and regular classrooms for consistent behavior.
Train Sufficient Stimulus Exemplars: Exposing a child to various strangers in different settings to teach avoidance strategies.

General Case Programming

Involves identifying a range of relevant stimuli and the required response variations for the learner.
Example: Teaching adolescents with developmental disabilities to use vending machines by exposing them to different machines and required responses.

Tactics for Operant Response Generalization

Training Sufficient Response Exemplars: Teaching correct naming of objects in singular and plural forms using numerous examples.
Vary Acceptable Responses: Reinforcing diverse responses during block building in a nursery school setting.
Capitalize on Behavioral Momentum: Encouraging consistent reinforcement to maintain engaged behaviors in learners.

Description

Test your knowledge on key concepts from Chapters 16-18 of psychology. This quiz focuses on important definitions and examples, such as stimulus generalization. Perfect for students seeking to reinforce their understanding of these critical ideas.