Psychology Exam 3 Flashcards

Questions and Answers

What is our definition of learning?

A change in behavior as a result of experience.

What are the three types of learning?

Classical (respondent) conditioning, 2. Instrumental (operant) conditioning, 3. Information Processing (memory).

What is classical (respondent) conditioning?

Modification of reflexes and involuntary behaviors.

What is instrumental (operant) conditioning?

Learning of new behaviors through voluntary behavior. Signup and view all the answers

What is information processing?

Memory. Signup and view all the answers

In classical conditioning, what three things do we need to have?

<ol> <li>Unconditioned stimulus (UCS), 2. Neutral stimulus (NS) or conditioned stimulus (CS), 3. Unconditioned response (UCR) or conditioned response (CR).</li> </ol> Signup and view all the answers

Does classical conditioning involve voluntary behaviors?

False Signup and view all the answers

What are the three steps involved in classical conditioning?

<ol> <li>Before: UCS => UCR; 2. During: NS + UCS => UCR; 3. After: CS => CR.</li> </ol> Signup and view all the answers

What does reversing classical conditioning involve?

<ol> <li>Extinction, 2. Spontaneous recovery, 3. Stimulus generalization.</li> </ol> Signup and view all the answers

What is the unconditioned stimulus (UCS)?

Unconditioned stimulus. Signup and view all the answers

What is the unconditioned response (UCR)?

Unconditioned response. Signup and view all the answers

What is the neutral stimulus (NS)?

Neutral stimulus. Signup and view all the answers

What is the conditioned response (CR)?

Conditioned response. Signup and view all the answers

What is the conditioned stimulus (CS)?

Conditioned stimulus. Signup and view all the answers

What is pairing in classical conditioning?

Adding/combining the UCS with the NS to elicit the UCR. Signup and view all the answers

After pairing occurs, what happens to the NS once learning has occurred?

The NS becomes the conditioned stimulus (CS) eliciting the conditioned response (CR) in the absence of the UCS. Signup and view all the answers

What is stimulus generalization?

Similar stimuli elicit a conditioned response. Signup and view all the answers

Does instrumental conditioning involve involuntary behaviors?

False Signup and view all the answers

What is Thorndike's Law of Effect?

Behaviors followed by positive results will be repeated; behaviors followed by negative results will not. Signup and view all the answers

What is reinforcement?

Anything that increases the behavior it follows. Signup and view all the answers

What are the three types of reinforcement?

<ol> <li>Positive reinforcers, 2. Negative reinforcers, 3. Avoidance reinforcers.</li> </ol> Signup and view all the answers

What are the roles of R, SR+, SR-, SRA, SD, SP+, and SP-?

<ol> <li>R: response, 2. SR+: stimulus reinforcer (positive), 3. SR-: stimulus reinforcer (negative), 4. SRA: stimulus reinforcer (avoidance), 5. SD: discriminative stimulus, 6. SP+: stimulus punishment (positive), 7. SP-: stimulus punishment (negative).</li> </ol> Signup and view all the answers

Explain shaping in behavior modification.

Taking baby steps through successive approximations to shape behavior. Signup and view all the answers

What is the definition of punishment?

Anything that decreases the behavior it follows. Signup and view all the answers

What are three reasons against using punishment to shape behavior?

<ol> <li>Low self-esteem, 2. Dislike for the punisher, 3. Not always learning correct behavior.</li> </ol> Signup and view all the answers

What are the three primary ways we begin to learn about sex and sexuality?

<ol> <li>Judging without naming, 2. Mislabeling, 3. Undefined words.</li> </ol> Signup and view all the answers

What is the nature vs nurture debate regarding sexual orientation?

It debates whether sexual orientation is biologically influenced or shaped by environmental factors. Signup and view all the answers

What is oxytocin and its relation to sexuality?

A hormone known for its roles in sexual reproduction and facilitating childbirth and breastfeeding. Signup and view all the answers

Why do we want sex?

Biological instinct/urge. Signup and view all the answers

What is the DSM?

Diagnostic & Statistical Manual. Signup and view all the answers

What does the nature perspective of homosexuality entail?

Do we see it in nature? Yes, it's prominent in the animal kingdom. Signup and view all the answers

What does the nurture perspective of homosexuality entail?

Experiences and socialization shape preferences. Signup and view all the answers

What is hermaphroditism?

An organism that has reproductive organs normally associated with both male and female sexes. Signup and view all the answers

What is intersexuality?

Having both male and female anatomical characteristics due to chromosomal or hormonal imbalances. Signup and view all the answers

What is the guevedoces phenomenon?

Children born as females who develop male characteristics at puberty due to a hormone mutation. Signup and view all the answers

How long is the normal gestational period?

38 weeks (266 days) from conception to birth, or 40 weeks (280 days) from the last menstrual cycle. Signup and view all the answers

What are the three stages of gestation?

<ol> <li>Germinal stage, 2. Embryonic stage, 3. Fetal stage.</li> </ol> Signup and view all the answers

What is vernix, lanugo, and fontanelle?

Vernix is a protective substance, lanugo is fine hair on the baby, and fontanelle is a soft spot on the head. Signup and view all the answers

What is thalidomide?

A drug that caused birth deformities when used during pregnancy in the late 1950s and early 60s. Signup and view all the answers

What are the temporary reflexes infants are born with?

Babinski reflex, rooting reflex, sucking reflex. Signup and view all the answers

What are consequences for infants not being held enough?

Failure to thrive, developmental delays. Signup and view all the answers

What are some advantages of breastfeeding?

Close contact, mother-infant bonding, colostrum, easier to digest. Signup and view all the answers

List and briefly explain Piaget's four stages of psychosocial development.

<ol> <li>Sensorimotor stage, 2. Preoperational stage, 3. Concrete operations stage, 4. Formal operations stage.</li> </ol> Signup and view all the answers

What causes discrepancies in memory?

Sharpening, leveling, assimilation. Signup and view all the answers

What is sharpening?

Details remembered due to selective attention. Signup and view all the answers

What is leveling?

Details that are forgotten or leveled out. Signup and view all the answers

What is assimilation?

Tying new information to existing memory. Signup and view all the answers

What are the five steps in information processing?

<ol> <li>Sensory transduction, 2. Attention, 3. Short term memory (STM), 4. Long term memory (LTM), 5. Retrieval.</li> </ol> Signup and view all the answers

What is sensory transduction?

Getting external stimuli into the CNS and holding data for a brief moment. Signup and view all the answers

Why do most people focus more on auditory information than visual?

Visual information is complex; auditory info is simpler. Signup and view all the answers

What is attention?

Arousal and the ability to focus. Signup and view all the answers

What is short-term memory (STM)?

A temporary store of approx. 7 bits of information lasting 18-24 seconds. Signup and view all the answers

What are three ways to optimize short-term memory?

<ol> <li>Chunking, 2. Repetition, 3. Rehearsal.</li> </ol> Signup and view all the answers

What is decay in memory?

The weakening of memory over time. Signup and view all the answers

Provide an example of chunking.

NBA, FBI, LSD, YMCA, IRS. Signup and view all the answers

What is long-term memory (LTM)?

A more permanent storage for information. Signup and view all the answers

What is retrieval in memory processing?

The process of recalling stored information. Signup and view all the answers

Who is Diane Baumrind?

She identified parenting styles: Authoritarian, Permissive, Authoritative. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Definition of Learning

Learning is defined as a change in behavior as a result of experience.

Types of Learning

Three primary types:
- Classical (respondent) conditioning
- Instrumental (operant) conditioning
- Information Processing (memory)

Classical Conditioning

Involves modification of reflexes through involuntary behaviors.
Pioneered by Ivan Pavlov.
Requires unconditioned stimulus (UCS), conditioned stimulus (CS), unconditioned response (UCR), and conditioned response (CR).

Steps of Classical Conditioning

Before Conditioning: UCS elicits UCR (reflex).
During Conditioning: NS and UCS together elicit UCR.
After Conditioning: CS alone elicits CR.

Key Concepts in Classical Conditioning

Extinction: Elimination of CR.
Spontaneous Recovery: Reappearance of CR after extinction.
Stimulus Generalization: Similar stimuli elicit a CR.

Instrumental (Operant) Conditioning

Focuses on voluntary behavior and learning of new behaviors.
Based on B.F. Skinner's principles, using reinforcement.

Reinforcement

Defined as anything that increases the behavior that follows.
Types of reinforcement:
- Positive Reinforcement (SR+): Presentation of something pleasant.
- Negative Reinforcement (SR-): Removal of something aversive.
- Avoidance Reinforcement (SRA): Preventing an aversive condition.

Thorndike's Law of Effect

Behaviors followed by positive outcomes are repeated; those followed by negative outcomes are not.

Information Processing Steps

Sensory Transduction: Changing external stimuli to neural impulses.
Attention: The ability to focus on certain stimuli.
Short Term Memory (STM): Holds approximately 7 bits of information for 18-24 seconds.
Long Term Memory (LTM): Relatively permanent storage.
Retrieval: Accessing information from memory.

Memory Discrepancies

Memory can be affected by:
- Sharpening: Details remembered due to selective attention.
- Leveling: Details forgotten through selective attention.
- Assimilation: New information tied to existing memory, influenced by personal biases.

Infants and Reflexes

Infants are born with reflexes like Babinski, rooting, and sucking reflexes.
Importance of physical contact for healthy development; lack thereof may lead to "Failure to Thrive".

Breastfeeding Benefits

Facilitates mother-infant bonding and provides essential nutrients.
Contains antibodies crucial for infant health.

Developmental Stages according to Piaget

Sensorimotor Stage: Infants explore through senses and motor actions.
Preoperational Stage: Language develops as a tool for exploration.
Concrete Operations Stage: Logical thinking begins.
Formal Operations Stage: Abstract thinking develops.

Nature vs Nurture Debate

Discusses the influences of biology and environment on sexual orientation.
Nature suggests biological influences while nurture emphasizes environmental factors.

Gestational Period

Normal pregnancy lasts about 38 weeks from conception or 40 weeks from last menstrual cycle.

Important Terms in Sexual Development

Hermaphroditism: Organisms with reproductive organs of both sexes.
Intersexuality: Presence of both male and female anatomical characteristics.
Guevedoces: Individuals appearing female at birth who develop male characteristics at puberty.

Thalidomide

Drug linked to severe birth deformities when taken by pregnant women in the late 1950s and early 1960s.

APGAR Scale

Developed by Dr. Virginia Apgar to quickly assess newborn health based on Appearance, Pulse, Grimace, Activity, and Respiration, scored from 0 to 10.

Baumrind's Parenting Styles

Identified three styles:
- Authoritarian: Rigid and demanding.
- Permissive: Lenient and indulgent.
- Authoritative: Balanced and nurturing.

Studying That Suits You

Use AI to generate personalized quizzes and flashcards to suit your learning preferences.

Description

Test your knowledge with these flashcards covering key concepts of learning in psychology. The cards include definitions and types of learning, including classical and operant conditioning. Perfect for preparing for your PSYC exam!