Psychology - Learning Theories and Concepts

Classical Conditioning = Learning through association between a neutral stimulus and an unconditioned stimulus Operant Conditioning = Learning through reinforcement or punishment of voluntary behaviors Observational Learning = Learning by observing others and modeling their behavior Insight Learning = Problem-solving through sudden understanding or realization

Fixed-Interval Schedule = Reinforcement after a fixed amount of time has passed Fixed-Ratio Schedule = Reinforcement after a fixed number of responses Variable-Interval Schedule = Reinforcement after an unpredictable amount of time has passed Variable-Ratio Schedule = Reinforcement after an unpredictable number of responses

Aversive Conditioning = Associating an unpleasant stimulus with an undesired behavior to reduce the occurrence of that behavior Escape Conditioning = Learning to perform a behavior to terminate an aversive stimulus Avoidance Conditioning = Learning to perform a behavior to prevent an aversive stimulus from occurring Backward Conditioning = Pairing the unconditioned stimulus before the conditioned stimulus

Law of Effect = Behaviors followed by positive outcomes are strengthened, while behaviors followed by negative outcomes are weakened Learned Helplessness = Acquired belief that one is powerless to influence their situation, leading to passive behavior even when opportunities for change are present Mirror Neurons = Neurons that fire both when an individual performs an action and when they observe someone else performing the same action Overjustification Effect = Decrease in intrinsic motivation due to the introduction of extrinsic rewards for performing a previously intrinsically motivated activity

Discriminative Stimulus = Signals the availability of reinforcement for a specific response Biological Preparedness = Predisposition to form associations between certain stimuli and responses based on evolutionary factors Taste Aversion = Learned avoidance of a particular food or drink, usually due to its association with nausea or illness Conditioned Response (CR) = Learned response to a previously neutral stimulus after it has been paired with an unconditioned stimulus

Cognitive Maps = Mental representations of physical locations and directions Vicarious Learning = Learning through observing the consequences of others' actions without directly experiencing them Chaining/Shaping (Successive Approximations) = Teaching a complex behavior by breaking it down into a series of more achievable steps or actions Higher-Order Conditioning (Second-Order Conditioning) = Pairing a conditioned stimulus with a new neutral stimulus, creating a second conditioned stimulus