Psychology: Learning Theories Overview

Questions and Answers

What is classical conditioning?

Learning procedure involving pairing stimuli (correct)

Learning from rewards

Learning through observation

Learning through punishment

What is observational learning?

Learning that occurs through observing the behavior of others.

What is higher order conditioning?

A situation where a previously neutral stimulus is paired with a conditioned stimulus.

What is operant conditioning?

A method of learning through rewards and punishments. Signup and view all the answers

What influences our beliefs, perceptions, social behavior, sense of identity, and skills?

Cultural socialization Signup and view all the answers

What helps improve bonding with caregivers?

Signup and view all the answers

What is classical conditioning also known as?

Respondent conditioning Signup and view all the answers

What type of learning occurs through observing the behavior of others?

Observational learning Signup and view all the answers

What refers to a situation in which a previously neutral stimulus is paired with a conditioned stimulus?

Higher Order Conditioning Signup and view all the answers

What is the method of learning that occurs through rewards and punishments for behavior?

Operant conditioning Signup and view all the answers

What influences beliefs, perceptions, and social behavior?

Cultural socialization Signup and view all the answers

What helps improve bonding with caregivers in infants?

Specific stimuli response Signup and view all the answers

What is the name of the procedure to change a gene's normal expression?

Knockout procedure Signup and view all the answers

What is the theory that opposes evolutionary accounts of human mating patterns?

Social structure theory Signup and view all the answers

How much did the human brain size increase between Australopithecus and the first Homo sapiens?

Tripled Signup and view all the answers

Evolution is to _ as learning is to _.

species adaptation; personal development Signup and view all the answers

What is the name for the human ancestor who lived about 4 million years ago?

Australopithecus Signup and view all the answers

What is referred to as the specific genetic makeup of an individual?

Genotype Signup and view all the answers

What refers to how behavior influences survival and reproduction chances?

Adaptive significance Signup and view all the answers

When a sperm fertilizes an egg, the new cell (the zygote) normally has ___________ chromosomes.

46 Signup and view all the answers

What is the process of learning to respond to certain stimuli and not others called in classical conditioning?

Discrimination Signup and view all the answers

What is the process by which a learned response weakens due to absence of reinforcement?

Extinction Signup and view all the answers

In classical conditioning, discrimination refers to how a __________ is triggered by one stimulus but not by others.

Conditioned Response (CR) Signup and view all the answers

Habituation has ______ because it allows organisms to learn NOT to respond to _ stimuli.

strong adaptive significance; uneventful and familiar Signup and view all the answers

What type of object would a person be LEAST likely to develop a phobia of?

Guns Signup and view all the answers

Positive and negative reinforcers are used to ___________ behaviors.

Strengthen or increase the likelihood of Signup and view all the answers

What principles can be used to train animals to assist humans?

Operant conditioning Signup and view all the answers

One of the disadvantages of aversive punishment is that it often arouses ___________.

Negative emotions such as fear and anger Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Classical Conditioning

Classical conditioning involves pairing a biologically potent stimulus (e.g., food) with a neutral stimulus (e.g., a bell).
This learning process is also known as Pavlovian or respondent conditioning.

Observational Learning

Observational learning occurs through watching the behavior of others.
It is categorized as a form of social learning with various processes.

Higher Order Conditioning

Higher Order Conditioning involves pairing a neutral stimulus (e.g., light) with a previously conditioned stimulus (e.g., tone associated with food).
This extends the conditioning process, allowing a neutral stimulus to elicit a conditioned response.

Operant Conditioning

Operant conditioning is a learning method through rewards and punishments.
It establishes associations between specific behaviors and their consequences, as discussed by Skinner in 1938.

Cultural Socialization

Cultural socialization influences beliefs, perceptions, social behavior, identity, and skill development.

Infant Stimuli Response

Infants are prewired to respond to specific stimuli like faces, fostering bonding with caregivers.

Gene Modification

The knockout procedure refers to altering a gene to prevent its typical phenotypic expression.

Human Mating Patterns

Social structure theory opposes evolutionary explanations for human mating behaviors.

Brain Evolution

Between Australopithecus and the emergence of the first Homo sapiens, the human brain size tripled.

Evolution vs. Learning

Evolution relates to species adaptation, while learning pertains to personal development.

Human Ancestor

Australopithecus is the name of a human ancestor that lived around 4 million years ago.

Genetic Makeup

An individual’s specific genetic makeup is termed the genotype.

Adaptive Significance

Adaptive significance pertains to how behavior affects survival and reproduction in natural environments.

Chromosome Count at Fertilization

Upon fertilization, the zygote contains 46 chromosomes.

Discrimination in Classical Conditioning

Discrimination involves learning to respond selectively to certain stimuli while ignoring others.

Extinction in Operant Conditioning

Extinction refers to the weakening of a learned response when reinforcement is absent.

Discrimination Trigger

In classical conditioning, discrimination occurs when a conditioned response is elicited by one stimulus but not by others.

Habituation

Habituation has strong adaptive significance as it helps organisms ignore non-threatening, familiar stimuli.

Phobia Development

Research indicates individuals are least likely to develop phobias related to guns.

Reinforcers

Both positive and negative reinforcers are employed to strengthen or increase the likelihood of specific behaviors.

Training Animals

Operant conditioning principles are effectively used to train police drug dogs to assist humans.

Aversive Punishment

A disadvantage of aversive punishment is that it may evoke negative emotions, leading to dislike or avoidance of the punisher.

Anticipatory Nausea

A patient undergoing chemotherapy can develop anticipatory nausea associated with the treatment environment.

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Description

Explore key learning theories in psychology including classical conditioning, observational learning, higher-order conditioning, and operant conditioning. This quiz examines the foundational concepts presented by influential psychologists such as Pavlov and Skinner. Test your understanding of these important learning processes and their impact on behavior.