Psychology of Learning Final Flashcards

Questions and Answers

What is classical conditioning?

One of two primary ways learning occurs (correct)

A method of operant conditioning

A form of cognitive development

None of the above

Psychology is & _

philosophy and physiology

What is positivism?

A school of philosophy that believed truth was determined by mutual agreement on an event.

Who is Gustav Fechner?

A German psychologist known for his work in psychophysics and the book 'Elements of Psychophysics'. Signup and view all the answers

What is William Wundt known for?

He is known as the 'Father of Modern Psychology' and opened the first psychology lab in 1879. Signup and view all the answers

How does evolutionary theory influence modern psychology?

It explains similarities among species, allowing research on non-humans to be related to human behavior. Signup and view all the answers

What are the four antecedents of behaviorism in the early 1900s?

Evolutionary theory, British empiricism, Americans' hope for practical psychology, positivism. Signup and view all the answers

Why is psychology considered scientific?

Because it uses recognized scientific research methods. Signup and view all the answers

What is behavior?

Any action that can be counted or measured. Signup and view all the answers

Self-control and willpower are examples of /_

labels / tautology argument Signup and view all the answers

What are the three criteria to determine if learning has occurred?

Change in behavior Signup and view all the answers

Who was Watson in psychology?

The father of behaviorism, who believed observable behavior was all psychology should study. Signup and view all the answers

What are some important behaviorists?

Watson, Skinner, Tolman, Hull. Signup and view all the answers

What did Tolman believe?

That internal cognitive events between a stimulus and response caused the response. Signup and view all the answers

What is Hull's view on internal events?

He believed internal events were physiological, emphasizing drive reduction. Signup and view all the answers

What is overt behavior?

Behavior that can be measured by others, such as running. Signup and view all the answers

What is covert behavior?

Behavior that can only be measured by the person doing it, such as worrying. Signup and view all the answers

What are functional relations?

Cause-and-effect relations. Signup and view all the answers

What are motivational operations?

Environmental events that affect the aversiveness or appetitiveness of a stimulus. Signup and view all the answers

What is contingency?

The predictive relation between events that produces better learning than contiguity. Signup and view all the answers

What is contiguity?

The number of times that two events are paired together in space or time. Signup and view all the answers

What are two ways to behaviorally define 'bravery'?

Public speaking Signup and view all the answers

Deprivation increases ________________

appetitiveness Signup and view all the answers

Satiation increases __________________

aversiveness Signup and view all the answers

What are ABA/ABAB/ABAC/ABACABCA designs?

Types of small-N designs used to focus on cause-and-effect relations in behavioral research. Signup and view all the answers

Why prefer AB designs over reversal designs?

Due to time/resources and potential ethical concerns. Signup and view all the answers

What are multiple baseline designs (MBD)?

Small-N designs across settings, behaviors, or subjects to establish functional relations. Signup and view all the answers

What does across settings MBD focus on?

It examines rates of behavior in different contexts. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Learning Theories

Classical conditioning involves a stimulus eliciting a response due to association with another stimulus.
Operant conditioning is the second primary method of learning.
Learning is scientifically studied through recognized methods.

Foundations of Psychology

Psychology combines principles of philosophy and physiology.
Positivism asserts that "truth" is based on collective agreement about events.

Important Figures

Gustav Fechner contributed to psychophysics and wrote "Elements of Psychophysics" in the mid-1800s.
William Wundt, known as the "Father of Modern Psychology," opened the first psychology lab at the University of Leipzig in 1879.

Evolutionary Theory and Behaviorism

Evolutionary theory explains similarities among species, allowing research on non-human animals to inform human behavior.
Antecedents of behaviorism include evolutionary theory, British empiricism, societal hopes for psychology's usefulness, and positivism.

Behavioral Concepts

Behavior is defined as any measurable action, including mental processes (e.g., thinking, running).
Self-control and willpower are described as labels and part of the tautology argument.
Evidence of learning includes changes in behavior that are permanent and result from experience.

Key Behaviorists

John Watson is considered the father of behaviorism, advocating the study of observable behavior only.
Important behaviorists include Watson, B.F. Skinner, Edward Tolman, and Clark Hull.

Types of Behavior

Overt behavior is observable by others (e.g., running).
Covert behavior is measurable only by the individual performing the action (e.g., worrying).

Behavioral Science Principles

Functional relations refer to cause-and-effect relationships.
Motivational operations are environmental events impacting the desirability of stimuli (e.g., hunger).
Contingency indicates the predictive relationship that enhances learning compared to mere contiguity (the frequency of event pairing).

Learning and Motivation

Deprivation heightens appetitiveness (e.g., food becomes more desirable when hungry).
Satiation increases aversiveness (e.g., food is less desirable after overeating).

Research Designs

ABA/ABAB/ABAC designs are small-N designs focusing on individual behaviors to establish functional relations.
Reversal designs (ABAB) allow analysts to assess treatment impacts effectively.
Multiple baseline designs (MBD) stagger the introduction of treatment across different settings, behaviors, or subjects to discern functional relationships.

Ethics in Research

Choosing AB over reversal designs involves considering time, resources, and ethical implications, particularly regarding withholding effective treatments.

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Description

Test your knowledge on key concepts of classical conditioning and the fundamentals of psychology. This set of flashcards covers essential definitions and philosophical schools related to learning. Perfect for exam preparation in the psychology of learning course.