| Term | Definition |
|---|
| learning | relatively permanent change in an organism's behavior due to experience |
| associative learning | learning that certain events occur together. Events may be two stimuli (classical conditioning) or a response and its consequences (operant conditioning) |
| classical conditioning | type of learning in which an organism comes to associate stimuli |
| unconditioned response (UR) | clasical conditioning: unlearned, naturally occurring response to the unconditioned stimulus (US), such as salivation when food is in the mouth |
| unconditioned stimulus | in classical conditioning, a stimulus that unconditionally- naturally and automatically- triggers a response |
| conditioned response (CR) | classical conditioning, learned response to a previously neutral (but now conditioned) stimulus (CS) |
| conditioned stimulus (CS) | in classical conditioning, an originally irrevelant stimulus that, after association with an unconditioned stimulus (US), comes to trigger a conditioned response |
| acquisition | initial stage in classical conditioning; phase associating a neutral stimulus with an unconditioned stimulus; strengthening of a reinforced response in operant conditioning |
| extinction | diminishing of a conditioned response |
| spontaneous recovery | reappearance after a pause, of an extinguised conditioned response |
| generalization | tendency, once a response has been conditioned, for stimuli similar to the conditioned stimulus to elicit similar responses |
| discrimination | in classical conditioning, the learned ability to distinguise between a conditioned stimulus and stimuli that do not signal an unconditioned stimulus |
| operant conditioning | type of learning which behavior is strengthened if followed by a reinforcer or diminished if followed by a punisher |
| respondent behavior | behavior that occurs as an automatic response to some stimulus |
| operant behavior | behavior that operates on the environment, producing consequences |
| law of effect | Thorndike's principle that behaviors followed by favorable consequences become more likely, and that behaviors followed by unfavorable consequences become less likely |
| operant chamber | chamber also known as Skinner's box, containing a bar so an animal can manipulate to obtain food as a reinforcer and used in operant conditioning |
| shaping | operant conditioning procedure in which reinforcers guide behavior toward closer and closer approximations of the desired behavior |
| reinforcer | in operant conditioning, any event that strengthens the behavior it follows |
| positive reinforcement | increasing behaviors by presenting positive stimuli such as food |
| negative reinforcement | increasing behaviors by stopping or reducing negative stimuli, such as shock |
| primary reinforcer | in innately reinforcing stimulus, such as one that satisfies a biological need |
| conditioned reinforcer | a stimulus that gains its reinforcing power through its association with a primary reinforcer |
| continuous reinforcement | reinforcing that desired response every time it occurs |
| partial (intermittent) reinforcement | reinforcing a response only part of the time |
| fixed-ratio schedule | in operant conditioning, a reinforcement schedule that reinforces a response only after a specifed number of responses |
| variable-ration schedule | in operant conditioning, a reinforcement schedule that reinforces a response after an unpredictable number of responses |
| variable-interval schedule | in operant conditioning, a reinforcement schedule that reinforces a response only after a specified time has elapsed |
| variable-interval schedule | in operant conditioning, a reinforcement schedule that reinforces a response at unpredictable time intervals |
| punishment | an event that decreases the behavior that it follows |
| cognitive map | mental representation of the layout of one's environment |
| latent learning | learning that occurs but is not apparent until there is an incentive to demonstrate it |
| intrinsic motivation | desire to perform a behavior for its own sake |
| extrinsic motivation | desire to perform a behavior to promised standards or threats of punishment |
| observational learning | learning by observing others |
| modeling | process of observing and imitating a specific behavior |
| mirror neurons | frontal lobe neurons that fire when performing certain actions or when observing another doing so |
| prosocial behavior | positive, constructive, helpful behavior |
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