| Term | Definition |
| Learning | relatively permanent change in behavior acquired through experience |
| Classical Conditioning | process of learning by which a previously neutral stimulus comes to elicit an identical or similar response to one originally eicited by another stimulus as the result of the pairing of the two stimuli |
| Unconditioned response | unlearned response to a stimulus |
| Unconditioned stimulus | Stimulus that elicits an unlearned response |
| Neutral simulus | stimulus that before conditioning doesn't produce a particular response |
| Conditioned response | acquired or learned response to a conditioned stimulus |
| Conditioned Stimulus | previously neutral stimulus that comes to elicit a conditioned response after it has been paired with an unconditioned stimulus |
| Extinction | gradual weakening and eventual disappearance of a conditioned response |
| Spontaneous recovery | spontaneous return of a conditioned response following extinction |
| Reconditioning | process of relearning a conditioned response following extinction |
| Stimulus generalization | tendency for stimuli that are similar to the conditioned stimulus to elicit a conditioned response |
| Stimulus discrimination | tendency to differentiate among stimuli so that stimuli that are related to the original conditioned stimulus, but not identical to it, fail to elicit a conditioned response |
| Higher-order conditioning | process by which a new stimulus comes to elicit a conditioned response as a result of its being paired with a conditioned stimlus that already elicits the conditioned response |
| Conditioned emotional reaction | emotional response to a particular stimulus acquired through classical conditioning |
| Phobias | excessive fears of particular objects or situations |
| Behavior therapy | form of therapy that involves the systematic application of the principles of learning |
| Conditioned taste aversions | aversions to particular tatses acquired through classical conditioning |
| Immune system | body's system of defense against disease |
| Law of Effect | Thorndike's principle that responses that have satisfying effects are more likely to recur, while those that have unpleasant effects are less likely to recur |
| Radical behaviorism | philosophical position that free will is an illusion or myth and that human and animal behavior is completely determined by environmental and genetic influences |
| Reinforcer | stimulus event that strengthens the response it follows |
| Operant conditioning | process of learning in which the manipulation of the consequences of a response influences the likelihood or probability of the response occurring |
| Skinner box | experimental apparatus developed by B.F. Skinner for studying relationships between reinforcement and behavior |
| Superstitious behavior | behavior acquired through coincidental association of a response and a reinforcement |
| Discriminative stimulus | cue that signals that reinforcement is available if the subject makes a particular response |
| Positive reinforcement | strengthening of a response through the introduction of a stimulus following the response |
| Negative reinforcement | strengthening of a response through the removal of a stimulus after the response occurs |
| Primary reinforcers | reinforcers that are naturally rewarding because they satisfy basic biological needs or drives |
| Secondary reinforcers | learned reinforcers that develop their reinforcing properties because of their association with primary reinforcers |
| Shaping | process of learning that involves the reinforcement of increasingly closer approximations of the desired response |
| Method of successive approximations | method used to shape behavior that involves reinforcing ever-closer approximations of the desired response |
| Schedules of reinforcement | predetermined plans for timing the delivery of reinforcement |
| Schedule of continuous reinforcement | system of dispensing a reinforcement each time a response is produced |
| Schedule of partial reinforcement | system of dispensing a reinforcement for only a portion of responses |
| Escape learning | learning of behaviors that allow an organism to escape from an aversive stimulus |
| Avoidance learning | learning of behaviors that allow an organism to avoid an aversive stimulus |
| Punishment | introduction of an aversive stimulus or the removal of a reinforcing stimulus after a response occurs, which leads to the weakening or suppression of the response |
| Behavior modification | systematic application of learning principles to strengthen adaptive behavior and weaken maladaptive behavior |
| Token economy program | form of behavior modification in which tokens earned for performing desired behaviors can be exchanged for positive reinforcers |
| Programmed instruction | learning method in which complex material is broken down into a series of small steps that learners master at their own pace |
| Conputer-assisted instruction | form of programmed instruction in which a computer is used to guide a student through a series of increasingly difficult questions |
| Cognitive learning | learning that occurs without the opportunity of first performing the learned response or being reinforced for it |
| Insight learning | process of mentally working through a problem until the sudden realization of a solution occurs |
| Latent learning | learning that occurs without apparent reinforcement and that is not displayed until reinforcement is provided |
| Cognitive map | mental representation of an area that helps an organism navigate its way from one point to another |
| Implicit learning | learning without conscious awareness of what is learned |
| Observational learning | learning by observing and imitating the behavior of others |
| Ivan Pavlov | Russian physiologist |
| B. F. Skinner | American psychologist |
| John Watson | English psychologist and educator |
| Pavlovian puppies | Bells were rung at the same time dogs were fed until dogs were conditioned to salivate at bell; Pavlov |
| Little Albert | Children played with white rat; bell sounded to frighten them; children feared furry objects because they were associated with the frightening bell; Watson |
| Skinner's rats and pigeons | Trained to perform simple acts to trigger positive reinforcement of act while in skinner box |
| John Garcia | fed wolves contaminated sheep carcasses until they grew to avoid sheep entirely |
| Altophobia | Fear of heights |
| Arachnophobia | Fear of spiders |
| Aviophobia | Fear of flying |
| Claustrophobia | Fear of confined spaces |
| Coulrophobia | Fear of clowns |
| Homophobia | Fear of sameness, monotony or of homosexuality or of becoming homosexual |
| Nostalgia | May be conditioned responses elicited by stimuli that were associated with pleasant experiences in the past |
| Drugs | drug cravings and taste aversions may be acquired through classical conditioning |
| Immune-system responses | Possible to manipulate immune system with classical conditioning |
| Puzzle box | Cats escaped Thorndike's box through trial-and-error |
| Red/Green lights | Green light signals driving through intersection will likely be reinforced by safe passage |
| Positive reinforcement example | child brushes teeth before bed --> parent praises child --> tooth-brushing increases |
| Negative reinforcement example | take aspirin for headache --> headache goes away --> use of aspirin in future more likely for headache pain |
| Punishment example | bite red pepper --> tongue burns --> avoid red peppers |
| Omission training example | child hits child --> bad child put in time out --> child doesn't hit anymore |
| Fixed-ratio schedule | reinforcement given after specific number of correct responses |
| Variable-ratio schedule | number of correct responses needed before reinforcement varies |
| Fixed-interval schedule | reinforcement given for correct response after fixed amount of time |
| Variable-interval schedule | amount of elapsed time before reinforcement varies |
| Fixed-ratio schedule example | piecework schedule |
| Variable-ratio schedule example | gambling |
| Fixed-interval schedule example | animal in Skinner box has 30 seconds to make correct response |
| Variable-interval schedule example | pop quizes |
| Primary reinforcer example | food, water, sex |
| Secondary reinforcer example | money |
| Escape learning example | motorist learns detours to escape traffic jams |
| Avoidance learning example | person leaves work early to avoid heavy traffic |
| Extinction example | Girl stops calling out in class when teacher fails to acknowledge her |
| Operant conditioning principles | used in biofeedback training, behavior modification, and programmed instruction |
| Insight learning example | person arrives at solution to problem after thinking from different angle |
| Latent learning example | person learns song lyrics, but doesn't sing until friends begin to sing |
| Observational learning example | child imitates older sibling |
| Giving praise | avoid empty flattery, use hugs, make eye contact |
| Spontaneous recovery example | fear of dentistry returns after months without a visit |
| Stimulus generalization example | person experiences fear when visiting office of new dentist |
| Stimulus discrimination example | person responds fearfully to dentist's drill, but not to dentist's mirror or brush |
| higher-order conditioning example | person cringes when they hear dentist's name |