Learning
Order by
44 terms
Terms | Definitions |
|---|---|
 behavior modification | The application of conditioning techniques to teach new responses or to reduce or eliminate maladaptive or problematic behavior. |
| behaviorism | A psychological approach that emphasizes the study of observable behavior and the role of the environment as a determinant of behavior. |
| classical conditioning | The process by which a previously neutral stimulus acquires the capacity to elicit a response through association with a stimulus that already elicits a similar or related response; also called Pavlovian and respondent conditioning. |
| cognitive map | A mental representation of the environment. |
| conditioned response (CR) | The classical conditioning term for a response that is elicited by a conditioned stimulus; occurs after the conditioned stimulus is associated with an unconditioned stimulus. |
| conditioned stimulus (CS) | The classical conditioning term for an initially neutral stimulus that comes to elicit a conditioned response after being associated with an unconditioned stimulus. |
| conditioning | A basic kind of learning that involves associations between environmental stimuli and the organism's responses. |
| continuous reinforcement | A reinforcement schedule in which a particular response is always reinforced. |
| counterconditioning | In classical conditioning, the process of pairing a conditioned stimulus with a stimulus that elicits a response that is incompatible with an unwanted conditioned response. |
| discriminative stimulus | A stimulus that signals when a particular response is likely to be followed by a certain type of consequence. |
| extinction | The weakening and eventual disappearance of a learned response; in classical conditioning, it occurs when the conditioned stimulus is no longer paired with the unconditioned stimulus; in operant conditioning, it occurs when a response is no longer followed by a reinforcer. |
| extrinsic reinforcers | Reinforcers that are not inherently related to the activity being reinforced, such as money, prizes, and praise. |
| fixed-interval (FI) schedule | An intermittent schedule of reinforcement in which a reinforcer is delivered for the first response made after a fixed period of time has elapsed since the last reinforcer. |
| fixed-ratio (FR) schedule | An intermittent schedule of reinforcement in which reinforcement occurs only after a fixed number of responses. |
| higher-order conditioning | In classical conditioning, a procedure in which a neutral stimulus becomes a conditioned stimulus through association with an already established conditioned stimulus. |
| insight | A form of problem solving that appears to involve the (often sudden) understanding of how elements of a situation are related or can be reorganized to achieve a solution. |
| instinctive drift | The tendency of an organism to revert to an instinctive behavior over time; it can interfere with learning. |
| intermittent (partial) schedule of reinforcement | A reinforcement schedule in which a particular response is sometimes but not always reinforced. |
| intrinsic reinforcers | Reinforcers that are inherently related to the activity being reinforced, such as enjoyment of the task and the satisfaction of accomplishment. |
| latent learning | A form of learning that is not immediately expressed in an overt response; it occurs without obvious reinforcement. |
| learning | A relatively permanent change in behavior (or behavioral potential) due to experience. |
| negative reinforcement | A reinforcement procedure in which a response is followed by the removal, delay, or decrease in intensity of an unpleasant stimulus; as a result, the response becomes stronger or more likely to occur. |
| observational learning | A learning process in which an individual learns new responses by observing the behavior of another (a model) rather than through direct experience; sometimes called vicarious conditioning. |
| operant conditioning | The process by which a response becomes more or less likely to occur, depending on its consequences. |
| positive reinforcement | A reinforcement procedure in which a response is followed by the presentation of, or increase in intensity of, a reinforcing stimulus; as a result, the response becomes stronger or more likely to occur. |
| primary punisher | A stimulus that is inherently punishing; an example is electric shock. |
| primary reinforcer | A stimulus that is inherently reinforcing, typically satisfying a physiological need; an example is food. |
| punishment | The process by which a stimulus or event weakens or reduces the probability of the response that it follows. |
| reinforcement | The process by which a stimulus or event strengthens or increases the probability of the response that it follows. |
| secondary punisher | A stimulus that has acquired punishing properties through association with other punishers. |
| secondary reinforcer | A stimulus that has acquired reinforcing properties through association with other reinforcers. |
| shaping | An operant conditioning procedure in which successive approximations of a desired response are reinforced; used when the desired response has a low probability of occurring spontaneously. |
| social-cognitive theory | Theories that emphasize how behavior is learned and maintained through observation and imitation of others, positive consequences, and cognitive processes such as plans, expectations and beliefs. |
| social-learning theory | Theories that emphasize how behavior is learned and maintained through observation and imitation of others, positive consequences, and cognitive processes such as plans and expectations. |
| spontaneous recovery | The reappearance of a learned response after its apparent extinction. |
| stimulus control | Control over the occurrence of a response by a discriminative stimulus. |
| stimulus discrimination | The tendency to respond differently to two or more similar stimuli; in classical conditioning, it occurs when a stimulus similar to the CS fails to evoke the CR; in operant conditioning, the tendency of a response to occur in the presence of one stimulus but not in the presence of other, similar stimuli that differ from it on some dimension. |
| stimulus generalization | After conditioning, the tendency to respond to a stimulus that resembles one involved in the original conditioning; in classical conditioning, it occurs when a stimulus that resembles the conditioned stimulus elicits the conditioned response; in operant conditioning, the tendency for a response that has been reinforced (or punished) in the presence of one stimulus to occur (or be suppressed) in the presence of other, similar stimuli. |
| successive approximations | In the operant conditioning procedure of shaping, behaviors that are ordered in terms of increasing similarity or closeness to the desired response. |
| token economy | A behavior modification technique in which secondary reinforcers called tokens, which can be collected and exchanged for primary or other secondary reinforcers, are used to shape behavior. |
| unconditioned response (UR) | The classical conditioning term for a reflexive response elicited by a stimulus in the absence of learning. |
| unconditioned stimulus (US) | The classical conditioning term for a stimulus that elicits a reflexive response in the absence of learning. |
| variable-interval (VI) schedule | An intermittent schedule of reinforcement in which a reinforcer is delivered for a response made after a variable period of time has elapsed since the last reinforcer. |
| variable-ratio (VR) schedule | An intermittent schedule of reinforcement in which reinforcement occurs after a variable number of responses. |
First Time Here?
Welcome to Quizlet, a fun, free place to study. Try these flashcards, find others to study, or make your own.