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Module 10 - Operant and Cognitive Approaches

Terms in this set (47)

Operant conditioning
Also called instrumental conditioning
- is a kind of learning in which an animal or human performs some behavior, and the following sequence (reward or punishment) increSes or decreases the chance that an animal or human will again perform that same behavior
Law of effect
States that behaviors followed by positive consequences are strengthened, while behaviors followed by negative consequences are weakened
Operant response
Is a response that can be modified by its consequences and is a meaningful unit of ongoing behavior that can be easily measured
Shaping
Is a procedure in which an experimenter successively reinforces behaviors that lead up to or approximate the desire behavior
Superstitious behavior
Is a behavior that increases in frequency because it's occurrence is accidentally paired with the delivery of a reinforcer
Reinforcement
Is a consequence that occurs after a behavior and increases the chance that the behavior will occur again
Punishment
Is a consequence that occurs after a behavior and decreases the chance the behavior will occur again
Pica
Is a behavioral disorder, often seen in individuals with mental retardation, that involves eating inedible objects or unhealthy substances
- this can result in serious p physical problems, including lead poisoningm intestinal bockage, and parasites
Positive reinforcement
refers to the presentation of a stimulus that increases the probability that a behavior will occur again
Positive reinforcer
Is a stimulus that increases the likelihood that a response will occur again
Negative reinforcement
Refers to an averssive (unpleasant) stimulus whose removal increases the likelihood that the preceding response will occur again
Primary reinforcer
Is a stimulus, such as food, water, sex, that is innately satisfying and requires no learning othe part of the subject to become pleasurable
Secondary reinforcer
Is any stimulus that has acquired it's reinforcing power through experience
- secondary reinforcers are learned, such as by being paired with primary reinforcers or other secondary reinforcers
Positive punishment
Refers to presenting an aversive (unpleasant) stimulus after a response
- the aversive stimulus decreases the chances that the response will recur
Noncompliance
Refers to a child refusing to follow directions, carry out a request, or obey a command given by a parent or caregiver
Time-out
Removes reinforcing stimuli after an undesirable response
- this removal decreases the chances that the undesired response will recur
Negative punishment
Refers to removing a reinforcement stimulus (a child's allowance) after a response
- this removal decreases the chances that the response will recur
Schedule of reinforcement
Refers to a program or rule that determines how and when the occurrence of a response will be followed by a reinforcer
Cumulative record
Is a continuous written record that shows an animal's or human's individual responses and reinforcements
Continuous reinforcement
Means that Every occurrence of the operant response results in delivery of the reinforcer
Partial reinforcement
Refers to a situation in which responding is reinforced only some of the time
Fixed-ratio schedule
Means that a reinforcer occurs only after a fixed number of responses are made by the subject
Fixed-interval schedule
Means that a reinforcer occurs following the first response that occurs after a fixed interval of time
Variable-ratio schedule
Means that a reinforcer is delivered after an average number of correct responses has occured
Variable-interval schedule
Means that a reinforcer occurs following the first correct response after an average amount of time has passed
In operant conditioning, generalization means
Means that an animal or person emits the same response to similar stimuli
In classical conditioning, generalization is
The tendency for a stimulus similar to the original conditioned stimulus to elicit a response similar to the conditioned response
In operant conditioning, discrimination means
That response is emitted in the presence of a stimulus that is required and not in the presence of unreinforced stimuli
In classical conditioning, discrimination is
The tendency for some stimuli but not others to elicit a conditioned response
Discriminative stimulus
Is a cue that a behavior will be reinforced
In operant conditioning, extinction refers to
The reduction in an operant response when it is no onger followed by the reinforcer
In classical conditioning, extinction refers
To the reduction in a response when the conditioned stimulus is no longer followed by the unconditioned stimulus
In operant conditioning, spontaneous recovery refers
To a temporary recovery in the rate of responding
In classical condtioning, spontaneous recovery refers to
To the temporary occurrence of the conditioned response in the presence of the conditioned stimulus
Cognitive learning
Involves mental processes such as attention and memory
- says that learning can occur through observation ot imitation and such learning may not involve any external rewards or require a person to perform any observable behaviors
Cognitive map
Is a mental representation in the brain of the layout of an environment and it's features
Social cognitive learning
Results from watching, imitating, and modeling and does not require the observer to perform any observable behavior or receive any observable reward
Learning-performance distinction
Means learning may occur but may not always be measured by, or immediately evident in, performance
Social cognitive theory
Emphasizes e importantce of observation, imitation, and self-reward ithe development and learning of social skills, personal interactions, and many other behaviors
- unlike operant and classical conditioned, this theories says that it is not necessary to perform any observable behaviors or receive any external rewards to learn
Insight
Is a mental process marked by the sudden and unexpected solution to a problem: a phenomenon often called the "ah-ha!" experience
Biological factors
Refer to innate tendencies or predisposition that may either facilitate or inhibit certain kinds of learning
Ethologists
Are behavioral biologists who observe and study animal behavior in the animal's natural environment or under relatively naturalistic conditions
Imprinting
Refers to inherited tendencies or responses that are displayed by new born animals when they encounter certain stimuli itheir environment
Critical or sensitive period
Refers to a relatively brief time during which learning is most likely to occur
Preparedness or prepared learning
Refers to the innate or bio
Logical tendency of animals to recognize, attend to, and store certain cues over others, as well as to associate some combinations of conditioned and unconditioned stimuli more easily than others
Behavior modification
Is a treatment or erapy that changes or modifies problems or undesirable behaviors by using principles of learning based on operant conditioning, classical conditioning, and social cognitive learning
Biofeedback
Is a training procedure through which a person is made aware of his or her physiological responses, such as muscle activity, heart, rate, blood pressure, or temperature
- after becoming aware of these physioogical responses, a person tries to control them to decrease psychosomatic problems
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