4 Learning

a relatively permanent change in an organism’s behaviour due to experience

an organism's decreasing response to a stimulus with repeated exposure to it

learning that certain events occur together. the events may be two stimuli (as in classical conditioning) or a response and its consequences (as in operant conditioning)

any event or situation that evokes a response

the acquisition of mental information, whether by observing events, by watching others, or through language

a type of learning in which one learns to link two or more stimuli and anticipate events

the view that psychology (1) should be an objective science that (2) studies behaviour without reference to mental processes. most research psychologists today agree with (1) but not (2)

in classical conditioning, a stimulus that elicits no response before conditioning

in classical conditioning, the unlearned, naturally occurring response to the unconditioned stimulus, such as salivation when food is in the mouth

in classical conditioning, a stimulus that unconditionally-naturally and automatically-triggers a response

in classical conditioning, the learned response to a previously neutral stimulus

in classical conditioning, an originally irrelevant stimulus that, after association with an unconditioned stimulus, comes to trigger a conditioned response

in classical conditioning, the initial stage, when one links a neutral stimulus and an unconditioned stimulus so that the neutral stimulus begins triggering the conditioned response. in operant conditioning, the strengthening of a reinforced response

a procedure in which the conditioned stimulus in one conditioning experience is paired with a new neutral stimulus, creating a second (often weaker) conditioned stimulus

the diminishing of a conditioned response; occurs in classical conditioning when an unconditioned stimulus does not follow a conditioned stimulus; occurs in operant conditioning when a response is no longer reinforced

the reappearance, after a pause, of an extinguished conditioned response

the tendency, once a response has been conditioned, for a stimulus similar to the conditioned stimulus to elicit similar responses

in classical conditioning, the learned ability to distinguish between a conditioned stimulus and stimuli that do not signal an unconditioned stimulus

behaviour that occurs as an automatic response to some stimulus

a type of learning in which behaviour is strengthened if followed by a reinforcer or diminished if followed by a punisher

behaviour that operates on the environment, producing consequences

Thorndike's principle that behaviours followed by favorable consequences become more likely, and that behaviour followed by unfavorable consequences become less likely

in operant conditioning research, a chamber (also known as a Skinner box) containing a bar or key that an animal can manipulate to obtain a food or water reinforcer; attached devices record the animals rate of bar pressing or key pecking

in operant conditioning, any event that strengthens the behaviour it follows

an operant conditioning procedure in which reinforcers guide behaviour toward closer and closer approximations of the desired behaviour

in operant conditioning, a stimulus that elicits a response after association with reinforcement (in contrast to related stimuli not associated with reinforcement)

increasing behaviours by presenting positive stimuli, such as food; any stimulus that, when presented after a response, strengthens the response

increasing behaviours by stopping or reducing negative stimuli, such as shock; any stimulus that, when removed after a response, strengthens the response (NOT punishment)

an innately reinforcing stimulus, such as one that satisfies a biological need

a stimulus that gains its reinforcing power through its association with a primary reinforcer; also known as a secondary reinforcer

a pattern that defines how often a desired response will be reinforced.

reinforcing the desired response every time it occurs

reinforcing a response only part of the time; results in slower acquisition of s response but much greater resistance to extinction than does continuous reinforcement

in operant conditioning, a reinforcement schedule that reinforces a response only after a specified number of responses

in operant conditioning, a reinforcement schedule that reinforces a response after an unpredictable number of responses

in operant conditioning, a reinforcement schedule that reinforces a response only after a specified time has elapsed

in operant conditioning, a reinforcement schedule that reinforces a response at unpredictable time intervals

an event that decreases the behaviour that it follows

a system for electronically recording, amplifying, and feeding back information regarding a subtle psychological state, such as blood pressure or muscle tension

behaviour that occurs as an automatic response to some stimulus.

behaviour that operates on the environment, producing consequences

a mental representation of the layout of one's environment. for example, after exploring a maze, rats act as if they have learned this

learning that occurs but is not apparent until there is an incentive to demonstrate it

a sudden and often novel realization of the solution to a problem

a desire to perform a behaviour effectively for its own sake

a desire to perform a behaviour to receive promised rewards or to avoid threatened punishment

alleviating stress using emotional, cognitive, or behavioural methods

attempting to alleviate stress directly – by changing the stressor or the way we interact with that stressor

attempting to alleviate stress by avoiding or ignoring a stressor and attending to emotional needs related to one’s stress reaction.

the hopelessness and passive resignation an animal or human learns when unable to avoid repeated aversive events

the perception that chance or outside forces beyond our personal control determines our fate

the perception that you control your own fate

the ability to control impulses and delay short-term gratification for greater long-term rewards

learning by observing others; also called social learning

the process of observing and imitating a specific behaviour

frontal lobe neurons that fire when performing certain actions or when observing another doing so; the brain's mirroring of another’s action may enable imitation and empathy

positive, constructive, helpful behaviour; the opposite of antisocial behaviour