Psych Ch. 7-9

the process of acquiring through experience new and relatively enduring information or behaviors

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)

behavior that occurs as an automatic response to some stimulus

behavior that operates on the environment, producing consequences

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 behavior without reference to mental processes. Most psychologists today agree with (1) but not with (2)

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

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

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

Throndike’s principle that behaviors followed by favorable consequences become more likely, and that behaviors followed by unfavorable consequences become less likely

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

an event that tends to decrease the behavior that it follows

learning by observing others

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

a mental representation of the layout of one’s environment. For example, after exploring a maze, rats act as if they have learned a cognitive map of it

the process of observing and imitating a specific behavior

the persistence of learning over time through the encoding, storage, and retrieval of information

a measure of memory in which the person must receive information learned earlier, as on a fill-in-the-blank test

a measure of memory in which the person identifies items previously learned, as on a multiple-choice test

a measure of memory that assesses the amount of time saved when learning material again

the process of retaining encoded information over time

the process of getting information out of memory storage

organizing items into familiar, manageable units; often occurs automatically

memory aids, especially those techniques that use vivid imagery and organizational devices

a neural center located in the limbic system; helps process explicit memories for storage

a clear memory of an emotionally significant moment or event

our tendency to recall best the last (recency effect) and first (primary effect) items in a list

an inability to retrieve information from one’s past

an inability to form new memories

the forward-acting disruptive effect of prior learning on the recall of new information

the backward-acting disruptive effect of new learning on the recall of old information