Psychology Chapter Six

Irrational fears of specific objects or situations

A type of learning in which a stimulus acquires the capacity to evoke a response that was originally evoked by another stimulus. Was described in 1903 by Ivan Pavlov.

A Russian Physiologist who did Nobel Prize winning research on digestion. He studied the digestive processes of dogs and is commonly known for this experiment.

A stimulus that evokes an unconditioned response without previous conditioning.

An unlearned reaction to an unconditioned stimulus that occurs without previous conditioning.

A previously neutral stimulus that has, through conditioning, acquired the capacity to evoke a conditioned response.

A learned reaction to a conditioned stimulus that occurs because of previous conditioning.

Drawn forth; automatic or involuntary.

In terms of classical conditioning consists of any presentation of a stimulus or pair of stimuli.

Changes in the liking of a stimulus that result from pairing that stimulus with other positive or negative stimuli. Involves the acquisition of likes and dislikes.

The initial stage of learning a new response tendency.

Stimuli are contiguous if they occur together in time and space.

The gradual weakening and disappearance of a conditioned response tendency.

The reappearance of an extinguished response after a period of non-exposure to the conditioned stimulus.

If a response is extinguished in a different environment than it was acquired, the extinguished response will reappear if the animal is returned to the original environment where acquisition took place.

Occurs when an organism that has learned a response to a specific stimulus responds in the same way to a new stimuli that are similar to the original stimulus.

Occurs when an organism that has learned a response to a specific stimulus does not respond in the same way to new stimuli that are similar to the original stimulus.

A conditioned stimulus functions as if it were an unconditioned stimulus in which a conditioned stimulus functions as if it were an unconditioned stimulus.

A form of learning in which voluntary responses come to be controlled by their consequences.

Occurs when an event following a response increased an organism’s tendency to make that response.

Is a small enclosure in which an animal can make a specific response that is systematically recorded while the consequences of the response are controlled.

To send forth.

Are the circumstances or rules that determine whether responses lead to the presentation of reinforcers.

Creates a graphic record of responding and reinforcement in a Skinner box as a function of time.

The formation of a new response tendency in operant conditioning.

The reinforcement of closer and closer approximations of a desired response.

Gradual weakening and disappearance of a response tendency because the response is no longer followed by reinforcement.

An organism continues to make a response after delivery of the reinforcer for it has been terminated.

Cues that influence operant behavior by indicating the probable consequences of a response.

Events that are inherently reinforcing because they satisfy biological needs.

Events that acquire reinforcing qualities by being associated with primary reinforcers.

A specific pattern of presentation of reinforcers over time.

Occurs when every instance of a designated response is reinforced.

Occurs when a designated response is reinforced only some of the time.

The reinforcer is given after a fixed number of non-reinforced responses. Example; A salesperson receives a bonus for every fourth gym membership sold.

The reinforcer is given after a variable number of non-reinforced responses. Example; A slot machine in a casino pays off once every six tries on the average, the concentration of wins and losses may vary.

The reinforcer is given for the first response that occurs after a fixed time interval has elapsed. Example; you can get clean clothes out of your washing machine every 35 minutes.

The reinforcer is given for the first response after a variable time interval has elapsed. Example; a person repeatedly dials a busy phone number (getting through is the reinforcer)

Occurs when a response is strengthened because it is followed by the presentation of a rewarding stimulus.

Occurs when a response is strengthened because it is followed by the removal of an aversive (unpleasant) stimulus.

An organism acquires a response that decreased or ends some aversive stimulation.

An organism acquires a response that prevents some aversive stimulation from occurring.

Occurs when an event following a response weakens the tendency to make that response.

Involves species-specific predispositions to be conditioned in certain ways and not others.

Learning that is not apparent from behavior when it first occurs.

When an organism’s responding is influenced by the observation of others, who are called models.

Attention, Retention, Reproduction, and Motivation.

To learn through observation, you must pay attention to another person’s behavior and its consequences.

You must be able to store a mental representation of what you have witnessed in your memory so you can recall it in future time.

Enacting a modeled response depends on your ability to reproduce the response by converting your stored mental images into overt behavior.

You are unlikely to reproduce an observed response unless you are motivated to do so. Depends on whether you encounter a situation in which you believe the response is likely to pay off for you.

A systematic approach to changing behavior through the application of principles of conditioning.