The Science Of Psychology: Chapter 6 Learning

a systematic, relatively permanent change in behavior that occurs through experience

A theory of learning that focuses solely on observable behaviors, discounting the importance of mental activity such as thinking, wishing, and hoping.

learning that occurs when an organism makes a connection, or an association, between two events.

learning that occurs through observing and imitating another's behavior

a stimulus that produces a response without prior learning

an unlearned reaction that is automatically elicited by the unconditioned stimulus

a previously neutral stimulus that eventually elicits a conditioned response after being paired with the unconditioned stimulus

the learned response to the conditioned stimulus that occurs after conditioned stimulus -unconditioned stimulus pairing

the initial learning of the connection between the unconditioned stimulus and the conditioned stimulus when these two stimuli are paried

the tendency of a new stimulus that is similar to the original conditioned stimulus to elicit a response that is similar to the conditioned response

the process of leaning to respond to certain stimuli and not others

the weakening of the conditioned response when the unconditioned stimulus is absent

the process in classical conditioning by which a conditioned response can recur after a time delay, without further conditioning

the recovery of the conditioned response when the organism is placed in a novel context

a classical procedure for changing the relationship between a conditioned stimulus and its conditioned response

a form of treatment that consists of repeated pairing of stimulus with a very unpleasant stimulus

decreased responsiveness to a stimulus after repeated presentations

a form of associative learning in which the consequences of a behavior change the probability of the behavior's occurrence

Thorndike's law stating that behaviors followed by positive outcomes are strengthened and that behaviors followed by negative outcomes are weakened

Rewarding successive approximations of a desired behavior

the process by which a stimulus or event (a reinforcer) following a particular behavior increases the probability that the behavior will happen again

the presentation of a stimulus following a given behavior in order to increase the frequency of that behavior

the removal of a stimulus following a given behavior in order to decrease the frequency of that behavior

an organism's learning that it can altogether avoid a negative stimulus by making a particular response

an organism's learning through experience with negative stimuli that it has no control over negative outcomes

a reinforcer that is innately satisfying; one that does not take any learning on the organism's part to make it pleasurable

a reinforcer that acquires its positive value through an organism's experience; a learned or conditioned reinforcer

performing a reinforced behavior in a different situation

responding appropriately to stimuli that signal that a behavior will or will not be reinforced

decreases in the frequency of a behavior when the behavior is no longer reinforced

specific patterns that determine when a behavior will be reinforced

a consequence that decreases the likelihood that a behavior will occur

the presentation of a stimulus following a given behavior in order to decrease the frequency of that behavior

the removal of a stimulus following a given behavior in order to decrease the frequency of that behavior

the use of operant conditioning principles to change human behavior

unreinforced learning that is not immediately reflected in behavior

a form of problem solving in which the organism develops a sudden insight into or understanding of a problem's solution

the tendency of animals to revert to instinctive behavior that interferes with learning

the species-specific biological predisposition to learn in certain ways but not others

learning process in which a neutral stimulus becomes associated with an innately meaningful stimulus and acquires the capacity to elicit a similar response