Download Key Concepts in Classical Conditioning

Key Concepts in Classical Conditioning
-Classical conditioning is a simple type of learning in which one stimulus calls forth the response that is usually called forth by
another stimulus
-Usually a biological response, but not always
US: unconditioned stimulus; a stimulus that causes a response that is automatic, not learned
UR: unconditioned response; an automatic response
CR: conditioned response; a learned response to a stimulus that was previously neutral or meaningless
CS: conditioned stimulus; A learned stimulus
-Adapt to environment through taste aversion
-Extinction occurs when the conditioned stimulus is disconnected from the unconditioned stimulus
-Spontaneous Recovery is when there is a response displayed that was previously extinguished
-Generalization is the act of responding in the same ways to stimuli that seem to be similar
-Discrimination is the act of responding differently to stimuli that are not similar to each other
-Flooding is when a person exposed to the harmless stimulus until the fear that the stimulus produces goes away
-Systemic Desensitization is when a person is taught a relaxation technique, and then when they are relaxed they are
exposed gradually to a stimulus that they fear
Key Concepts in Operant Conditioning
-Operant conditioning is a type of learning in which people and animals learn to do or not to do certain things because of the
results of their action or nonaction.
Primary and secondary reinforcers: Primary reinforcers meet biological needs; examples are food and water. Secondary
reinforcers meet learned value needs; examples are money, attention, and social approval.
Positive and negative reinforcers: Positive reinforcers are things a person wants to have or to have happen and is willing to
do or not to do what is required to get the reinforcers. Negative reinforcers are things the person wants to avoid having or
happening and is willing to do or not to do what is required in order to keep the reinforcers from occurring.
Rewards and punishments: rewards are like reinforcers and increase the frequency of a behavior; punishments decrease the
frequency of a behavior
Schedules of reinforcement: when and how often the reinforcement occurs
Continuous reinforcement is the reinforcement of a behavior every time the behavior occurs
Partial reinforcement, the behavior is not reinforced every time it occurs.
Fixed-interval schedule, the reinforcement becomes available only at identical time intervals.
Variable-interval schedule, varying amounts of time pass between reinforcements; the timing of the next
reinforcement is unpredictable.
Extinction: the disappearance of a learned response as a result of repeated performance of the response without receiving
reinforcement
Shaping and Chaining: shaping is a way to teach complex behaviors in which one first reinforces small steps in the total
activity; in chaining each step of a sequence must be learned and must lead to the next until the final action is achieved
Programmed Learning: an educational method based on shaping and chaining; assumes that any task can be broken down
into small steps, each step can be shaped individually and combined to form the more complicated whole.