SOSC 2GENERAL PSYCHOLOGY

Chapter 4: Learning

Learning According to behaviorists, a relatively permanent change

in behavior that results from experience. According to cognitive theorists, the process by which

organisms make relatively permanent changes in the way they represent the environment because of experience.

Classical Conditioning (Ivan Pavlov 1927) A simple form of learning in which a neutral stimulus

comes to evoke the response usually evoked by another stimulus by being paired repeatedly with the other stimulus.

Reflex A simple unlearned response to a stimulus.

Stimulus An environmental condition that elicits a response.

Unconditioned stimulus (UCS) A stimulus that elicits a response from an organism prior

to conditioning.

Unconditioned response (UCR) An unlearned response to an unconditioned stimulus.

Orienting reflex An unlearned response in which an organism attends to a

stimulus.

Conditioned stimulus (CS) A previously neutral stimulus that elicits a conditioned

response because it has been paired repeatedly with a stimulus that already elicited that response.

Conditioned response (CR) A learned response to a conditioned stimulus.

Extinction The process by which stimuli lose their ability to evoke

learned responses because the events that had followed the stimuli no longer occur (the learned responses are said to be extinguished.)

Spontaneous recovery The recurrence of an extinguished response as a function

of the passage of time.

Generalization

In conditioning, the tendency for a conditioned response to be evoked by stimuli that are similar to the stimulus to which the response was conditioned.

Discrimination In conditioning, the tendency for an organism to

distinguish between a conditioned stimulus and similar stimuli that do not forecast an unconditioned stimulus.

Higher-order conditioning A classical conditioning in which a previously neutral

stimulus comes to elicit the response brought forth by a conditioned stimulus by being paired repeatedly with that conditioned stimulus.

Biological preparedness Readiness to acquire a certain kind of conditioned

responses due to the biological makeup of the organism.

Counterconditioning A fear-reduction technique in which pleasant stimuli are

associated with fear-evoking stimuli so that the fear-evoking stimuli lose their aversive qualities.

Flooding A behavioral fear-reduction technique based on principles

of classical conditioning; fear-evoking stimuli (CSs) are presented continuously in the absence of actual harm so that fear responses (CRs) are extinguished.

Systematic Desensitization A behavioral fear-reduction technique in which a hierarchy

of fear-evoking stimuli is presented while the person remains relaxed.

Law of effect Thorndike’s view that pleasant events stamp in responses,

and unpleasant events stamp them out.

Reinforce To follow a response with a stimulus that increases the

frequency of the response

Operant behavior Behavior that operates on, or manipulates, the

environment

Operant conditioning A simple form of learning in which an organism learns to

engage in behavior because it is reinforced.

Operant The same as an operant behavior

Positive reinforcer

A reinforcer that when presented increases the frequency of an operant.

Negative reinforcer A reinforcer that when removed increases the frequency

of an operant.

Primary reinforcer An unlearned reinforcer whose effectiveness is based on

the biological makeup of the organism and not on learning.

Secondary reinforcer A stimulus that gains reinforcement value through

association with established reinforcers.

Conditioned reinforcer Another term for a secondary reinforcer.

Discriminative stimulus In operant conditioning, a stimulus that indicates that

reinforcement is available.

Continuous reinforcement A schedule of reinforcement in which every correct

response is reinforced.

Partial reinforcement One of several reinforcement schedules in which not every

correct response is reinforced.

Fixed-interval schedules A schedule in which a fixed amount of time must elapse

between the previous and subsequent times that reinforcement is available.

Variable-interval schedule A schedule in which a variable amount of time must elapse

between the previous and subsequent times that reinforcement is available.

Fixed-ratio schedule A schedule in which reinforcement is provided after a fixed

number of correct responses.

Variable-ratio schedule A schedule in which reinforcement is provided after a

variable number of correct responses.

Shaping A procedure for teaching complex behaviors that at first

reinforces approximations of the target behaviors.

Successive approximations

Behaviors that are progressively closer to a target behavior.

Cognitive map A mental representation of the layout of one’s

environment.

Latent learning Learning that is hidden or concealed.

Contingency theory The view that learning occurs when stimuli provide

information about the likelihood of the occurrence of other stimuli.

A reliable “if-then” relationship between two events, such as a CS and a US.

Observational learning The acquisition of knowledge and skills through the

observation of others (who are called models) rather than by means of direct experience.

Model An organism that engages in a response that is then

imitated by another organism.

References: Feldman, R. S. (2010). Understanding Psychology. 9th Edition. McGraw Hill Companies, Inc. Morris, C.G.,et al. (2007). Psychology Concepts and Applications. Pearson Education, Inc. New Jersey.Rathus, S. (2014). Psychology. 3rd edition. Cengage Learning Asia Pte Ltd. Philippines.

Prepared by:Mrs. Maria Angela L. Diopol

Instructor