Psychology Chapter 6

an enduring change in behavior that results from experience

a type of learned response that occurs when a neutral object comes to elicit a reflexive response when it is associated with a stimulus that already produces that response

a response that does not have to be learned

a stimulus that elicits a response without any prior learning

a response that has been learned

a stimulus that elicits a response only after learning has taken place

the gradual formation of an association b/w the CS and US

a process in which the CR is weakened when the CS is repeated without the US

a process in which a previously extinguished response reemerges following presentation of the CS

occurs when stimuli that are similar but not identical to the CS produce the CR

a learned tendency to differentiate b/w two similar stimuli if one is consistently associated with the US and the other is not

an acquired fear that is out of proportion to the real threat of an object or a situation

the idea that animals are biologically programmed to learn to fear specific objects

a cognitive model of classical conditioning that states that the strength of the CS-US association is determined by the extent to which the US is unexpected

a learning process in which the consequences of an action determine the likelihood that it will be performed in the future

Thorndike’s general theory of learning, which states that any behavior that leads to a “satisfying state of affairs” is more likely to occur again, and that those that lead to an “annoying state of affairs” are less likely to recur

a stimulus following a response that increases the likelihood that the response will be repeated

a process of operant conditioning that involves reinforcing behaviors that are increasingly similar to the desired behavior

reinforcers that are innately reinforcing, such as those that satisfy biological needs

events or objects that become reinforcers through their repeated pairings with primary reinforcers

a stimulus following a response that decreases the likelihood that the response will be repeated

the increase in the probability of a behavior’s being repeated following the administration of a pleasurable stimulus, referred to as a reward

the increase in the probability of a behavior’s being repeated through the removal of an aversive stimulus

punishment that occurs w/ administration of a stimulus that decreases the probability of a behavior’s recurring

punishment that occurs with removal of a stimulus that decreases the probability of a behavior’s recurring

a type of learning in which the desired behavior is reinforced each time it occurs

a type of learning in which behavior is reinforced intermittently

a schedule in which reinforcement is based on the number of times the behavior occurs

a schedule in which reinforcement is based on a specific unit of time

a schedule in which reinforcement is consistently provided upon each occurrence

a schedule in which reinforcement is applied at different rates or at different times

the greater persistence of behavior under partial reinforcement than under continuous reinforcement

a visual/spatial mental representation of the environment

learning that takes place in the absence of reinforcement

the knowledge transferred within a culture

learning that occurs when behaviors are acquired or modified following exposure to others performing the behavior

the imitation of behavior through observational learning

learning that occurs when people learn the consequences of an action by observing others being rewarded or punished for performing the action

neurons in the premotor cortex that are activated during observation of others performing an action

a procedure in which animals are able to self-administer electrical shock to specific areas of the brain

a decrease in behavioral response following repeated exposure to nonthreatening stimuli

an increase in behavioral response following exposure to a threatening stimulus

the strengthening of a synaptic connection so that postsynaptic neurons are more easily activated