Chapter 8 (1st half)

learning: a relatively permanent change in an organism's behavior due to experience.

associative learning: learning that certain events occur together. The events may be two stimuli (as in classical conditioning) or a response and its consequences (as in operant conditioning).

classical conditioning: a type of learning in which an organism comes to associate stimuli. A neutral stimulus that signals an unconditioned stimulus (US) begins to produce a response that anticipates and prepares for the unconditioned stimulus. Also called Pavlovian or respondent conditioning.

behaviorism: the view that psychology (1) should be an objective science that (2) studies behavior without reference to mental processes. Most research psychologists agree with (1) but not with (2).

unconditioned response (UR): in classical conditioning, the unlearned, naturally occurring response to the unconditioned stimulus (US), such as salivations when food is in the mouth.

unconditioned stimulus (US): in classical conditioning, a stimulus that unconditionally – naturally and automatically – triggers a response.

conditioned response (CR): In classical conditioning, the learned response to a previously neutral (but now conditioned) stimulus.

conditioned stimulus (CS): In classical conditioning, an originally irrelevant stimulus that, after association with an unconditioned stimulus (US), comes to trigger a conditioned response.

acquisition: the initial stage in classical conditioning; the phase associating a neutral stimulus with an unconditioned stimulus so that in neutral stimulus comes to elicit and conditioned responds. in operant conditioning, the strengthening of a reinforced response.

extinction: the diminishing of a conditioned response; occurs in classical conditioning when an unconditioned stimulus (US) does not follow a conditioned stimulus (CS); occurs in operant conditioning when a response is no longer reinforced.

spontaneous recovery: the reappearance, after a pause, of an extinguished response.

generalization: the tendency, onces a response has been conditioned, for stimuli similar to the conditioned stimulus to elicit similar responses.

discrimination: unjustifiable negative behavior toward a group or its members.

operant conditioning: a type of learning in which behavior is strengthened if followed by a reinforcer or diminished if followed by a punisher.

respondent behavior: behavior that occurs as an automatic response to some stimulus; Skinner's term for behavior learned through classical conditioning.

operant behavior: behavior that operates on the environment, producing consequences.

law of effect: Thorndike's principle that behaviors followed by favorable consequences become more likely, and that behaviors followed by unfavorable consequences become less likely.

operant chamber: also known as a Skinner box, containing a bar or key that an animal can manipulate to obtain a food or water reinforcer, with attached devices to record that animal's rate of bar pressing or key pecking. Used in operant conditioning research.

shaping: an operant conditioning procedure in which reinforces guide behavior toward closer and closer approximations of the desired behavior.

reinforcer: in operant conditioning, any event that strengthens the behavior it follows.