All Flashcards
Define classical conditioning.
Learning through association; a stimulus leads to an involuntary response.
Define operant conditioning.
Learning through consequences; voluntary behaviors are reinforced or punished.
Define observational learning.
Learning by watching and imitating the behavior of others.
What is learned helplessness?
Feeling like you can't control what happens after repeated negative events.
What is taste aversion?
Developing a strong dislike for a food after getting sick from it.
Define superstitious behavior.
Believing a random action caused a positive outcome, even if it's not true.
What is preparedness in learning?
Biologically wired to learn some things more easily than others.
What is instinctive drift?
Learned behaviors reverting back to natural instincts.
Define unconditioned stimulus.
A stimulus that naturally and automatically triggers a response.
Define conditioned stimulus.
An originally irrelevant stimulus that, after association with an unconditioned stimulus, comes to trigger a conditioned response.
Explain the key idea behind classical conditioning.
Reflexes; the organism doesn't choose the response, it's automatic.
Explain the key idea behind operant conditioning.
Choices; the organism actively does something, and the environment responds.
Explain the key idea behind observational learning.
Modeling; learn by watching others, without direct experience of consequences.
What is the role of consequences in operant conditioning?
Consequences determine whether a behavior is more or less likely to occur again.
How does reinforcement affect behavior?
Reinforcement increases the likelihood of a behavior.
How does punishment affect behavior?
Punishment decreases the likelihood of a behavior.
Explain the concept of schedules of reinforcement.
The pattern of how often a behavior is reinforced, affecting the rate of learning and extinction.
What is the importance of understanding the differences between classical and operant conditioning?
Critical for identifying and applying the correct learning principles in different scenarios.
What is the role of biology in learning?
Biology influences what we can learn, some things are easier due to preparedness and instinctive drift.
What is the difference between positive and negative reinforcement?
Positive reinforcement adds a desirable stimulus; negative reinforcement removes an aversive stimulus.
Give a real-world example of classical conditioning.
Pavlov's dogs salivating at the sound of a bell.
Give a real-world example of operant conditioning.
Doing homework leads to getting a dollar, which makes the student do homework more often.
Give a real-world example of observational learning.
A student starts using a catchphrase after hearing friends use it repeatedly.
How does learned helplessness apply to real life?
A dog repeatedly shocked with no way to escape will eventually stop trying to avoid the shocks.
How does taste aversion apply to real life?
Getting food poisoning after eating a certain dish makes you never want to eat it again.
How does superstitious behavior apply to real life?
A baseball player wears the same socks every game because they think it brings them luck.
How does preparedness apply to real life?
It's easier to teach a bird to peck for food than to flap its wings to get food.
How does instinctive drift apply to real life?
A pig trained to carry a coin might start rooting it with its snout instead.
How can classical conditioning be used to improve student attendance?
Pairing a fun school event (UCS) with the school bell (CS) to create excitement (CR).
How can operant conditioning be used to improve student attendance?
Rewards for perfect attendance (positive reinforcement) or removing a homework assignment for good attendance (negative reinforcement).