General Psychology Chapter 6 Key Terms

A systematic relatively permanent change in behavior that occurs though experience.

A theory of learning that focuses solely on observable behaviors, discounting the importance of mental activity such as thinking, wishing, and hoping.

Learning that occurs when an organism makes a connection or an association, between two events.

Learning that occurs through observing and imitating another's behavior

Learning process in which a neutral stimulus becomes associated with an innately meaningful stimulus and acquires the capacity to elicits a similar response.

A stimulus that produces a response without prior learning

An unlearned reaction that is automatically elicited by the unconditioned by the stimulus

A previously neutral stimulus that eventually elicits a conditioned response after being paired with the unconditioned stimulus.

The learned response to the conditioned stimulus that occurs after conditioned stimulus unconditioned stimulus pairing.

The initial learning of the connection between the unconditioned stimulus and the conditioned stimulus when these two stimuli are paired.

The tendency of a new stimulus that is similar to the original conditioned stimulus to elicit a response that is similar to the conditioned response.

The process of learning to response to certain stimuli and not others

the weakening of the conditioned response when the unconditioned stimulus is absent.

The process in classical conditioning by which a conditioned response can recur after a time delay, without further conditioning.

The recovery of the conditioned response when the organism is placed in a novel context.

A classical conditioning procedure for changing the relationship between a conditioned stimulus and its conditioned response.

A form of treatment that consists of repeated pairings of a stimulus with a very unpleasant stimulus.

Decreased responsiveness to the stimulus after repeated presentations.

A form of associative learning in which the consequences of a behavior change the probability of the behaviors occurrences.

Thorndike's law stating that behaviors followed by positive outcomes are strengthened and the behaviors followed by negative outcomes are weakened.

Rewarding successive approximations of a desired behavior

the process by which in a stimulus or event follwoing a particular behaviors increases the probability that the behavior will happen again.

the presentation of a stimulus following a given behavior in order to increase the frequency of that behavior.

The removal of a stimulus following a given behavior in order to increase the frequency of that behavior.

An organism's learning that it can altogether avoid a negative stimulus by making a particular response.

An organism's learning through experience with negative stimuli that it has no control over negative outcomes.

A reinforcer that is innately satisfying one that does not take any learning on the organism's part to make it pleasurable.

A reinforcer that acquires its positive value through an organism's experience a secondary reinforcer is a learned or conditioned reinforcer.

Performing a reinforced behavior in a different situation.

Responding appropriately to stimuli that signal that a behavior will or will not be reinforced.

Decreases in the frequency of a behavior when the behavior is no longer reinforced.

Specific patterns that determine when a behavior will be reinforced.

A consequence that decreases the likelihood that a behavior will occur.

The presentation of a stimulus following a given behavior in order to decrease the frequency of that behavior.

The removal of a stimulus following a given behavior in order to decrease the frequency of that behavior.

The use of operant conditioning principals to change human behavior.

Unenforced learning that is not immediately reflected in behaviors.

A form of problem solving in which the organism develops a sudden insight into or understanding of a problems's solution.

The tendency of animals to revert to instinctive behavior that interferes with learning.

The species-specific biological predisposition to learn in a certain ways but not others.