Psychology Year 1

• What is the definition of classical conditioning?

  Learning by association
• What does Unconditioned Stimulus (UCS) refer to?

  A stimulus producing a natural, unlearned response
• What is an Unconditioned Response (UCR)?

  A response that occurs naturally (a reflex action)
• What is a Neutral Stimulus (NS)?

  An environmental stimulus that does not produce a response itself
• What is a Conditioned Stimulus (CS)?

  A stimulus that has been associated with a UCS so that it now produces the same response
• What is a Conditioned Response (CR)?

  A behavior that is shown in response to a learned stimulus
• What does stimulus generalization refer to in classical conditioning?

  CS produces the same behavior to similar stimuli after the response has been conditioned
• How does stimulus discrimination differ from stimulus generalization?

  Learning only occurs in response to a specific stimulus
• What is extinction in classical conditioning?

  Removal of a behavior when the CS is constantly presented without the UCS
• What is spontaneous recovery in classical conditioning?

  An accelerated form of learning association after extinction
• What is operant conditioning?

  Learning by consequence
• Who is associated with the concept of operant conditioning?

  B.F. Skinner
• What is the 'Law of Effect' in operant conditioning?

  Behavior followed by nice consequences will be replicated
• What does the ABC model in operant conditioning stand for?

  Antecedent, Behavior, Consequence
• What is positive reinforcement?

  Giving something good (a reward)
• What is negative reinforcement?

  Removing something bad to make behavior occur more frequently
• What is positive punishment?

  Giving something bad
• What is negative punishment?

  Removing something good
• What is the difference between primary and secondary reinforcement?

  Primary reinforcement satisfies basic needs, while secondary reinforcement is associated with primary reinforcers
• What is continuous reinforcement?

  Desired behavior is reinforced every time it occurs
• What is partial reinforcement?

  Desired behavior is only reinforced some of the time
• What are the four schedules of partial reinforcement?

  1. Fixed Interval: Rewarding after a preset amount of time.

  2. Variable Interval: Rewarding after a set amount of time has passed.

  3. Fixed Ratio: Behavior reinforced after a preset number of responses.

  4. Variable Ratio: Behavior reinforced after a variable number of correct responses.
• What is behavior modification?

  To extinguish undesirable behavior and replace it with desirable behavior
• What is shaping behavior in operant conditioning?

  A method of successive approximations to gradually reinforce desirable behaviors
• What is a token economy?

  A system that encourages desirable behavior through rewards and reduces undesirable behavior through punishment
• What is social learning theory?

  Learning by observation
• What is vicarious reinforcement?

  Learning that occurs by observing the consequences of others' behavior
• What are the stages of social learning according to Bandura?

  1. Attention: Must pay attention to the model.

  2. Retention: Must store what has been attended to.

  3. Reproduction: Must show the modeled behavior.

  4. Motivation: More likely to reproduce if there is a reward.
• What is the evaluation of social learning theory?

  It is based on research methods but has limitations in generalizability and ecological validity
• What is the relationship between phobias and classical conditioning?


  The association of a UCS with a NS can lead to a phobia of the NS (CS)
• How does operant conditioning relate to social phobias?

  Avoiding or escaping a feared situation is rewarding, which increases avoidance behavior
• What are the two categories of treatments for phobias?

  Exposure treatments and modeling
• What are the four processes involved in systematic desensitization?

  1. Functional Analysis: Identify triggers through conversation.

  2. Anxiety Hierarchy: Rank triggers from least to most anxiety-provoking.

  3. Relaxation Training: Teach relaxation techniques.

  4. Gradual Exposure: Work through the anxiety hierarchy at an agreed speed.
• What is flooding in the context of phobia treatment?

  Placing the phobic individual with the feared object/situation for a prolonged period
• What is the evaluation of flooding as a treatment for phobias?

  It is much faster than other therapies but can be unethical due to distress
• How does gender identity relate to social learning theory?

  Children are more likely to imitate behaviors of someone of the same sex
• What did Fagot's (1978) study demonstrate about gender role behavior?

  Boys were reinforced for playing with gender-appropriate toys and punished for playing with others
• What is the critique of social learning theory regarding gender behavior?

  It cannot account for cognitive influences and cultural differences
• What similarities exist in gender behavior across the world?

  Similarities may suggest genetic influences
• What is the central processing and control point for all human behavior?

  Central Nervous System