5.12 - Key Terms

Associative learning refers to a type of learning where an organism learns to associate two events or stimuli with each other. This can happen through classical conditioning, where an unconditioned stimulus elicits a response that is learned to be associated with a previously neutral stimulus.

Biofeedback is a technique that teaches individuals to control physiological processes such as heart rate, muscle tension, and blood pressure through feedback. By providing real-time data on these functions, individuals can learn to modify their behavior and improve health outcomes.

A cognitive map is an internal mental layout of one's environment, which helps in navigating and recalling the locations of important places. It allows a person to visualize and understand spatial relationships between various locations.

A conditioned response is the behavior that occurs after the organism learns the association between the conditioned stimulus (CS) and the unconditioned stimulus (US). After repeated pairings of a CS with a US, the CS alone will elicit the same response as the US.

The conditioned stimulus starts as a neutral signal that does not provoke a response. However, after being associated multiple times with an unconditioned stimulus, it gains significance and begins to trigger a conditioned response.

Conditioning is the fundamental process in learning that results from an association being formed between a stimulus and a behavior. The two main types of conditioning are classical and operant conditioning.

Discrimination involves the ability of an organism to distinguish between different stimuli. This means the organism can respond differently to stimuli that are not identical, as a learned response may not apply universally across similar stimuli.

Dyslexia is a specific learning disability that relates to reading, making it difficult for individuals to process the phonological components of language, which can severely impact reading fluency and comprehension.

Extinction happens when a conditioned response is no longer reinforced, leading to a gradual decrease in the behavior. When the conditioned stimulus is presented many times without the unconditioned stimulus, the learned response fades.

In free recall, individuals must retrieve and report information from memory without prompts. This method assesses the ability to retrieve learned information spontaneously, illustrating the organization and storage of memories.

Generalisation occurs when an organism responds to stimuli that are similar to the original conditioned stimulus, often as an automatic response without the need for retraining.

Insight learning represents a moment when a solution to a previously unsolvable problem suddenly becomes clear to the person. This type of learning occurs automatically and can yield immediate results.

Learning disabilities refer to a variety of disorders that impact the ability to read, write, and perform mathematical tasks. These are not indicative of a person's overall intelligence but reflect specific difficulties in processing information.

A mental set represents a predisposition to think about a problem in a particular way. It can influence how a person might solve problems, sometimes limiting creativity or solutions.

Modeling occurs when individuals learn behaviors, norms, or attitudes from observing others, often referred to as social learning. This is a fundamental way humans, especially children, learn.

Negative reinforcement involves the removal of a negative condition to reinforce a behavior, thus increasing the occurrence of that behavior in the future by associating it with relief from discomfort.

Operant conditioning is a learning process by which the consequences of a response influence the likelihood of that response occurring again. This process involves reinforcement, which increases behavior, and punishment, which decreases behavior.

Positive reinforcement involves introducing a positive stimulus after a desired behavior to increase the likelihood of that behavior being repeated in the future.

Punishment is a consequence that reduces the likelihood of a behavior recurring by either adding an unpleasant stimulus (positive punishment) or removing a pleasant stimulus (negative punishment).

Reinforcement can be understood as any event that follows a behavior and increases the chances that the behavior will happen again. It can be positive or negative, depending on whether it adds or removes a stimulus.

In serial learning, individuals are required to learn and recall information in the exact sequence that it was presented. It helps in understanding the organization and sequence of information.

Spontaneous recovery describes the phenomenon where a conditioned response that has been extinguished reappears after some time without retraining. This can illustrate the persistence of learning even after it seems to have faded.

The unconditioned response is a natural reaction to a stimulus that does not require any learning or conditioning. It occurs automatically when the unconditioned stimulus is presented.

An unconditioned stimulus is a stimulus that elicits a response without prior conditioning. This is integral to classical conditioning as it sets the stage for learning associations.

Verbal learning involves learning through language, where words serve as the primary medium for expressing thoughts and concepts. It includes methods for studying how people recall and use language effectively.