Glossary

behavior modification	A formalized technique for promoting the frequency of desirable behaviors and decreasing the incidence of unwanted ones



classical conditioning	A type of learning in which a neutral stimulus comes to bring about a response after it is paired with a stimulus that naturally brings about that response



cognitive map	A mental representation of spatial locations and directions



cognitive-social learning theory	The study of the thought processes that underlie learning



conditioned response (CR)	A response that, after conditioning, follows a previously neutral stimulus (e.g., salivation at the ringing of a bell)



conditioned stimulus (CS)	A once-neutral stimulus that has been paired with an unconditioned stimulus to bring about a response formerly caused only by the unconditioned stimulus



continuous reinforcement schedule	Reinforcement of behavior every time it occurscontinuous_reinforcement (120.0K)



extinction	The decrease in frequency, and eventual disappearance, of a previously conditioned response; one of the basic phenomena of learningextinction (197.0K)



fixed-interval schedule	A schedule that provides reinforcement for a response only if a fixed time period has elapsed, making overall rates of response relatively low



fixed-ratio schedule	A schedule whereby reinforcement is given only after a certain number of responses are made



latent learning	Learning in which a new behavior is acquired but is not demonstrated until reinforcement is provided



learning	A relatively permanent change in behavior brought about by experience



negative reinforcer	An unpleasant stimulus whose removal leads to an increase in the probability that a preceding response will occur again in the future



neutral stimulus	A stimulus that, before conditioning, does not naturally bring about the response of interest



observational learning	Learning through observing the behavior of another person called a model



operant conditioning	Learning in which a voluntary response is strengthened or weakened, depending on its favorable or unfavorable consequencesoperant_conditioning (183.0K)



partial reinforcement schedule	Reinforcement of behavior some but not all of the timepartial_reinforcement (120.0K)



positive reinforcer	A stimulus added to the environment that brings about an increase in a preceding responsepositive_reinforcer (149.0K)



punishment	A stimulus that decreases the probability that a previous behavior will occur again



reinforcement	The process by which a stimulus increases the probability that a preceding behavior will be repeated



reinforcer	Any stimulus that increases the probability that a preceding behavior will occur again



schedules of reinforcement	The frequency and timing of reinforcement following desired behavior



shaping	The process of teaching a complex behavior by rewarding closer and closer approximations to the desired behavior



spontaneous recovery	The re-emergence of an extinguished conditioned response after a period of rest



stimulus discrimination	The ability to differentiate between stimuli



stimulus generalization	A response to a stimulus that is similar to but different from a conditioned stimulus; the more similar the two stimuli, the more likely generalization is to occur



unconditioned response (UCR)	A response that is natural and needs no training (e.g., salivation at the smell of food)



unconditioned stimulus (UCS)	A stimulus that brings about a response without having been learned



variable-interval schedule	A schedule whereby the time between reinforcements varies around some average rather than being fixed



variable-ratio schedule	A schedule whereby reinforcement occurs after a varying number of responses rather than after a fixed number

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