Psycho Vocab #5

Front

Operant conditioning

Back

A type of learning in which a behavior becomes more likely to recur if followed by a reinforcer or less likely to recur if followed by a punisher.

Front

Law of Effect

Back

Behaviors followed by favorable consequences become more likely, and behaviors followed by unfavorable consequences become less likely.

Front

Reinforcement

Back

Any event that strengthens a preceding response. Examples include praise, attention, money, food, and water. Not every reinforcer works for everyone.

Front

Primary reinforcer

Back

Innately reinforcing stimuli such as those that satisfy a biological need (e.g., food, pain relief).

Front

Secondary reinforcer

Back

Stimuli that gain their reinforcing power through their learned association with a primary reinforcer (e.g., money, good grades, a pleasant tone of voice).

Front

Shaping

Back

An operant conditioning procedure in which reinforcement guides behavior toward closer and closer approximations of the desired behavior.

Front

Positive reinforcement

Back

Any stimulus that, when presented (added) after a response, strengthens the response (good things are added).

Front

Negative reinforcement

Back

Any stimulus that, when removed (subtracted) after a response, strengthens the response (bad things are removed).

Front

Punishment

Back

An event that tends to decrease the behavior that follows. It adds an aversive stimulus or removes a pleasant stimulus.

Front

Continuous reinforcement

Back

Learning occurs rapidly, so it's the best choice for learning a behavior. Reinforcing the desired response every time it occurs.