Origins and Learning Theories - Key Terms

What is introspection?

• Observing others in a lab setting

• A form of unconscious mental processing

• The process of examining one’s own thoughts and feelings

• A behavioural technique to reinforce learning

What is psychology?

• The study of non-human behaviour

• The science of physical health and treatment

• The study of the mind and behaviour

• The practice of therapy and counselling

What makes psychology a science?

• It uses common sense to explain behaviour

• It relies on subjective opinions

• It uses systematic and objective methods of observation

• It does not use hypotheses

What is the behaviourist approach?

• An approach focusing on cognitive processes

• The study of how mental illness affects behaviour

• A theory that all behaviour is learned from the environment

• The study of unconscious motives

What is classical conditioning?

• Learning by imitation

• Learning by reinforcement and punishment

• Learning through association

• Learning by watching others

What is operant conditioning?

• Learning through unconscious motives

• Learning by association

• Learning through rewards and punishments

• Learning from role models

What is reinforcement?

• A punishment to stop behaviour

• A consequence that increases the likelihood of behaviour

• A stimulus presented before behaviour

• A form of imitation

What is positive reinforcement?

• Removing an unpleasant stimulus

• Receiving a reward to encourage behaviour

• Adding punishment to reduce behaviour

• Associating one stimulus with another

What is negative reinforcement?

• Giving a reward to increase behaviour

• Observing the consequences of others’ behaviour

• Removing something unpleasant to increase behaviour

• Associating two stimuli

What is punishment (in operant conditioning)?

• A reward given to increase behaviour

• Observing others being punished

• Any consequence that reduces the likelihood of a behaviour

• Removing an unpleasant stimulus