a stimulus
that does not initially elicit any
part of the unconditioned
response

an event that elicits a
certain predictable response
typically without previous training

an organism’s auto-
matic (or natural) reaction to
a stimulus

a once-neutral event that
elicits a given response after
a period of training in which
it has been paired with an
unconditioned stimulus

the learned reaction to a
conditioned stimulus

responding
similarly to a range of similar
stimuli

the ability to
respond differently to similar
but distinct stimuli

the gradual dis-
appearance of a conditioned
response when the conditioned
stimulus is repeatedly pre-
sented without the uncondi-
tioned stimulus

learning in which a certain
action is reinforced or pun-
ished, resulting in correspond-
ing increases or decreases in
occurrence

stimulus or
event that follows a response
and increases the likelihood
that the response will be
repeated

stimulus that is naturally rewarding,
such as food or water

stimulus such as money that
becomes rewarding through its
link with a primary reinforcer

a pattern of reinforcement in
which a specific number of
correct responses is required
before reinforcement can be
obtained

a pattern of reinforcement in
which an unpredictable number
of responses are required
before reinforcement can be
obtained

a pattern of reinforcement in
which a specific amount of time
must elapse before a response
will elicit reinforcement

a pattern of reinforcement in which changing
amounts of time must elapse
before a response will obtain
reinforcement

technique in which the desired behavior is “molded” by first rewarding any act similar to that
behavior and then requiring ever-closer approximations to
the desired behavior before giving the reward

learned reactions that follow one
another in sequence, each reaction producing the signal
for the next

process of
influencing behavior by means
of unpleasant stimuli

ncreasing the strength of a
given response by removing or
preventing a painful stimulus
when the response occurs

training of an organism to remove
or terminate an unpleasant
stimulus

training of an organism to
withdraw from or prevent an
unpleasant stimulus before
it starts

process of altering behavior by observing
and imitating the behavior of others

form of altering behavior that involves mental processes and may
result from observation or imitation

a mental picture of spatial relationships or
relationships between events

alteration of
a behavioral tendency that is
not demonstrated by an immediate, observable change in
behavior

condition in which repeated
attempts to control a situation
fail, resulting in the belief that
the situation is uncontrollable

learning by imitating others; copying behavior

Systematic application of learning principles to change people’s actions and feelings

conditioning in which desirable behavior
is reinforced with valueless
objects, which can be accumulated and exchanged for valued
rewards