Prep Guide
Chapter 5: Learning
Define learning in your own words.
Define classical conditioning in your own words.
Briefly describe Pavlov’s experiment on classical conditioning.
Describe each of the five elements of classical conditioning (unconditioned stimulus,
unconditioned response, neutral stimulus, conditioned stimulus and conditioned response)
in your own words.
Provide your own example of a time when you learned through classical conditioning and
identify how each of the five elements applied in your example.
Describe what happened in Watson’s experiment with Little Albert.
Define the terms extinction, spontaneous recovery, stimulus generalization, and stimulus
discrimination and provide your own example to help you understand these concepts (it
might be helpful to apply this to your example above of the five elements of classical
conditioning).
Define operant conditioning in your own words.
How is operant conditioning similar to and different from classical conditioning (Figure
5.4 will help you answer this question)?
What does contingency mean in operant conditioning?
Define the concept of reinforcement in your own words.
What is positive reinforcement? Provide your own example of a time when you have
been positively reinforced.
What is negative reinforcement? Provide your own example of a time when you have
been negatively reinforced.
Define the concept of punishment in your own words.
What is positive punishment? Provide your own example of a time when you have been
positively punished.
What is negative punishment? Provide your own example of a time when you have been
negatively punished.
Why is reinforcement preferred over punishment?
What are schedules of reinforcement and why are they used?
Differentiate between a continuous reinforcement schedule and a partial (intermittent)
reinforcement schedule.
Provide an example of when someone might use continuous reinforcement over a partial
reinforcement schedule.
Why do partial reinforcement schedules maintain behaviour longer than continuous
reinforcement schedules do?
Summarize the four schedules of reinforcement and provide your own example to help
you remember each of them.
What is stimulus control training?
Define shaping and briefly explain why this is a useful teaching tool.
What is behaviour modification and when is it useful?
In your own words, explain the cognitive learning theory.
What is latent learning?
In your own words, explain observational learning.
Briefly summarize Albert Bandura’s Bobo doll experiment.
Does watching violent television cause aggressive behaviour? Support your answer.
Now it’s time to apply your knowledge! Go to McGraw-Hill ConnectTM at
www.mcgrawhillconnect.com.
Check to see if your instructor has assigned any homework or posted any quizzes or tests,
and then click on the LearnSmartTM study modules and complete the study module for
Chapter 5.
Open the eBook and view the video associated with this chapter (Learning and the
Brain).
Remember, you can highlight or add notes to your eBook (see the links at the top of your
eBook) and they will automatically be saved to your “my notebook” for further study.
Want more practice with the content of this chapter? Go to http://highered.mcgrawhill.com/sites/0071056742/student_view0/chapter5/ and test your knowledge using the
flash cards, complete the crossword puzzle, and then see how you do on the pop quiz!