A fixed interval schedule of reinforcement rewards behaviors after set periods of time. The interval of time between rewards is “fixed” and does not change, unlike other types of partial reinforcements like fixed variable schedules. Strictly speaking, after the interval has elapsed, the very next occurrence of the goal behavior is rewarded. However, in practice, […]
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Acquisition refers to the initial stage of learning when a behavior is first being acquired. The term is used in both classical and operant conditioning. In classical conditioning, a stimulus that naturally triggers a response (e.g., food that makes a dog salivate), is presented along with a second stimulus that is neutral (e.g., the sound
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Escape learning is when a person or animal learns to terminate an aversive stimulus by engaging in a specific behavior. Escape learning can range from an individual simply leaving a noisy room to evade the sound, to children engaging in disruptive classroom behavior to escape instruction. Escape Learning Definition and Origins Escape learning was originally
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Secondary appraisal refers to the analysis of one’s available resources to overcome a potentially stressful situation. The analysis will either conclude that sufficient resources do, or do not exist. It is a term contrasted to primary appraisal, referring to the evaluation of the harm or benefit to be gained from a situation: If a person’s
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Primary appraisal is the immediate process of interpreting the meaning of an event or situation. The interpretation will lead to one of three conclusions. Either the event is interpreted as a threat, an opportunity, or as irrelevant. The term primary appraisal is used in stress research to help explain how individuals make decisions regarding how
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Shadowing in psychology is a method to study a person’s attention skills. It provides insight into a participant’s selective attention, divided attention, intentional blindness, auditory processing speed, and working memory. It involves exposing a participant to several several stimuli simultaneously in order to track and measure their ability to pay attention to one stimulus and
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Intellectual development refers to the complex process through which humans acquire the ability to manipulate and use knowledge, think, reason, and communicate about their experiences in their world. Generally, the focus of intellectual development in on childhood, because this is the period of life in which intellectual development is most rapid. Child developmental theories analyze
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Collective memory refers to the shared memories and experiences that help define a group or community’s identity. By maintaining group connections with stories and myths about their past, groups can continue to evolve without losing sight of where they came from. One prime example of this phenomenon is seen in war memories. Stories about national
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Hostile attribution bias refers to a cognitive bias where individuals interpret behaviors from others through a negative lens without valid evidence that the person had negative intent. In other words, a person with a hostile attribution bias instinctively believes that others are acting with harmful intentions, even in objectively neutral or ambiguous cases. For example,
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The subjective norm is one of three key factors that are said to predict peoples behaviors within the theory of planned behavior (the other two are: personal attitudes and perceived behavioral control). Subjective norm is a social psychological concept that refers to the perceived social pressure to engage or not engage in a particular behavior.
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