Concepts
The irreducible epistemic atoms underlying the curriculum. 4,828 atoms across 8 types
Temporal proximity between behavior and reward determines…
Temporal proximity between behavior and reward determines the strength of associative learning.
Physical proximity and visibility of objects…
Physical proximity and visibility of objects in an environment determine the likelihood of interacting with those objects independent of conscious intention.
A more probable behavior can reinforce a less probable…
A more probable behavior can reinforce a less probable behavior when access to the former is made contingent on performing the latter.
Specifying when, where, and how a behavior will occur…
Specifying when, where, and how a behavior will occur in advance increases the probability of execution.
Neural pathways that encode habits persist even after…
Neural pathways that encode habits persist even after the behavior stops — habits cannot be deleted, only suppressed or replaced.
Behaviors spread through social networks following network…
Behaviors spread through social networks following network topology up to three degrees of separation.
Wanting and liking are neurologically distinct systems…
Wanting and liking are neurologically distinct systems mediated by different brain pathways.
The three basic psychological needs are autonomy…
The three basic psychological needs are autonomy, competence, and relatedness, and behavior satisfying these needs is more persistent and satisfying than behavior motivated by external rewards.
Extinction does not erase original learning but creates…
Extinction does not erase original learning but creates competing inhibitory associations that overlay it.
A behavioral sequence in progress tends to continue unless…
A behavioral sequence in progress tends to continue unless disrupted, with resistance to disruption proportional to reinforcement history.
The completion of one action can serve as a discriminative…
The completion of one action can serve as a discriminative stimulus (cue) for the next action in a sequence.
Chain reliability is multiplicative — the probability…
Chain reliability is multiplicative — the probability that all links fire equals the product of each link's individual reliability.
Default options determine behavior more reliably…
Default options determine behavior more reliably than information or motivation when individuals take no deliberate action.
Under acute stress, the prefrontal cortex degrades…
Under acute stress, the prefrontal cortex degrades in function while subcortical systems remain operational.
Organisms perceive environments not as abstract physical…
Organisms perceive environments not as abstract physical properties but as action possibilities (affordances).
There is no neutral way to present choices - every…
There is no neutral way to present choices - every arrangement of options influences what people choose.
Emotional suppression increases physiological stress…
Emotional suppression increases physiological stress and impairs memory while failing to reduce internal emotional experience.
Between every event and every emotional response…
Between every event and every emotional response is a cognitive appraisal that interprets what the event means.
Naming an emotion reduces its intensity through increased…
Naming an emotion reduces its intensity through increased prefrontal cortex activation.
There exists a window of approximately 200 milliseconds…
There exists a window of approximately 200 milliseconds between conscious awareness of an initiated action and the point of no return for that action.
Behaviors that produce satisfying consequences tend…
Behaviors that produce satisfying consequences tend to be repeated.
When reinforcement is first withdrawn, behavior temporarily…
When reinforcement is first withdrawn, behavior temporarily increases before declining.
Attempting to suppress an unwanted thought increases…
Attempting to suppress an unwanted thought increases its subsequent frequency through ironic monitoring processes.
Self-efficacy — belief in one's capacity to execute…
Self-efficacy — belief in one's capacity to execute a behavior — is built through acknowledged mastery experiences rather than abstract encouragement.