Chapter 3 Flashcards
What are two other names for respondent conditioning?
Pavlovian conditioning or classical conditioning
What are respondent behaviours? Give three examples
Behaviours elicited by prior stimuli and are not affected by their consequences
Examples: salivating when smelling dinner cooking, feeling frightened when watching a scary movie, and blushing when told that your fly or blouse is undone
State the principle of respondent conditioning. Clearly diagram an example of respondent conditioning that is not in the text
The principles of respondent conditioning states that if a neutral stimulus is followed closely in time by an unconditioned stimulus that elicits an unconditioned response, then the previous neutral stimulus will also tend to elicit the response of the unconditioned stimulus
Example: Neutral stimulus (room) is followed by (an exam) that elicits UR (nervousness) then the NS (room) will also tend to elicit nervousness
Define and give an example of the following: unconditioned stimulus, unconditioned response, conditioned stimulus, and conditioned response
Unconditioned stimulus - a stimulus that elicits a response without prior learning or conditioning
Example: ice cream
Unconditioned response - a response elicited by an unconditioned stimulus
Example: happiness and excitement
Conditioned stimulus - a stimulus that elicits a response because that stimulus has been paired with another stimulus that elicits that response.
Example: music from an ice cream truck
Conditioned response - a response elicited by a conditioned stimulus
Example: happiness and excitement
Briefly, in a sentence each, describe five variables that influence the development of a conditioned reflex
First the greater the number of pairings of a CS with a US, the greater is the ability of the CS to elicit the CR
Second, stronger conditioning occurs if the CS precedes the US by about half a second rather than by a longer period of time or rather than following the US
Third, a CS acquires greater ability to elicit a CR if the CS is always paired with the US than if it is only occasionally paired with the US
Fourth, when several neutral stimuli precede a US, the stimulus that is most consistently associated with the US is the one most likely to become a strong CS
Fifth, respondent conditioning will develop more quickly and strongly when the CS or US or both are intense rather than weak
Diagram an example of higher-ordered conditioning
First, warnings were paired with painful stimuli; second, being in high places were paired with warning. Result: being in a high place now elicits a response (fear) similar to that elicited by painful stimuli
We are able to avoid tastes that would cause danger to us
What is biological preparedness? Give an example
The predisposition of members of a species to be more readily conditioned to some neutral stimuli as CSs than to others
Example: humans will quickly learn fears to stimuli such as snakes and insects, that pose a threat to our survival than to stimuli, such as pictures of flowers, that were non-threatening in our distant ancestors’ history
Define respondent stimulus generalization, and give an example
Respondent stimulus generalization - occurs when an organism have been conditioned so that a particular CS elicits a CR, and then a similar stimulus elicits that CR
Example: a person has a fear of clowns and the sight of their makeup becomes a CS causing fear. The person then meets a lady who has a heavy face of makeup on. The heavy makeup reminds the person of a clown which causes them to stiffen up
Define respondent stimulus discrimination, and give an example
Respondent stimulus discrimination - a stimulus functions as a CS to elicit a CR because that stimulus has been paired with a US that elicits that CR, but a similar stimulus does not function as a CS for that CR because the second stimulus has been paired with extinction
Example: a wild dog may elicit fear in a child but the sight of a pet dog does not
What is aversion therapy? Give an example
Aversion therapy - process of pairing something unpleasant (such as nausea) with an undesirable behaviour (such as alcohol drinking for someone with alcoholism) with the goal of decreasing an undesirable behaviour
What is operant behaviour? Give an example.
Operant behaviour - behaviour that affects or “operates on” the environment to produce consequences, and which is, in turn, influenced by those consequences
Examples: putting gas in your car, asking for directions, writing an example, turning on a computer, and making breakfast
What is operant conditioning? Give an example
Operant conditioning - a type of learning in which behaviour is modified by its consequences
Examples: through operant conditioning, we have learned to turn on a water tap to produce water, and not to touch a hot stove because of the pain following past instances of doing so
