Chapter 3 - Elicited Behaviours and Classical Conditioning

Question 1

What is habituation?

Answer 1

A decrease in the strength of an elicited behaviour following repeated presentations of the eliciting stimulus.

Question 2

What is sensitisation?

Answer 2

An increase in the strength of an elicited behaviour following repeated presentations of the eliciting stimulus.

Question 3

What can fixed action patterns also be called?

Answer 3

modal action patterns

Question 4

What is long term habituation?

Answer 4

A type of habituation in which the behaviour decreases in strength slowly and also recovers slowly.

Question 5

What is short term habituation?

Answer 5

A type of habituation in which the response quickly decreases but also quickly recovers.

Question 6

What is the suppression ratio?

Answer 6

A figure which represents the amount of observed fear. It is the number of responses during the (fear-inducing) CS condition divided by.. that same number added to the number of responses during the pre-CS period.
A smaller ratio tells us that the organism responds less during the fear condition and therefore is being more suppressed.

Question 7

What is the inter stimulus interval (ISI)

Answer 7

The time between the onset of the neutral stimulus and the onset of the unconditioned stimulus.

Question 8

What is the optimal ISI for conditioning autonomic responses (e.g. salivation) ?

Answer 8

A few seconds.

Question 9

What does ISI stand for?

Answer 9

Inter stimulus interval

Question 10

What is the optimal ISI for conditioning skeletal responses?

Answer 10

Half a second

Question 11

What is the function of the NS when conditioning works well?

Answer 11

Serves as a predictor for the US.

Question 12

What is appetitive conditioning?

Answer 12

Conditioning in which the US is an event or stimulus that the organism seeks out

Question 13

What is aversive conditioning?

Answer 13

Conditioning in which the US is an event or stimulus that the organism avoids.

Question 14

What is backwards conditioning?

Answer 14

Type of conditioning that involves the presentation of the NS after the presentation of the US.

Question 15

What is classical conditioning?

Answer 15

A process in which one stimulus that does not elicit a certain response is associated with a second stimulus that does, leading to the certain response being elicited by the first stimulus.

Question 16

What is the conditioned response (CR)?

Answer 16

The response that is elicited by the conditioned stimulus

Question 17

What is the conditioned stimulus (CS)?

Answer 17

Any stimulus that comes to elicit a response after association with an unconditioned stimulus, despite being neutral originally.

Question 18

What is delayed conditioning?

Answer 18

Conditioning in which the onset of the NS precedes the onset of the US and the two stimuli overlap.

Question 19

What is dishabituation?

Answer 19

The re-appearance of a habituated response to a stimulus following the presentation of another, seemingly irrelevant novel stimulus. (e.g. a couple re-invigorating their relationship by going to a hotel for a few nights.)

Question 20

What are 4 different temporal arrangements of stimuli in classical conditioning?

Answer 20

1. Delayed
2. Trace
3. Simultaneous
4. Backwards

Question 21

What is the most effective temporal arrangement of stimuli in classical conditioning?

Answer 21

Delayed.

Question 22

Which temporal arrangement of stimuli is almost as effective as the most effective arrangement?

Answer 22

Trace conditioning

Question 23

Why is trace conditioning called what it is?

Answer 23

A memory trace is required for the organism to associate the stimuli, as the NS finishes before the onset of the US.

Question 24

What is excitatory conditioning?

Answer 24

Conditioning where the NS is associated with the presence of a US.

Question 25

What is inhibitory conditioning?

Answer 25

Conditioning in which the NS is associated with the absence or removal of a US.

Question 26

What are fixed action patterns?

Answer 26

A fixed sequence of responses elicited by a specific stimulus.

Question 27

What is the flexion response?

Answer 27

The automatic response when one reacts to an aversive stimulus, e.g. moving your hand away from an open flame.

Question 28

What is the opponent process theory?

Answer 28

A theory suggesting that any extreme emotions are automatically counter-balanced by an opposite emotion.

Suggests two processes occur for every emotional event: a primary, ‘A process’ which is directly elicited by the event and an opponent, ‘B’ process that is elicited by the A process and attempts to counter-act it.

Question 29

What is the orienting response?

Answer 29

The automatic positioning of an individual to facilitate attending to a stimulus

Question 30

What is a reflex?

Answer 30

An automated and involuntary response to a stimulus

Question 31

What is a reflex arc?

Answer 31

A neural structure that underlies many reflexes and consists of a sensory, inter and motor neuron.

Question 32

What is a sign stimulus?

Answer 32

A specific stimulus that elicits a fixed action pattern. (same as a releaser)

Question 33

What is a releaser?

Answer 33

A specific stimulus that elicits a fixed action pattern. (same as a sign stimulus)

Question 34

What is simultaneous conditioning?

Answer 34

Conditioning in which the NS occurs at the same time as the US.

Question 35

What is the startle response?

Answer 35

A defensive reaction to a sudden, unexpected stimulus, which involves automatic tightening of skeletal muscles and various hormonal and visceral changes.

Question 36

What is trace conditioning?

Answer 36

Conditioning in which the NS occurs wholly before the US. There is no overlap between stimuli.

Question 37

What is the unconditioned response (UR)?

Answer 37

The response that is naturally elicited by the unconditioned stimulus without any prior learning.

Question 38

What is the unconditioned stimulus (US)?

Answer 38

A stimulus that naturally elicits a response without any prior learning.