Chapter 5 Flashcards
unconditioned stimulus (UCS)
in classical conditioning, a naturally occurring stimulus that leads to an involuntary and unlearned response.
classical conditioning
Associate an involuntary response and a stimulus
Unconditioned response (UCR)
naturally occuring response to unconditioned stimulus
conditioned stimulus (CS)
A
neutral stimulus+ unconditioned stimulus
originally neutral but developed ability to elicit response by association with UCS
systematic desensitization
Behavior technique used to treat phobias, in which a client is asked to make a list of ordered fears and taught to relax while concentrating on those fears
Anxiety hierarchy:
list of anxiety-producing situations that involve the CS, from least anxiety-producing (1st) to most anxiety-producing (last) o Patient is told to think about 1st situation and is given command to relax o Once person can relax while thinking about the situation, they go onto the 2nd situation and continue until the list is done
Counterconditioning:
CS gradually loses its aversiveness by pairing with positive
UCS and by no longer being paired with negative UCS
Can eliminate maladaptive reactions
Desensitized:
through pairing of negative CS (i.e. anxiety-arousing thought) w/positive UCS (command to relax), negative state loses its aversiveness
Occurs when list is complete
Experimental neurosis:
result of increasingly difficult discrimination, which began to interfere w/behaviour when dog could no longer discriminate
The dog couldn’t solve a problem, and got aggressive
Extinction:
continued presentation of CS without UCS results in CS no longer eliciting response
Interoceptive conditioning by Razran:
classical conditioning where CS, UCS or both are applied directly to internal organs or mucosa
there are 3 types
Intero-exteroceptive conditioning:
CS = internal and UCS = external
Cool water (CS) in female dog’s uterus was paired w/presentation of food, which elicited salivation as UCR. Conclusion: cool water elicited salivation (CR)
Intero-interoceptive conditioning:
CS and UCS = internal.
Intestinal distension loops served as CS, which was paired w/delivery of carbon dioxide to the lungs (UCS), which is defensive breathing
Result: intestinal distention got ability to produce defensive breathing
Extero-interoceptive conditioning:
CS = external and UCS = internal
Dials connected to balloons connected to uterus served as CS, which was paired w/internal UCS of bladder distention (causes need to urinate)
Result: dial readings elicited internal response of urge to urinate, even though balloon inflation was absent
Implications of Interoceptive Conditioning for our understanding of behavior
- We are usually unaware of it
- Cannot be avoided
3.More permanent (resistant to conditioning) than usual classical conditioning
4.Important implications for psychosomatic medicine
Prepared associations:
events that can be easily and quickly associated
Prepared hypothesis:
Seligman said different species evolve diff preparedness b/c of selective pressures of evolution; it exists on continuum:
1. Prepared associations: events that can be easily and quickly associated
2.Contraprepared associations: associations that cannot be learned
3.Unprepared associations: can be learned, but many experiences w/the events are needed for association to be formed
Biological constraints:
on what can be learned as some animals are predisposed to learn some associations more readily than others
Contraprepared associations:
associations that cannot be learned
Unprepared associations:
can be learned, but many experiences w/the events are needed for association to be formed
Instrumental/operant conditioning
motives are acquired through reinforcement of appropriate responses
Leads to acquisition and/or strengthening of behaviours, which are motivated by the consequences of those behaviours
The law of effect:
strengthening of connection between response and stimulus in environment
Reinforcement:
strengthens response itself, making its occurrence more probable (vs. strengthening connection between stimulus and response)
Amount of reinforcement (AOR) effect:
positive correlation between amount of reinforcement and performance (more intense behaviour)
Quality of reinforcement effect (QOR):
positive correlation between quality of reinforcement and performance (more intense behaviour)
Contrast:
occurs when amount or quality of reinforcement is altered within experiment
- Negative contrast: when all groups were switched to medium amount of reinforcement: group previously receiving large amount performed worse than control group (received same amount all along)
- Positive contrast: group previously receiving small amount performed better than control group
History of reinforcement:
differing histories of reinforcement that groups experienced influenced responding on current conditions of reinforcement (as seen in positive and negative contrast)
Latent learning:
learning in absence of reinforcement
Reinforcer:
increases chance of response that it follows
Primary/unlearned reinforcer:
increase chance due to their nature (i.e. sex, food)
Secondary /conditioned reinforcer:
control responding b/c they have been associated w/primary reinforcer in the past
Generalized conditioned reinforcer
Gains its reinforcing properties from the several primary reinforcements with which it has been paired.
its pairing w/many primary reinforcers causes it to gain reinforcer properties: strengthens or maintains behaviour for long time even without presence of PF i.e. money
Token:
serves as reminder for other reinforcers it will buy i.e. money
