Chapter 6 Flashcards
Habituation
The process whereby someone responds less strongly over time to a given stimulus represents of the simplest forms of learning, which is Habituation.
Stimulus
any event or object in the environment to which a organism responds
Classical Conditioning
form of learning in which animals come to respond to a previously neutral stimulus that had been paired with another stimulus that elicits an automatic response
Neutral Stimulus
No real reaction, usually since it’s a caused from something of past knowledge.
Unconditioned Stimulus (UCS)
(UCS) Stimulus that elicits an automatic response without prior conditioning
It’s unlearned behaviour
What kind of stimulus is flinching your eye to an oncoming ball to your face
UCS
Unconditioned Response (UCR)
(UCR) Automatic response to a nonneutral stimulus that does not need to be learned
The reflexive response to an unconditioned stimulus
UCR
Conditioned Response (CR)
(CR) A response previously associated with a nonneutral stimulus that is elicited by a neutral stimulus through conditioning
A response that is elicited by the conditioned stimulus
CR
Conditioned Stimulus (CS)
(CS) Initially neutral stimulus that comes to elicit a response due to association with an unconditioned stimulus
An initially neutral stimulus that comes to elicit a conditioned response after being paired with an unconditioned stimulus
CS
Two important components in classical conditioning and brief explanations
Timing of Events:
Must be short delay between the NS and rhe US for conditioning to occur
Sequence of Events:
The NS must be presented before th US for conditioning to occur
Three Phases of Classical Conditioning
Acquisition
Extinction
Spontaneous Recovery
Acquisition
Learning phase during which a conditioned response is established
Acquisition is the repeated pairing of UCS and CS, increasing the CR’s Strength
Backward conditioning
Which the UCS is presented before the CS—is extremely difficult to achieve
We see that as the CS and UCS pair over and over, the CR increases progressively in strength. The steepness of this curve varies depending how close together in time the CS and UCS are presented
The closer in time the pairing of CS and UCS, the faster learning occurs.
About a half second delay is typically the optimal pairing for learning. Longer delays usually decrease the speed and strength of organism’s response
Acquisition
Extinction
Elimination of a response that occurs when the CS is repeatedly presented without being followed by the US
Gradual reduction and eventual elimination of the conditioned response after the conditioned stimulus is presented repeatedly without the unconditioned stimulus
Extinction
Spontaneous Recovery
Sudden re-emergence of an extinct conditioned response after a delay following an extinction procedure
Renewal Effect
The reappearance of a conditioned response that had previously been extinguished in a novel setting.
A phenomenon in which a seemingly extinct CR reappears (Often in somewhat weaker form)
Spontaneous Recovery
Stimulus Generalization
Process in which conditioned stimuli that are similar, but not identical, to the original conditioned stimulus elicit a conditioned response
Stimulus Discrimination
the ability to distinguish between one stimulus and similar stimuli