Chapter 6 : Learning (1)

Question 1

The principles that explain learned
responses in animals explain much of human learning, too. True or false?

Answer 1

True

Question 2

What is conditioning?

Answer 2

Conditioning involves learning connections between events that
occur in an organism’s environment

Question 3

Define phobias.

Answer 3

Phobias are irrational fears of specific objects or situations.

Question 4

What kind of learning results in phobias?

Answer 4

If you have a phobia, you may
have wondered how you managed to acquire such a foolish fear. Chances are, it was through classical conditioning

Question 5

Define classical conditioning. Who first described it and what was it originally called?

Answer 5

Classical conditioning is a type of learning in which a stimulus acquires the capacity to evoke a response that was
originally evoked by another stimulus.

The process was first described by Ivan Pavlov, and it was originally called Pavlovian conditioning.

Question 6

Which scientist stumbled upon psychic reflexes?

Answer 6

Ivan pavlov when he was working on digestion.

Question 7

What was so significant about a dog salivating when a tone was presented?

Answer 7

The key is that the tone started out as a neutral stimulus. That is, it did not originally produce the response of salivation.

Question 8

What was the basic building blocks of the entire learning process?

Answer 8

Learned associations.

Question 9

Define unconditioned stimulus.

Answer 9

unconditioned stimulus (UCS) is a stimulus that evokes an unconditioned response without previous conditioning.

ex: dog salivating from the meat powder. The meat powder.

Question 10

Define unconditioned response.

Answer 10

The unconditioned response (UCR) is an
unlearned reaction to an unconditioned stimulus that occurs without previous conditioning.

ex: dog salivating (a biological reflex)

Question 11

Define conditioned stimulus.

Answer 11

The conditioned stimulus (CS) is a previously neutral stimulus that has, through conditioning, acquired the capacity to evoke a conditioned response.

ex: the bell

Question 12

Define conditioned response.

Answer 12

The conditioned response (CR) is a learned reaction to a conditioned stimulus that occurs because of previous conditioning.

ex: salivating when the bell rings

Question 13

What is Pavlov’s psychic reflex considered as?

Answer 13

Pavlov’s “psychic reflex” came to be called the conditioned reflex

Question 14

Define a trial.

Answer 14

A trial in classical conditioning consists of any presentation of a stimulus or pair of stimuli.

Question 15

Classical conditioning affects only overt behaviours. True or false?

Answer 15

Classical conditioning affects not only overt behaviours but physiological responses too.

Question 16

Give an example of how physiological responses are evoked or inhibited from classical conditioning.

Answer 16

Animals are injected with a drug (the UCS) that chemically causes immune suppression, while they are simultaneously given an unusual-tasting liquid to drink (the CS). Days later, after the chemically induced immune suppression has ended, some of the animals are re-exposed to the CS by giving them the unusual-tasting solution.

Measurements of antibody production indicate that animals exposed to the CS show a reduced immune response.

Question 17

Classical conditioning may contribute to many heroin overdoses. True or false?

Answer 17

True.

Question 18

Define evaluative conditioning.

Answer 18

Evaluative conditioning involves the acquisition of likes and dislikes, or
preferences, through classical conditioning.

ex: funny cartoons paired with two types of energy drinks increased participants’ liking of the drinks.

Question 19

Define acquistion. What does it depend on?

Answer 19

Acquisition refers to the initial stage of learning something.The CS and the US are repeatedly paired together and behavior increases.(bell& meat powder)

Pavlov theorized that the acquisition of a conditioned response depends on stimulus contiguity.(ocurring together)

Question 20

Define extinction. What leads to extinction?

Answer 20

Extinction, the gradual weakening and disappearance of a conditioned response tendency.

The consistent presentation of the conditioned stimulus alone, without the unconditioned stimulus.

ex: if bell is presented alone without meat powder.