Classical Conditioning

Question 1

Classical Conditioning

Answer 1

a learning process that occurs when 2 stimuli are repeatedly paired

Question 2

Classical conditioning explanation for anxiety:

Answer 2

it is produced by exposure to an unconditioned stimulus that naturally elicits anxiety or, perhaps more often, by exposure to a conditioned stimulus that has been paired with an unconditioned stimulus that naturally elicits anxiety

Question 3

Pseudoconditioning:

Answer 3

occurs when a neutral stimulus elicits a response due to the accidental pairing of the stimulus with another stimulus that evokes that response or when repeated exposure to a US increases the likelihood that the individual will respond to a neutral stimulus w/ a response similar to the UR.

Example: Repeated blasts of air to the eye (US) could render a person jumpy enough that they would blink (UR) whenever any sudden stimulus (CS) was presented

Question 4

4 temporal relationships b/w CS and US to explain effectiveness of classical conditioning

Answer 4

delay conditioning
trace conditioning
simultaneous conditioning
backward conditioning

Question 5

Delay conditioning

Answer 5

most efficient procedure for establishing conditioned response

type of forward conditioning; CS precedes and overlaps the US. Most effective interval is 0.5 seconds

Question 6

Trace conditioning:

Answer 6

type of forward conditioning; presenting and terminating the CS prior to the US (less successful than delay conditioning)

Question 7

Simultaneous conditioning:

Answer 7

presenting and withdrawing the CS and US at the same time (even less successful than trace conditioning)

Question 8

Backward conditioning:

Answer 8

presenting the US prior to the CS.

- Does not usually produce conditioned response

Question 9

Number of conditioning trials

Answer 9

• the more trials = stronger and more persistent the CR.

- Regardless of # of trials, the CR is usually weaker than the UR

Question 10

Pre-exposure to the CS or US

Answer 10

Repeated exposure to the US and intended CS before CS and US are paired slows down acquisition of CR

Question 11

Classical extinction:

Answer 11

• The gradual disappearance of conditioned response as the result of repeated presentation of CS alone
• Few trials needed to re-establish CR after extinction

Question 12

Spontaneous recovery

Answer 12

Conditioned response is suppressed rather than eliminated by extinction trials

Question 13

Stimulus Generalization

Answer 13

Individuals responds with CR not only to CS but also to stimuli similar to CS

Question 14

Stimulus discrimination

Answer 14

Ability to discriminate between CS and similar stimuli and respond only to the CS with a CR

Question 15

Experimental Neurosis

Answer 15

Result of individuals difficulty in discriminating between stimuli that are similar

Question 16

Higher-order conditioning

Answer 16

An established CS is consistently presented following a neutral stimulus so that the new neutral stimulus also produces a CR.

**When using higher-order conditioning to establish a conditioned response: “a CS serves as a US”

Question 17

Blocking

Answer 17

An association has been made between a CS and US, and the CS and a second neutral stimulus are then presented together prior to the US. The second neutral stimulus does not produce CR.

** “Present the CS prior to the US; then, once the CR is established, present the original CS simultaneously with a second CS prior to the US.”

Question 18

Overshadowing

Answer 18

2 neutral stimuli are repeatedly presented together prior to the US. Presentation of the two stimuli together produce a CR, but when presented separately only one produces the CR.

Question 19

Interventions based on Classical Conditioning

Answer 19

Counterconditioning
Aversive Counterconditioning
Classical Extinction

Question 20

Interventions Based on Counterconditioning

Answer 20

Systematic Desensitization (Wolpe)
Behavioral Sex Therapy (Masters and Johnson)

Question 21

Systematic Desensitization

Answer 21

Wolpe

Eliminate anxiety responses

Question 22

4 stages of Systematic Desensitization

Answer 22

1. Relaxation Training
2. Construction of an anxiety hierarchy
3. Desensitization in Imagination
4. In Vivo Desensitization

Question 23

Dismantling Strategy

Answer 23

1. Strategy comparing the effects of various components of a tx by administering different components to different groups, thus identifying the mechanism responsible for benefits
2. Extinction, or repeated exposure to the CS without the US, is the primary factor responsible for effects of systematic desensitization (bell w/o dog food)

Question 24

Behavioral Sex Therapy

Answer 24

Masters and Johnson

• Sensate focus: pairing situations that evoke performance anxiety with pleasurable physical sensations and relaxation.
• Most effective for treating premature ejaculation and Genito-Pelvic Pain/Penetration Disorder

Question 25

Aversive Counterconditioning

Answer 25

the maladaptive bx or stimulus associated with it (CS) is paired with a US that naturally evokes pain or other unpleasant response

Question 26

Interventions Based on Aversive Counterconditioning

Answer 26

In Vivo Aversion Therapy (Overt sensitization)

Covert Sensitization

Question 27

In Vivo Aversion Therapy (Overt sensitization)

Answer 27

• Most effective: substance use disorders, paraphilias, self-injurious bxs
• The target bx is paired with aversive stimulus (i.e. cigarette smoking with noxious odor)
• Moderately effective for some patients/problems (mostly cigarette smoking)
• High relapse rates and limited generalizability

Question 28

Covert Sensitization

Answer 28

• Individual imagines engaging in maladaptive bx and then imagines (rather than actually confront) an aversive stimulus
• To help establish alternative bxs, the client can envision a relief scene, in which the target bx is accompanied by pleasant sensations

Question 29

Classical Extinction

Answer 29

the gradual disappearance of a conditioned response as the result of repeated presentation of the CS alone

Question 30

Interventions Based on Classical Extinction

Answer 30

In Vivo with Response Prevention
Implosive Therapy
EMDR

Question 31

Two-factor theory of learning:

Answer 31

Development of phobic disorder is the result of both classical and operant conditioning:

• A person dev’s anxiety reaction to a CS when it’s paired with a US that naturally elicits anxiety or other aversive response (classical conditioning).
• The person then avoids the CS because doing so enables avoidance of anxiety (negative reinforcement)

Question 32

In Vivo with Response Prevention

Answer 32

Exposure to real life anxiety arousing stimuli for prolonged period and is prohibited from making usual avoidance bxs or anxiety-reducing response

• Use for: PTSD, OCD, anxiety, agoraphobia
• Flooding: exposure to the most anxiety provoking stimuli for prolonged period
• Graded (gradual) exposure
• Interoceptive Exposure: strategies used to evoke feared bodily cues that are associated with fear and anxiety reactions

Question 33

Implosive Therapy

Answer 33

• Conducted in imagination and involves presenting feared stimulus vividly enough that it arouses high anxiety
• Involves having the client repeatedly imagine a feared stimulus (CS) in the absence of the stimulus (US) that initially evoked the fear in order to eliminate the conditioned fear response
• Belief that avoidance bxs are learned in childhood and represent conflicts related to sexual/aggressive impulses. Embellishes these with psychodynamic (snake and sexual symbolism of snake)

Question 34

EMDR

Answer 34

• Based on assumption that exposure to trauma can block neurophysiological adaptive information-processing mechanism
• Rapid lateral eye movement with exposure and other techniques
• Eye movements are unnecessary and EMDR may be viewed as imaginal exposure technique.