Classical Conditioning

Question 1

Conditioned Response (CR)

Answer 1

An automatic response established by training (learning) to a once-neutral stimulus - the conditioned stimulus (CS)

Question 2

Conditioned Stimulus (CS)

Answer 2

A previously neutral stimulus that, after becoming associated with the unconditioned stimulus (US), now triggers a conditional response (CR)

Question 3

Conditioning Trials

Answer 3

Trials on which the CS and US are presented together. These trials create an association between the two stimuli. Also known as training trials

Question 4

Contiguity

Answer 4

The extent to which the CS and US occur together in time and space

Question 5

Contingency

Answer 5

A term used to describe the association between the CS and US because the presence of the CS reliably predicts the presence of the US

Question 6

Dishabituation

Answer 6

An increase in responding that follows a change in a previously habituated stimulus

Question 7

Drug Tolerance

Answer 7

The decreased effectiveness of a drug over the course of repeated administration

Question 8

Excitatory Conditioning

Answer 8

When the presence of the CS predicts the presence of the US

Question 9

Extinction

Answer 9

When the CS no longer elicits the CR. Occurs when the CS is repeatedly presented alone

Question 10

Extinction Trials

Answer 10

The CS is repeatedly presented along to extinguish the CS-US association. Not to be confused with test trials, where the CS is presented alone to test weather an association has been learned

Question 11

Habituation

Answer 11

Decrease in behavioral responding to a repeated stimulus

Question 12

Higher-Order Conditioning

Answer 12

A neutral stimulus is paired with a CS to produce the same CR as the CS

Question 13

Homeostasis

Answer 13

Maintaining the body’s internal equilibrium (body’s normal state)

Question 14

Inhibitory Conditioning

Answer 14

The presence of the CS predicts the absence of the US

Question 15

Learning

Answer 15

Mechanisms of behaviour that undergo relatively enduring change based on experience

Question 16

Orienting Response

Answer 16

An automatic shift of attention towards a stimulus

Question 17

Reacquisition

Answer 17

The reintroduction of conditioning trials after extinction has occurred. Reacquisition is faster than acquisition, indicating that some of the original learning is retained following extinction

Question 18

Sensitization

Answer 18

An increase in response to a stimulus as it is repeatedly presented. Often adaptive, because it prompts you to engage in behaviours appropriate to escaping a potentially harmful stimulus

Question 19

Spontaneous Recovery

Answer 19

The re-emergence of a previously extinguished CS after a temporal delay

Question 20

Stimulus Discrimination

Answer 20

An organism’s ability to fine-tune it’s responding such that a CR occurs in response to one CS, but not to other similar stimuli. Typically occurs through discrimination training

Question 21

Stimulus Generalization

Answer 21

The CR is elicited by a new stimulus that is similar to the original CS. The more similar the new stimulus is to the original CS, the greater the response. The strength of the CR follows a generalization gradient

Question 22

Test Trial

Answer 22

A trial where the CS is presented without the US. Used to test weather a CS-US association has been learned. Not to be confused with extinction trials, where the CS is repeatedly presented alone

Question 23

Unconditioned Response (UR)

Answer 23

A biologically determined response that is evoked prior to any learning

Question 24

Unconditioned Stimulus (US)

Answer 24

Any stimulus that evokes a UR