Classical Conditioning Flashcards
Briefly describe a classical conditioning study.
Ivan Pavlov studied learning by association and used naturally occurring reflexes in animal.
PAVLOV’S DOGS
What is classical conditioning?
It is learning by a process of association between a stimulus and response.
What is the unconditioned stimulus?
The stimulus that naturally brings about the response. Eg food.
What is the conditioned stimulus?
The stimulus we learn to respond to. Eg bell
What is a response?
The behaviour that is produced as a result of a stimulus. Eg salivation
What is the unconditioned response?
The response that happens by reflex.
What is the conditioned response?
The response that happens by reflex.
What is the conditioned response?
The response that comes about as a result of the conditioned stimulus.
What is a neutral stimulus?
A stimulus which doesn’t bring about a response normally, but becomes the conditional stimulus after being paired with the unconditional stimulus. Eg bell.
What experiment was set up by John B. Watson?
Little Albert.
What was the aim of the little Albert study?
To show that emotional reactions could be classically conditioned in people.
How did Watson conduct the Little Albert experiment?
He showed Albert a rat, in which he had no fear. The next time the rat was shown, he made a loud noise, so the child began to cry. After repeatedly pairing the rat with the loud noise, Albert began to cry after seeing the rat.
Extinction:
If the bell is repeatedly sounded without the food, salivation slowly disappears.
Stimulus generalisation:
The conditioned stimulus (bell) could be changed in tone and volume and still elicit the conditioned response of salivation.
Stimulus discrimination:
A point is reached when the sound of the bell is so different that the conditioned response doesn’t happen.
Spontaneous recovery:
If the conditioned response has been extinguished, then at a later time the dog would sometimes salivate to the sound of the bell.
What is operant conditioning?
Where behaviour becomes more or less likely as a result of its consequences.
Reinforcement:
More likely to be repeated on similar occasions in the future.
Punished:
Less likely to be repeated in the future and may be extinguished entirely.
How is operant conditioning different to classical conditioning?
Operant conditioning works with all types of responses. Not just reflex responses but those under voluntary control.
What is The Skinner Box?
A hungry rat has to learn to press a lever to obtain a reward of food. The rat has to learn the operation. Only if rat presses lever= reward.
The rat has to operate on its environment to gain reinforcement. If the rat is reinforced every time, the behaviour of lever pressing is learned.
Positive reinforcement:
The giving of a reward. It increases the likelihood that the behaviour will be repeated in the future.
Primary reinforces:
Rewards that are neutral. Eg food
Secondary reinforces:
Something which is not a reward in its self, a neutral stimulus that has squired reinforcing properties. Eg money
