Classical conditioning Flashcards
How is it defined?
As learning through assosiation
What does this conditioning assume?
That learning is passive and based on reflexes that all organisms have
Example of a reflex?
blowing in someone’s eye causing them to blink
What is an unconditioned stimulus?
Anything that naturally has the power to produce a response in an organism and so It does not need to be learned
What is an unconditioned response?
A natural reflex response to an unconditioned stimulus which again is not learnt
What is a neutral stimulus?
No natural potential to cause a reflex response before being paired with the unconditioned stimulus
What is a conditioned stimulus?
Stimulus that brings about a response as a result of repeated association with an unconditioned stimulus
What is a conditioned response?
- A response that occurs when the conditioned stimulus is present
- You have to repeatedly pair the neutral stimulus with the unconditioned stimulus to consistently get the desired response
- After a number of pairings the neutral stimulus will cause the response on its own and the response could be referred to as the conditioned response
What is extinction?
When the occurrences of a conditioned response decrease or disappear
-This can happen when the CS is not longer paired with the UCS
What is spontaneous recovery?
After extinction a brief return of the CR could appear in a weakened form which makes reconditioning much easier
Who is Ivan Pavlov?
Man who experimented with dogs where he paired the NS which was a buzzer with food which was the UCS
- The buzzer was played at the same time the food was presented
- Eventually presentation of the buzzer on its own caused the same response as the food and the dogs would salivate which was the CR
How has it been applied to humans to show how certain behaviours are learnt?
Phobias can be explained such as a person may have a phobia of a horse because they once had a frightening experience and now they associate horses with the frightening experience
What is generalisation?
such as the learner generalising the response from the buzzer to the bell and showing the CR to both
What is discrimination?
When the learner only shows the CR to one particular stimulus such as responding to the bell not the buzzer
