Classical Conditioning

Question 1

Behavioral Theory of Learning

Answer 1

Emphasis is on learning
Everything we know and are is a result of experience
There is no human nature
All about what we can observe
Anti-mentalistic
Discount internal states—no introspection, thought, cognition
Focus is on observable behavior, outwardly displayed behavior
No differences across species
All creatures are the same
We can do exp on rats, etc. and parlay directly to human
We can describe human learning by studying animals

Question 2

Three Approaches of Learning

Answer 2

Habituation
Classical Conditioning
Operant Conditioning (next session)

Question 3

Habituation

Answer 3

Most basic form of learning, simplest
Decreased tendency to respond to stimuli due to repeated exposure
Adaptive purposes
Helps identify new stimuli
domestic violence, addiction

Question 4

Classical Conditioning (signal learning)

Answer 4

Learning is all about associations between one stimulus and another stimulus

Question 5

Unconditional

Answer 5

Inborn and innate, species-wide, reflexive behaviors, same response by all members of spec
Unconditioned Stimulus  Unconditioned Response

Question 6

Conditional

Answer 6

Learned through association, not going to be same across all species
Conditioned Stimulus  Conditioned Response

Question 7

Watson’s Conditioning

Answer 7

Humans are born with several reflexes
physical, glandular, emotional
Any distinctive stimulus present at the time of a reflexive response can become a CS and will be associated with an UR if paired often enough

Question 8

Emotional Reflexes

Answer 8

fear, rage, and love, startle, disgust

Dr. Love Serves fancy rainbows

Question 9

What can become a Conditioned Stimulus?

Answer 9

Any distinctive stimulus present at the time of a reflexive response can become a CS and will be associated with an UR if paired often enough

Question 10

CC Extinction

Answer 10

Unreinforced trial

Ring the bell without serving food

Question 11

Watson’s Law of Frequency

Answer 11

The more frequently a stimulus and response occur in association with each other, the stronger that S-R habit will become.

Question 12

Watson’s Law of Recency

Answer 12

The response that has most recently occurred after a particular stimulus is the response most likely to be associated with that stimulus

Question 13

Why does conditioning work?

Answer 13

Contiguity—simultaneous or nearly simultaneous occurrence of events
Reinforcement (operant conditioning).

Question 14

Contiguity

Answer 14

Same time and/or place

Question 15

Contingency

Answer 15

Event A depends on occurrence of event B

Question 16

Pairing Methods (Forms of Contiguity)

Answer 16

1. Delayed is best, cs is signal of causation, ends with the us, ties together
2. Trace works well (2nd best) CS start/stop, US start/stop
   Anything more than half a second after cs will not be firmly associated
3. Simultaneous
4. Backward–fear response, unsure if positive responses can be backward conditioned

Question 17

Associative Biases

Answer 17

Some associations are easier to make and result in quicker or more efficient learning—eg pairing with the taste of meat for a vegetarian

Question 18

Reconditioning Savings

Answer 18

Requires fewer trials to get strong, reliable CR

Question 19

Guthrie’s Principle

Answer 19

A stimulus that is followed by a particular response will, upon its recurrence, tend to be followed by the same response again. The S-R connection gains its full strength in one trial.
-Taste Aversion