Classical Conditioning

Question 1

Classical conditioning

Answer 1

A neutral stimulus produces a response after being paired with a stimulus that naturally produces a response. A passive process that does not take into account when organisms engage in instrumental behavior

Question 2

Unconditioned stimulus (US)

Answer 2

something that reliably produces a naturally occurring reaction in an organism

Question 3

Unconditioned response (UR)

Answer 3

a reflexive reaction that is reliably produced by an unconditioned stimulus

Question 4

Conditioned stimulus (CS)

Answer 4

a stimulus that is initially neutral and produces no reliable response in an organism

Question 5

Conditioned response (CR)

Answer 5

a reaction that resembles an unconditioned response but is produced by a conditioned stimulus

Question 6

Acquisition

Answer 6

The phase of classical conditioning when the CS and the US are presented together - gradual increase in learning occurs

Question 7

Second-order conditioning

Answer 7

conditioning where the stimulus that functions as the US is actually the CS from an earlier procedure in which it acquired its ability to produce learning.

Question 8

Extinction

Answer 8

the gradual elimination of a learned response that occurs when the US is no longer presented

Question 9

Spontaneous recovery

Answer 9

the tendency of a learned behavior to recover from extinction after a rest period

Question 10

Generalization

Answer 10

the CR is observed even though the CS is slightly different from the original one used during acquisition.

Question 11

Discrimination

Answer 11

the capacity to distinguish between similar but distinct stimuli

Question 12

Presenting drug addicts with cues associated with drug ingestion leads to what?

Answer 12

Cravings + withdrawal symptoms

Question 13

Drug tolerance and setting

Answer 13

Setting functions as the CS, and the brain works to counteract effects (CR) prior to use of the drug
The CR (as a protective function) in new locations either is reduced or does not occur at all. Can lead to overdose

Question 14

Fear conditioning

Answer 14

Organisms learn to predict aversive events. An aversive stimulus is paired with a neutral context or neutral stimulus - results in fear response to neutral stimulus

Question 15

Phobia

Answer 15

an acquired fear that is out of proportion to the real threat

Question 16

Behavior therapy

Answer 16

therapy that applies learning principles to the elimination of unwanted behaviors

Question 17

Counterconditioning

Answer 17

Procedure that conditions new responses to stimuli that trigger unwanted behaviors. Includes systematic desensitization and aversive conditioning

Question 18

Systematic Desensitization

Answer 18

Associates a pleasant, relaxed state with gradually increasing anxiety-triggering stimuli. Commonly used to treat phobias

Question 19

Exposure therapy

Answer 19

Treat anxieties by exposing people (in imagination or reality) to the things they fear and avoid

Question 20

Which parts of the brain are implicated in trace and delay conditioning?

Answer 20

Cerebellum is critical for both delay and trace conditioning. Hippocampus is important for trace conditioning but not delay conditioning.

Question 21

Which part of the brain is implicated in fear conditioning?

Answer 21

Amygdala

Question 22

How can “freezing” be conditioned in rats?

Answer 22

“Freezing” can be conditioned in rats through pairing a tone and shock. Amygdala – midbrain connection produces freezing, amygdala - hypothalamus connection produces autonomic response.

Question 23

Taste aversion

Answer 23

CS is the food, US is the bacterium and nausea is the UR. The CR becomes aversion to that food. Only requires one acquisition trial and aversion generalizes to taste or smell rather than ingestion. Occurs more often with novel foods than familiar ones

Question 24

Biological preparedness

Answer 24

a propensity for learning particular kinds of associations over others

Question 25

Aversive conditioning

Answer 25

Type of counterconditioning that associates an unpleasant state with an unwanted behavior (e.g. nausea and alcohol)

Question 26

Delay conditioning

Answer 26

CS (tone) is followed immediately by the US (puff of air).
Increased overlap over time
Conditioning occurs after a few trials

Question 27

Trace conditioning

Answer 27

involves an interval of time from when the tone ends to when the puff of air is delivered.

Question 28

Is awareness of the relationship between the CS and US necessary for conditioning?

Answer 28

Delay conditioning does not require awareness but trace conditioning does. Informing participants in advance about the relationship between the tone and puff increased trace conditioning but not delay conditioning

Question 29

What kind of conditioning do amnesiacs show?

Answer 29

intact delay conditioning but no trace conditioning

Question 30

What kind of conditioning do individuals in a vegetative state/anesthesized state show?

Answer 30

Vegetative patients show trace conditioning while patients who have been anesthetized do not.