Cognition: Classical Conditioning Flashcards
Classical Conditioning (simple definition)
Learning through association between two stimuli.
Classical Conditioning (detailed definition)
A learning situation in which an unconditioned stimulus (UCS) that naturally evokes a specific automatic unconditioned response (UCR), is paired over a series of trials with a neutral stimulus (NS) that does not usually produce this response
Procedure
- Before conditioning
- Acquisition Stage: contiguous approach
- After conditioning
Before Conditioning
The UCS causes UCR, but the NS causes no response
Acquisition Stage
Repeated pairings form an association between an unconditioned stimulus and a neutral stimulus. A contiguous approach must be used.
Contiguous Approach
UCS and NS must occur close to each other in time and space to become associated
After Conditioning
The NS is now a conditioned stimulus (CS) and when presented alone will elicit conditioned response (CR)
Steps of Acquisition
- UCS —> UCR
- NS —> no response
- UCS + NS —> UCR
- CS —> CR
Pavlov’s Experiment
- UCS (food) —> UCR (salivation)
- NS (bell) —> no response
- NS (bell) + UCS (food) —> UCR (salivation)
- CS (bell) —> UCR (salivation)
Factors Influencing whether conditioning can occur
- UCR must be an involuntary response over which individual cannot control
- UCS should be stimulus that evokes response with no requisite learning
- Contiguous approach to pairing of UCS and NS
- Pairing needs to be repeated
Elements of Classical Conditioning
- Stimulus discrimination
- Stimulus generalisation
- Extinction
- Spontaneous recovery
Stimulus discrimination
The ability to perceive the difference between stimuli
Stimulus Generalisation
Stimuli similar in nature will elicit the same response (e.g. Little Albert)
Extinction
Termination of CR if it is not enforced and the UCS is removed, causing the association to be broken. The CS eventually fails to elicit CR.
Spontaneous Recovery
Reappearance of CR after extinction when presented with CS
Watson’s Experiment
- UCS (hammer hits metal bar) —> UCR (crying)
- NS (rat) —> no response
- NS (rat) + UCS (hammer) —> UCR (crying)
- CS (rat) —> CR (crying)
Little Albert’s Generalisation
- It was found that Little Albert developed phobias of objects that shared characteristics with the rat
- He was shown a white dog, a Father Christmas mask and a woollen coat
Ethical Issues with Watson
- psychological or physiological harm
- parental consent (coerced)
- withdrawal rights
- No debriefing of parent
- No desensitisation occurred
- Published results without permission or anonymity
Strengths of Classical Conditioning
- use of experimental method
- provides strong counter argument for nurture in nature/nurture debate
- Many practical applications
Limitations of Classical Conditioning
- belief that behaviourists ignore innate bias in learning
- animals used in experiments cannot be generalised to humans
- behaviourism ignored important mental processes in learning
Everyday Application: Car Commercial
- Cialdini (2008)
- Men who viewed a car commercial with an attractive model later rated the car better than those who saw the same commercial without the model
