Conditioning and Learning Flashcards
Classical conditioning
-Learning by association
-A ‘neutral’ stimulus can elicit a conditioned response by being paired with an unconditioned stimulus
(neutral stimulus becomes a conditioned stimulus)
-Learn the relationship between events
-Introduce predictability
5 stages of learning – Classical conditioning
1) Acquisition – pairing
2) Reinforcement
3) Extinction – removal of the unconditioned stimulus
4) Spontaneous recovery – neutral stimulus elicits conditioned response
5) Generalisation (objects/events similar to conditioned stimulus will elicit same conditioned response)
Clinical use of Classical Conditioning
1) Taste aversion learning
- Cancer patients often develop an aversion for food eaten prior to a chemotherapy session
2) Conditioned fatigue
- Breast cancer patients develop conditioned fatigue responses to clinical cues due to repeated pairing of chemotherapy and clinical environment
3) General desensitization
- Graded exposure (for phobias)
Operant Conditioning
- Learning by consequences
- Consequences can be either:
1) Punishment – decrease likelihood of behaviour occurring again
2) Reinforcement – increase likelihood of behaviour occurring again
*Negative reinforcer –> termination of aversive stimuli following response
Punishment –> response following aversive stimuli
Reinforcement schedules:
1) Ratios – reinforced after a certain no. of responses given
2) Intervals – reinforced after a certain time interval
(Both can be either fixed or variable)
Reinforcement types
Primary reinforcers:
-Linked to biological needs and survival
E.g. food, shelter, etc.
Secondary reinforcers
-Items that are reinforced by association with other reinforcers
E.g. money, etc.
Application of Operant Conditioning
1) Avoidance learning
2) Learnt helplessness
Clinical uses of Operant Conditioning
1) Illness associated with attention
2) Cognitive therapy for depression and Behaviour modification programme
