Exam 2 Prep Flashcards
What is Classical Conditioning (also known as respondent and Pavlovian conditioning)
The process where new stimuli paired with unconditioned responses, followed by reward, gain the power to elicit respondent behavior
OR: Is a type of associative learning- the animal makes an association between the neutral stimulus and the unconditioned stimulus
OR: Associate an involuntary response and a stimulus
Who was Ivan Pavlov
A Russian scientist interested in studying salivation reflex
Unconditioned Stimulus
elicits a natural response
(The presentation of meat powder is the unconditioned stimulus that elicits unconditioned response)
Unconditioned Response
a natural/untrained reaction
(The act of salivation is the unconditioned response. It is the natural reaction to the unconditioned stimulus)
Neutral Stimulus
has no context prior to conditioning. No response from the animal is proof of the neutral stimulus. (The first sound of the whistle is the neutral stimulus. No response).
What is conditioning/association
the act of pairing the unconditioned stimulus to the neutral stimulus
(pairing the presentation of meat powder with the sound of the whistle)
Conditioned Stimulus
when the neutral stimulus receives the same response as the unconditioned stimulus
( when the sound of the whistle elicits the response of saliva)
Conditioned Response
the unconditioned response that is now triggered by the conditioned stimulus
(Salivation is now triggered by the sound of a whistle)
Is classical conditioning active or passive
Passive because the animal is not consciously having to act
Stimulus
Any measurable event, whether internal or external that may have an effect on behavior
Response
An identifiable unit of behavior that can be muscular movement or glandular action
Behavior
the way an animal acts- all responses, muscular or glandular of an organism. It is an observable or measurable response or act.
Form and Frequency of the behavior
What the behavior physically looks like and how often the form of the behavior is being performed by the animal
Voluntary behavior
those which are consciously controlled by the animal’s brain. Includes operant behavior
Involuntary behavior
an immediate, unlearned, mechanical response to a stimulus. Includes innate behavior and reflexive behavior
Innate
A class of behaviors that are inborn and rely on the particular animal’s genetic predispositions and hereditary traits
Reflex
rapid muscular response made automatically by an organism to some appropriate stimulus. Reflexive behaviors are often precursors to aggression.
Before Conditioning:
Unconditioned stimulus (meat powder) elicits Unconditioned response (salivation). Neutral stimulus (whistle) elicits no response
During Conditioning:
Unconditioned response (Whistle is paired with presentation of meat power which elicits salivation)
After Conditioning:
Conditioned stimulus (now the whistle) elicits Conditioned response (salivation)
Novel stimulus
new stimulus (new thing that is introduced)
Orientating reflex
An organisms immediate response to a change in its environment when that change is not sudden enough to elicit the startle reflex
Extinction
After conditioning, present conditioned stimulus (whistle) without unconditioned stimulus (meat powder). This weakens the response
OR: Previously reinforced behavior fades out when it is no longer reinforced
Spontaneous recovery
Return of conditioned response (salivation at sound of whistle) after extinction without additional conditioning. Indicates that the response is just inhibited during extinction. Reflex represents a pathway in the nervous system. Conditioning creates another pathway.
True or false: Intermittent stimuli is better than continuous stimuli
True
How long is optimal for an inter-trial interval
20-30 seconds.
True or False: More repetitions results in greater resistance to extinction
True
Appetitive conditioning
Desirable unconditioned stimulus
Defense conditioning
Aversive unconditioned stimulus
What factors affect conditioning
Stimulus characteristics
Any stimulus can become a conditioned stimulus if it is not too long
Appetitive and defense conditioning
Neutral stimulus appearing alone slows learning (latent inhibition)
Secondary preconditioning
Secondary preconditioning
2 neutral stimulus’ paired without the unconditioned stimulus, then one paired with the unconditioned stimulus for conditioning. Result: Other neutral stimulus can be conditioned faster
Stimulus generalization
Response to stimuli similar to conditioned stimulus- the response is weaker to more different stimuli (bird whistle elicits the same response as to the normal whistle)
Stimulus discrimination
Animal first generalizes then becomes more discriminating
Can use to test sensory ability of animal
Modifying conditioned behavior
Extinction
Counter-conditioning
Pair the conditioned stimulus with a stimulus that elicits a response that is incompatible with the unwanted unconditioned response
- Pair the conditioned stimulus at low intensity with the unconditioned stimulus. Gradually increase intensity of conditioned stimulus
Operant Conditioning/ also called instrumental conditioning
Associate a voluntary behavior and a consequence