Learningš ā¢ Classical Conditioning Flashcards
What is classical conditioning?
Classical conditioning is a learning process which builds up an association between two stimuli, commonly, through repeated pairings
Explain the process of Classical Conditioning
What was the name of the researcher who first observed classical conditioning?
Pavlov, 1927
List the 5 main pieces of terminology required to explain an instance of classical conditioning
- Unconditoned Stimulus (UCS)
- Unconditioned Response (UCR)
- Neutral Stimulus (NS)
- Conditioned Stimulus (CS)
- Conditioned Response (CR)
What is the Unconditioned Simulus (UCS)?
Anything that naturally has teh power to produce a response in a human or animal; a stimulus that causes a reflex response before conditioning. It is called the UCS because it has not been conditioned, it is a stimulus that naturally triggers a response
What is the Unconditioned Response (UCR)?
A natural reflex response to an unconditioned stimulus; the innate and reflexive response to a stimulus that has not been conditioned to exist, it just exists naturally
What is the Neutral Stimulus (NS)?
Something in the environment which does not initially cause a response; a simulus which does not produce an Unconditioned response or any response as a result of conditioning/ in general. It is called the Neutral Stimulus as prior to conditioning, it warrants no sort of response, it is entirelty neutral
What is the Conditioned Simulus (CR)?
The simulus which, after pairings with the unconditioned stimulus, now produces a specific response in a human or animal
What is the Conditioned Response (CS)?
A learnt response to something that doesnt naturally have to power to produce a response in a human or animal; the reflexive response that occurs after exposure to the conditioned stimulus
After conditioning, what does the Neutral stimulus become + Why?
The Conditioned Stimulus
The neutral stimulus becomes the conditioned stimulus when it aquires the ability to produce a specific response in a human or animal
After conditioning, what does the Unconditoned Response become?
The Conditioned Response
What is extinction in terms of classical conditioning?
(+EXAMPLE)
When the Conditoned response declines and disappears because the Conditioned stimulus is repeatedly presented without the Uncondtioned response
e.g. When a bell is rung repeatedly without the addition of food, the salivation response will eventually disappear (due to the animal realising that the food is not directly associated with the bell any longer and therefore starting to disasocaite the two, hence the removal of the response which initally was for the food)
What is spontaneous recovery?
When the conditoned response reappears in a weakened form in response to the conditioned stimulus after not doing so for a while or previously beeing thought to have been extinguished
What is generalisation in terms of classical conditioning?
When stimuli similar to the conditioned stimulus produces the conditioned response; when the individual generalises / āexpandsā the conditioning to similar stimuli
e.g. the dog will produce the response (salivate) due to other stimuli that are similar to the bell it was conditioned with, such as a door bell
What is discrimination in terms of classical conditioning?
The conditioned response is only produced in response to the conditioned stimulus and not similar stimuli.
e.g. the dog will only produce the salivate in response to the specific bell it has been conditioned with
What is one-trail learning?
An association is made & conditioning solidifed after just one instance of pairing of the Neutral Stimulus and the Unconditioned Stimulus
What is Higher order conditioning?
Pairing another neutral stimulus with the original neutral stimulus e.g. pairing a new neutral stimulus but using the conditioned stimulus as if it were an unconditioned stimulus
What is Behaviourism?
(+ CRITICISM)
The ideology that everything humans and animals do is learned, that we are all born as a blank slate
CRITICISM = REDUCTIONIST, INGORES GENETICS AND BIOLOGICAL KNOWLEDGE
What is Thorndikeās Law of Effect?
That any behaviour that is followed by pleasant consequences is likely to be repeated, and any behaviour followed by unpleasant consequences is likely to be stopped
What is the main criticism of Classical Conditioning?
That it is reductionist and blatantly ignores all biological evidence and knowledge, it infers that everything is learned and refuses to acknowledge the biological argument and genetics as an additional explanation.
