learning theory, behavior, CBT & Memory/Forgetting

Question 1

PAVLOV

Answer 1

Classical Conditioning

1. Unconditioned Stimulus (US): stimulus (meat) that naturally elicits a response (salivation).
2. Unconditioned Response (UR): salivation

• Conditioned Stimulus (CS): neutral stimulus (tone).
• Conditioned Response (CR): salivation from CS.

Unlearned/Innate S-R Connection is US to UR

Learned S-R Connection is CS to CR

Temporal Relationship between CS (bell) and US (meat)

1. order and timing of the presentation of the CS and US are important
2. delay conditioning is the most efficient procedure for establishing a conditioned response:
   
   1. presenting the CS so that it precedes an d overlaps presentation of the US.
   2. optimal is .5 second delay between CS and US.
3. Trace Conditioning: presenting and terminating the CS prior to presenting the US. Produces a weaker CR than delay conditioning.
4. Simultaneous conditioning: even less effective, presents and withdraw the CS and US at the same time.
5. Backard Conditioning: Presents the US prior to the CS. Does not work.
6. All others are forward conditioning types: classical conditioning occurs when presentation of the US seems to depend on presentation of the CS!

Number of Conditioning Trials:

• greater number of conditioning trials, the stronger and more persistent the CR
• However, the CR is always weaker in intensity or magnitude than the UR (fake is never as good as real).

Pre-Exposure to the CS or US:

1. repeated exposure to the US or the CS before the CS and US are pairded slows down acquisition of the CR (familiarity breeds contempt).

Question 2

Classical Extinction

Spontaneous Recovery

Answer 2

1. Once a CS-CR (bell-spit) connection has been make, if the CS is repeatedly presented w/o the US, the CS-CR connection eventually decays.
2. Classical Extinction: gradual disappearance of a conditioned response as the result of repeated presentation of the CS alone.
   
   1. Bell and no meat = BAD (must have periodic ‘refresher trials’ to stregthen connections.
3. After Extinction: Fewer trials are needed to re-establish a CS-CR relationship, then to establish it.
4. Spontaneous Recovery: weak CR still present with the CS alone and relative ease to reestablish the CS-CR relationship indicates a suppression rather than elimination by extinction.
   
   1. learning is merely inhibited, not lost!

Question 3

Stimulus Generalization

Answer 3

Following classical conditioning, an experimental subject often has stimulus generalization:

1. responds with a CR not only to the CS but also to stimuli that are similar to the CS.
2. different tones=salivate, but strongest to the most familiar one.
3. can also generalize across sense modality
   
   1. Galvanic Skin Response (GSR) to sound, also to picture of bell or word ‘bell’!

Question 4

Stimulus Discrimination

Experimental Neurosis

Answer 4

Stimulus Discrimination:

1. Opposite of stimulus generalization: ability to discriminate between the CS and similar stimuli and respond ONLY to the CS with a CR.
2. discrimination training: selective reinforcement and extinction. Thus only providing the US paired with the CS and not with close proximities of the CS.

Experimental Neurosis:

• with very difficult discriminations.
• Training to discriminate between circle and elipses…when too similar the dog would become agitated, angry, restless.
• unusual behavior due to a conflict between cortical excitation and inhibition.

Question 5

Higher-Order Conditioning

Answer 5

Higher Order Conditioning:

Present another CS just before an established CS.

They salivate with bell, flash light just before Bell, take away bell and the flash of light alone gives CR.

how conditioned responses are acquired in absence of an unconditioned stimulus (no meat, just light).

Question 6

**Blocking **

Overshadowing

Answer 6

BLOCKING (opposite of higher order conditioning)

1. (Kamin) once an association between CS=US is made, the CS blocks an association between a second neutral stimulus.
2. tone-shock=>flinch
3. tone=>flinch
4. tone-light-shock….light -X- flinch
5. tone already predicts the shock, the light provides redundant information so the association between light and shock is not made.

OVERSHADOWING

• two neutral stimuli are repeatedly presented together prior to the US (not one CS and then another, but both learned together as a single event).
• subsequently, presentation of the two stimuli together produces a CR, but not when presented separately (only one produces the CR).
• tone/light-shock=>flinch
• tone/light=>flinch
• light or tone => flinch (only one of the two has been established as the most salient stimulus to create the US.
  
  • it was always the tone!

Question 7

Watson

Answer 7

1. study of sbservable, measurable behaviors, not introspection
2. father of american behaviorism
3. all learning result of classical conditioning
4. Little Albert: loud noise (US) elicited startle reflex UR in infant.
   
   1. conditioning trials of white rate (CS) with noise (US), then just white rate gave the CR/UR startle
   2. great deal of stimulus generalization, fear not only to rat ebut other furry objects.