respondent conditioning Flashcards
What is learning in psychology?
In psychology, learning is defined as a relatively permanent change in behavior that occurs as a result of experience. It is the process through which we acquire new behaviors or modify existing ones in response to environmental stimuli.
What is learning in neuroscience?
In neuroscience, learning is the brain’s response to environmental events and experiences. It involves adaptive changes in synaptic connectivity, which then alter behavior. These changes are the basis of neuroplasticity, where the brain physically adapts based on new experiences.
what is not considered learning
Not considered learning are innate responses such as reflexes, taxes, and instincts. These are genetically programmed behaviors that occur without prior experience or modification.
what are reflexes
Reflexes are simple, automatic, and innate responses to specific stimuli. These typically involve a single set of muscles and include actions like the patellar reflex (knee-jerk) or the eye-blink reflex, which occur automatically without conscious thought.
what are taxes
Taxes are innate responses involving the whole body, typically oriented toward or away from certain environmental stimuli. For example, positive phototaxis in moths or sea turtles involves moving towards light, whereas negative phototaxis involves moving away from it.
What are instincts (fixed action patterns)?
Instincts, or fixed action patterns, are complex behaviors that are genetically programmed and occur in a sequence. An example is food begging in herring gull chicks, where chicks instinctively beg for food in response to specific visual cues from their parents.
What is the limitation of innate responses?
The limitation of innate responses is that they are fixed and triggered by specific stimuli. The behavior does not change within an individual’s lifetime and has little to no opportunity for modification through trial and error learning.
why do we learn?
We learn to adapt our behaviors based on environmental interactions. Learning enables us to adjust our responses to stimuli and situations, facilitating survival, problem-solving, and social interaction.
What is non-associative learning?
Non-associative learning involves changes in the response to a stimulus without associating it with any other stimulus or event. It includes processes such as habituation, where repeated exposure to a stimulus results in a decreased response.
What is associative learning?
Associative learning is the process by which we learn to associate one stimulus with another or an action with a consequence. It includes two types: classical (respondent) conditioning and operant (instrumental) conditioning.
What is habituation?
Habituation is a form of non-associative learning where a response to a repeated stimulus becomes weaker or suppressed over time. It is commonly studied in animals like snails and can help us understand the synaptic basis of learning, as shown in Eric Kandel’s research.
Who is credited with the development of classical conditioning?
Ivan Pavlov
What is classical conditioning?
Classical conditioning (or Pavlovian conditioning) is a form of associative learning where a neutral stimulus (Conditioned Stimulus, CS) becomes associated with an unconditioned stimulus (UCS) to produce a conditioned response (CR). For example, a bell (CS) paired with food (UCS) causes salivation (CR).
What is the unconditioned stimulus (UCS)?
The UCS is a stimulus that naturally and automatically triggers a response without any prior learning. For example, food is an unconditioned stimulus because it naturally causes salivation in dogs, or a loud noise that triggers a startle reflex.
What is the unconditioned response (UCR)?
The UCR is the automatic, innate response to an unconditioned stimulus. For example, salivation in response to food or the startle response to a loud noise.
What is the conditioned stimulus (CS)?
The CS is initially a neutral stimulus that, through repeated pairing with an unconditioned stimulus, comes to trigger a conditioned response. For example, the sound of a bell (CS) after it has been paired with food (UCS) will eventually cause salivation.
What is the conditioned response (CR)?
The CR is the learned response to the conditioned stimulus. It is similar to the unconditioned response, but it occurs due to the association between the CS and UCS. For example, salivation in response to the sound of a bell after conditioning.
What is acquisition in classical conditioning?
Acquisition is the process of learning the association between the conditioned stimulus (CS) and unconditioned stimulus (UCS). This occurs when the CS is consistently paired with the UCS, leading to the conditioned response (CR).
What is extinction in classical conditioning?
Extinction occurs when the conditioned stimulus (CS) is no longer paired with the unconditioned stimulus (UCS), resulting in a gradual weakening and eventual disappearance of the conditioned response (CR).
What is spontaneous recovery?
Spontaneous recovery is the reappearance of a conditioned response (CR) after a rest period following extinction, without any further reinforcement of the conditioned stimulus (CS).
What is reacquisition in classical conditioning?
Reacquisition is the rapid learning of a conditioned response (CR) when the conditioned stimulus (CS) is once again paired with the unconditioned stimulus (UCS) after extinction has occurred. This process happens more quickly than initial acquisition.
What is generalization in classical conditioning?
Generalization occurs when a conditioned response (CR) is triggered by stimuli that are similar to the original conditioned stimulus (CS). For example, a dog conditioned to salivate to a bell may also salivate to a similar sound, like a chime.
What is discrimination in classical conditioning?
Discrimination is the process by which an organism learns to differentiate between the conditioned stimulus (CS) that is reinforced and other stimuli that are not associated with reinforcement. For example, a dog may salivate to the sound of a specific bell but not to a different tone.
What did John B. Watson and Rosalie Rayner’s experiment with “Little Albert” show?
In 1921, Watson and Rayner demonstrated that emotional responses such as fear could be conditioned in humans. In their experiment, they conditioned an 11-month-old infant named Albert to fear a white rat by repeatedly pairing it with a loud, frightening noise.
What is the neuronal circuitry of conditioned fear?
The neuronal circuitry of conditioned fear involves several brain regions, including the lateral amygdala (LA), central nucleus of the amygdala (CE), and structures like the hypothalamus. These areas process sensory input and trigger fear responses when the conditioned stimulus (CS) is presented.
What was Pavlov’s cortical model of learning and memory?
Pavlov hypothesized that when a conditioned stimulus (CS) is paired with an unconditioned stimulus (UCS), the cortical areas activated by the CS become physically connected with those activated by the UCS. This forms a psychological connection that underlies learning and memory.
