Theories & Applications of Associative Learning

Question 1

Where did the basis for Rescorla-wagner model come from?

Answer 1

Kamin’s work on blocking

Question 2

Discuss a blocking experiment

Answer 2

two groups - blocking & control group

• blocking group has pre training of noise>shock
• control doesn’t
• they both have conditioning of noise+light>shock

Question 3

According to the contiguity analysis what should we expect in the blocking experiment & why?

Answer 3

should expect strong conditioning to the light in both groups, bc the light was repeatedly & contiguously paired with the shock

Question 4

What did the blocking experiment find?

Answer 4

a strong CR to the light occurs in the control group but no CR is observed in the blocking group

Question 5

According to Kamin.. for conditioning to occur the US must be….?

Answer 5

unexpected or surprising

Question 6

what was the difference between Kamin & Rescorla/Wagner’s theory on unexpected/surprised conditioningg

Answer 6

whilst Kamin said that surprise determines whether conditioning occurs, Rescorla/Wagner extended this and said that surprise also determines how much conditioning occurs

Question 7

What does the symbol v stand for

Answer 7

how strong the association between the CS and the US are

Question 8

What is Vmax

Answer 8

asymptote - association becomes progressively smaller until V reaches a stable value

Question 9

What does triangle(delta)V represent?

Answer 9

the change in associative strength on each trial

Question 10

What does the difference between V and Vmax provide us with

Answer 10

an index of surprise

Question 11

As V increase over trials and approaches Vmax, is the occurrence of a US less or more surprising?

Answer 11

less

Question 12

The learning curve shape is uniform but what can vary?

Answer 12

the asymptotic level of conditioning & the speed of conditioning

Question 13

What does the symbol c stand for

Answer 13

accounts for variations in speed & conditioning

Question 14

what is a parameter

Answer 14

a constant in the equation - c & Vmax

Question 15

For extinction, what is the asymptotic value?

Answer 15

zero

Question 16

For acquisition, what is the asymptotic value?

Answer 16

1

Question 17

How is extinction viewed according to the model?

Answer 17

As a reversal of the process of acquisition, this is wrong

Question 18

What did Rescorla & Wagner assume would happen if two conditioned stimuli were presented together? Did they think subject take both into account in estimating the likelihood of the US or not?

Answer 18

they thought the subject would take both into account

Question 19

What is latent inhibition (or CS preexposure) effect?

Answer 19

pre-exposure of a stimulus retards the subsequent development of a CR to that stimulus.. an unfamiliar (novel) stimulus is more readily conditioned that a familiar stimulus

Question 20

What is an explanation to latent inhibition?

Answer 20

when a stimulus is repeatedly presented we learn to ignore it, it is not predictive of relevant consequences

Question 21

Latent inhibition is reduced in…

Answer 21

1. schizophrenics

2. in response to amphetamine treatment among healthy volunteers or rats

Question 22

According to the model, pre-exposure to a stimulus should have no effect or have an effect on conditioning?

Answer 22

have no effect

Question 23

Why don’t phobias disappear on their own?

Answer 23

• person might avoid the phobia - without exposure to CS, extinction can’t occur
• self-sustaining nature of phobias e.g. crowds=fear

Question 24

Discuss the systematic desensitisation for phobias

Answer 24

patient is exposed to the phobic object in a gradual way so that fear/discomfort are kept to a minimum

Question 25

What is a limitation of systematic desensitisation

Answer 25

the feared object or situation is imagined rather than experienced directly