Topic 5: Classical Conditioning Flashcards
Pavlov and his dogs
Physiologist. Dogs salivate BEFORE meat powder is presented. Stimuli = noises from feeding device, presence of handler, bell. Response = salivate.
Pavlov’s idea
Any stimuli that consistently predicts food results in salivation.
Classical conditioning
Previous NS elicits response. S determines response.
Classical conditioning is…
- Involuntary
- Learning through association
- Learning the patterns and associations that are consistent in the environment
- CS predicts US
- Works on the frequency principle
- Temporal nature of association
Classical conditioning pairings
- US –> UR
- NS –> NR
- US + NS –> CR
- US + NS = CS (Frequency principle)
- CS –> CR
Frequency
How often something happens
Frequency principle
The more often two stimulus appear together, the more likely they will come to be associated (eg. US + NS = CS)
Acquisition
Learning of a skill, habit or quality. Creating a CS –> CR relationship.
Learning curve
Y axis = Strength of association, X axis = # of trials. Trial 1 = US not present, trail 2 = US + CS presented once…
Goal of learning curve
After n trials, provide CS alone, and observed how often the response is produced.
The steeper the learning curve…
The faster it takes to acquire CS-CR association
Extinction
Breaking the CS-CR relationship
How does extinction arise?
Repeated trials of providing CS without US… slowly, CR dissapears
