Tute2Blocking&Superconditioning

Question 1

What is an Excitatory conditioned stimulus?

Answer 1

A stimulus that predicts the unconditioned stimulus

Question 2

What is an inhibitory conditioned stimulus?

Answer 2

A stimulus that predicts the absence of the unconditioned stimulus

Question 3

Describe Blocking

Answer 3

Nothing is learnt about a novel CS that is paired with an excitatory stimulus (i.e. which is already very predictive of the US)

Question 4

Describe Superconditioning

Answer 4

Learning is faster if a novel stimulus is trained together with an inhibitory stimulus (i.e. which is very predictive of the absence of the US)

Question 5

What is the point of presenting novel stimuli which we know nothing about & can’t predict the presence or absence of the US?

Answer 5

They serve as controls to contrast with other novel stimuli which we have learnt something about

Question 6

How is blocking different from CS pre-exposure (latent inhibition)?

Answer 6

Blocking refers to impaired learning of a second CS, due to pairing with an original excitatory CS. Latent inhibition refers to impaired learning of a first CS, due to pre-exposure before CS-US pairing

Question 7

Name 4 experimental factors that might affect the speed of acquisition of a conditioned response

Answer 7

Temporal relationship between CS & US (larger intervals = slower acquisition); Intensity/salience of CS (less intensity = slower acquisition); Whether the CS was previously inhibitory (learning would be slower); Whether the CS had previously been extinguished (previous extinction = slower acquisition)