Unit 4: Classical Conditioning

Question 1

What is association?

Answer 1

Association is a learned connection between two (or more) objects or events - especially significant in classical conditioning

Question 2

What is aversion therapy?

Answer 2

Aversion therapy is a form of treatment using classical conditioning to cause an undesired behaviour to create an unwanted response, thereby reducing the incidence of the behaviour

Question 3

What is classical conditioning?

Answer 3

Classical conditioning is a reflective response elicited by precisely neutral stimulus through repeated association

Question 4

What is extinction?

Answer 4

Extinction is when a response no longer occurs. In classical conditioning, extinction occurs when the conditioned stimulus is presented several times after the unconditioned stimulus ( which acts as a reinforcer) has been withdrawn

Question 5

What is flooding?

Answer 5

Flooding is the actual exposure of a patient to feared stimulus as a level greater than usual. It is used to treat phobias

Question 6

What is graduated exposure?

Answer 6

Graduated exposure is a form of treatment using gradually increasing levels of fear-provoking stimuli paired with induced relaxation, thereby reducing the incidence and level of phobic reaction to the stimulus

Question 7

What is learning?

Answer 7

Learning is a relatively permanent change in behaviour due to experience

Question 8

What is a neutral stimulus?

Answer 8

Neutral stimulus is the name given to the conditioned stimulus before it becomes conditioned. It is referred to as a neutral stimulus while it fails to produce a response.

Question 9

What is spontaneous recovery?

Answer 9

Spontaneous recovery is the reappearance of an extinguished response after a rest period

Question 10

What is stimulus discrimination?

Answer 10

Stimulus discrimination is when an organism responds to the conditioned stimulus but not to any stimulus which is similar to the CS

Question 11

What is stimulus generalisation?

Answer 11

Stimulus generalisation is when an organism responds to a stimulus that is similar to the CS

Question 12

What is a unconditioned response?

Answer 12

The UCR is the response that occurs automatically when the unconditioned stimulus is presented. The UCR is a reflexive or involuntary response as it is predictably caused by an UCS

Question 13

What is an unconditioned stimulus?

Answer 13

A UCS is any stimulus which consistently produces a particular naturally occurring automatic response