Wk3 - Avoidance Conditioning

Question 1

What does avoidance conditioning refer to?

Answer 1

Learning to perform the action of avoidance in response to a stimulus

Question 2

What is needed for avoidance conditioning to occur?

Answer 2

Lateral nucleus of the amygdala

Basal nucleus of the amygdala

Question 3

Describe the mechanism by which avoidance conditioning works

Answer 3

Input from NS and UNS goes to LA

UNS depolarises LA cells and strengths NS signal as the NS and UNS are paired in the dorsal LA

CS becomes strong enough to produce an action potential on its own

Information goes from LA to the BASAL nucleus of the amygdala to produce an ACTION (rather than a freezing reaction from the CE)

Question 4

Which nucleus of the amygdala produces an action (e.g., avoiding)?

Answer 4

Basal nucleus

Question 5

Which nucleus of the amygdala produces a reaction (e.g., freezing)?

Answer 5

Central nucleus

Question 6

Why can some animals not perform avoidance behaviours in response to a fearful stimulus?

Answer 6

They are stuck in the fear conditioning. They are frozen in fear so badly that they cannot move on to perform the avoidance actions.

Too scared to implement the avoidance behaviour that they had learned.

Question 7

In terms of avoidance conditioning, what happens if the CE is lesioned but the LA and B are intact?

Answer 7

Avoidance conditioning can occur (because lesioning the CE removes the freezing response to fear)

Question 8

What do the findings regarding the role of the CE in producing a freezing response to such an extent that one cannot unlearn their fears suggest for anxiety and PTSD?

Answer 8

People who are unable to learn their fears may have a hyperactive CE of the amygdala or a less active basal nucleus of the amygdala.