Classical Conditioning Module 15

Learning relatively permanent change in behavior due to experience

Classical Conditioning Occurs when: a stimulus gains the power to cause a response because it predicts another stimulus that already produces that response form of learning by association

Classical Conditioning: Practical Example How do you know when to change classes? stimulus (ringing bell) response (leaving classroom) prediction of another stimulus (time for class to end) that already produces that response (leaving classroom)

Stimulus-Response Relationship

Stimulus-Response Relationship

Components of Classical Conditioning

Unconditioned Stimulus (UCS) stimulus that triggers a response automatically and reflexively example: hot water in the shower

Unconditioned Response (UCR) automatic response to the UCS; not learned example: jumping out of the way of the hot shower water

Conditioned Stimulus (CS) stimulus that through learning has gained the power to cause a conditioned response; must be a neutral stimulus example: yelling “flush!”

Conditioned Response (CR) response to the conditioned stimulus; usually the same as the UCR example: jumping when you hear the word “flush!”

Classical Conditioning Example The nurse says “Now this won’t hurt a bit” just before stabbing you with a needle. The next time you hear “This won’t hurt” you cringe in fear. UCS UCR CS CR Cringing in fear Needle Classical Conditioning Cringing in fear when you hear “This won’t hurt” Hearing “This won’t hurt”

Classical Conditioning Example It is springtime and the pollen from the flowers causes you to sneeze. Soon you are sneezing at the mere sight of a flower…real or fake. UCS UCR CS CR Sneeze Pollen Classical Conditioning Sight of a flower (real or fake) Sneeze

Classical Conditioning Example Your relationship is going badly and your significant other has yelled at you without warning several times. You now feel tense and fearful any time you are around him or her. UCS UCR CS CR Feel tense and fearful Yelling at you Classical Conditioning Feel tense and fearful Being around your significant other

Classical Conditioning Based on what you see in the following video clip, identify each element: UCS UCR CS CR Dwight holds his hand out to accept the Altoid Dwight being offered an Altoid Classical Conditioning Dwight holds his hand out to accept an Altoid Computer reboot sound The experiment in the video clip is based on the ideas of which scientist? Ivan Pavlov

Classical Conditioning: Individual Assessment

Classical Conditioning Example Every time you see a scary movie, you always eat a box of thin mints. Now you find that just seeing thin mints makes you feel scared. UCS UCR CS CR Classical Conditioning

Classical Conditioning Example To treat bedwetting, a pad that is sensitive to dampness is placed under the sheets.  When the pad becomes wet, it sounds an alarm and you wake up.  Eventually you don't need the alarm to wake up and your full bladder will wake you up. UCS UCR CS CR Classical Conditioning

Ivan Pavlov’s Discovery

Ivan Pavlov (1849-1936) A Russian physiologist discovered classical conditioning while doing experiments on the digestive system of dogs

Read pages 286 – 288 & complete your reading organizer. What was Pavlov investigating when he discovered classical conditioning? What problem came up with Pavlov’s experiment after he had worked with a dog several times? As Pavlov became more intrigued with his dogs’ “misbehavior,” what did he begin to wonder? Answer: the effects of salivation on the digestive process Answer: the more familiar the dog was with the procedure, the less likely he was to wait for the meat powder before salivating Answer: if he could control the salivation response by manipulating various stimuli in the environment

Ivan Pavlov

Pavlov’s Method of Collecting Saliva

Based on what you read, identify the following: UCS UCR CS CR Salivation Meat Powder Classical Conditioning Tuning Fork Salivation

Classical Conditioning in Everyday Life: Baby Albert

Behaviorism psychology should only study observable behaviors, not mental processes founder: John Watson

John Watson believed mental processes could not be studied scientifically Baby Albert phobia study

Describe the experiment in which he participated. “Whatever Happened to Baby Albert?” Complete a reading organizer as you read the article Who was baby Albert? Describe the experiment in which he participated. Describe how generalization was an outcome of Albert’s classical conditioning. Did Albert complete the study? Why or why not? How might this experiment have influenced Albert later in his life?

Baby Albert 11-month-old infant Watson and his assistant, Rosalie Rayner, conditioned Albert to be frightened of white rats led to questions about experimental ethics

4 Ethical Principles Guiding Human Research: Informed consent – about nature of research & risks Right to be protected from harm and discomfort Right to confidentiality – can’t release data about individual participants Right to debriefing – full explanation of research when involvement is done Which ethical principle/s, if any, do you think Watson’s experiment broke?

How is this an example of classical conditioning?

How is this an example of classical conditioning?

What are the three basic processes in classical conditioning What are the three basic processes in classical conditioning? 1) Acquisition 2) Extinction 3) Spontaneous Recovery

Acquisition process of developing a learned behavior

Extinction diminishing of a learned response in classical conditioning, the continual presentation of the CS without the UCS The Office example: continual presentation of the _________ (CS) without the ____________ (UCS) computer sound offering of an Altoid

Spontaneous Recovery reappearance, after a rest period, of an extinguished conditioned response recovered response is weaker & can be extinguished more easily

Generalization and Discrimination

Generalization an organism produces the same response to two similar stimuli the more similar the substitute stimulus is to the original, the stronger the generalized response Example: Fred has a fluffy down pillow with some of the down sticking out of the fabric. When he first tries out the pillow, a piece of down tickles his nose and he sneezes. He now sneezes every time he lays down on any kind of pillow.

Discrimination an organism produces different responses to two similar stimuli subject learns that one stimuli predicts the UCS and the other does not Examples: Pavlov using two different tuning forks; fear of buzzing insects after being stung by a bee

Baby Albert – During Conditioning

Baby Albert – After Conditioning

Baby Albert - Generalization

Classical Conditioning in Everyday Life: Taste Aversion

Taste Aversion John Garcia: classically conditioned taste aversion could develop subjects become classically conditioned to avoid specific tastes, because the tastes are associated with nausea