Introduction to Learning and Behavior, 3e by Russell A. Powell, Diane G. Symbaluk, and P. Lynne Honey Copyright © 2009 Wadsworth Publishing, a division of Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. Chapter 4: Classical Conditioning: Basic Phenomenon & Various Complexities

Introduction to Learning and Behavior, 3e by Russell A. Powell, Diane G. Symbaluk, and P. Lynne Honey Copyright © 2009 Wadsworth Publishing, a division of Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. Acquisition is the process of developing and strengthening a conditioned response through repeated pairings of NS with US It proceeds rapidly during early conditioning trials, then gradually levels off. The asymptote is the maximum amount of conditioning that can take place in a particular situation.

Introduction to Learning and Behavior, 3e by Russell A. Powell, Diane G. Symbaluk, and P. Lynne Honey Copyright © 2009 Wadsworth Publishing, a division of Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. Typical Acquisition Curve

Introduction to Learning and Behavior, 3e by Russell A. Powell, Diane G. Symbaluk, and P. Lynne Honey Copyright © 2009 Wadsworth Publishing, a division of Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. What influences the speed and asymptote of acquisition? Intensity of the US Example: –when the US consists of a large amount of food or a highly preferred food, conditioning is stronger. Intensity of the neutral stimulus NS Example: –when the NS consists of a louder metronome, conditioning is stronger.

Introduction to Learning and Behavior, 3e by Russell A. Powell, Diane G. Symbaluk, and P. Lynne Honey Copyright © 2009 Wadsworth Publishing, a division of Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. Extinction The Process –a conditioned response is weakened or eliminated when the CS is repeatedly presented in the absence of the US. The Procedure –the repeated presentation of the CS in the absence of the US. Example: –Procedure - present the metronome by itself –Process - salivation will eventually die out

Introduction to Learning and Behavior, 3e by Russell A. Powell, Diane G. Symbaluk, and P. Lynne Honey Copyright © 2009 Wadsworth Publishing, a division of Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. Notation for Extinction Metronome: Food  Salivation NS US UR Metronome  Salivation CS CR Metronome  No salivation “NS” —

Introduction to Learning and Behavior, 3e by Russell A. Powell, Diane G. Symbaluk, and P. Lynne Honey Copyright © 2009 Wadsworth Publishing, a division of Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. What happens to the CR? It has decreased in strength. It has not been completely eliminated. It can be reacquired quite rapidly when the CS (or NS) is again paired with the US. Example: –pair the metronome with food following an extinction procedure

Introduction to Learning and Behavior, 3e by Russell A. Powell, Diane G. Symbaluk, and P. Lynne Honey Copyright © 2009 Wadsworth Publishing, a division of Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. Spontaneous Recovery the reappearance of a CS following a rest period after extinction. An extinguished response can reappear even in the absence of further pairings between the CS and US. Each time the response recovers it is somewhat weaker and is extinguished more quickly than before. Example: –after several extinction sessions, the metronome will elicit little or no salivation.

Introduction to Learning and Behavior, 3e by Russell A. Powell, Diane G. Symbaluk, and P. Lynne Honey Copyright © 2009 Wadsworth Publishing, a division of Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. Spontaneous Recovery Graph

Introduction to Learning and Behavior, 3e by Russell A. Powell, Diane G. Symbaluk, and P. Lynne Honey Copyright © 2009 Wadsworth Publishing, a division of Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. Learning Something New Extinction is not simply a process of unlearning the conditioning. Extinction involves learning something new. New conditioning inhibits the occurrence of the CR in the presence of the CS. Example: –The dog learns to inhibit the response of salivation to the metronome.

Introduction to Learning and Behavior, 3e by Russell A. Powell, Diane G. Symbaluk, and P. Lynne Honey Copyright © 2009 Wadsworth Publishing, a division of Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. Disinhibition the sudden recovery of a response during an extinction procedure when a novel stimulus is introduced. Example: –If after extinction we present a novel humming noise, the metronome may again elicit salivation. –If your anxiety while giving a speech gradually fades, it may suddenly recover when a noisy fan starts.

Introduction to Learning and Behavior, 3e by Russell A. Powell, Diane G. Symbaluk, and P. Lynne Honey Copyright © 2009 Wadsworth Publishing, a division of Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. Stimulus Generalization the tendency for a CR to occur in the presence of a stimulus that is similar to the CS. The more similar the stimulus is to the original CS, the stronger the response. It is an important evolutionary adaptation. Example: –If we learn to fear a poisonous spider, it is far more adaptive to learn to fear other spiders as well, particularly those spiders that look similar to the one that bit us.

Introduction to Learning and Behavior, 3e by Russell A. Powell, Diane G. Symbaluk, and P. Lynne Honey Copyright © 2009 Wadsworth Publishing, a division of Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. Semantic Generalization the generalization of a CS to verbal stimuli that are similar in meaning to the CS. The meaning of the word is critical. Example: –Car and automotive, vehicle, etc. elicit a similar response, while tar and bar do not

Introduction to Learning and Behavior, 3e by Russell A. Powell, Diane G. Symbaluk, and P. Lynne Honey Copyright © 2009 Wadsworth Publishing, a division of Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. Stimulus Discrimination the tendency for a response to be elicited more by one stimulus than another. Example: –The dog salivates in the presence of the 2,000-Hz tone but not in the presence of a 1,900-Hz tone. This can be deliberately trained through discrimination training.

Introduction to Learning and Behavior, 3e by Russell A. Powell, Diane G. Symbaluk, and P. Lynne Honey Copyright © 2009 Wadsworth Publishing, a division of Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. Discrimination Training Conditioning Phase 2,000-Hz tone: Food  Salivation NS US UR 1,900-Hz tone: No food  No Salivation NS — Test Phase 2,000-Hz tone  Salivation CS+ CR 1,900-Hz tone  No salivation CS- —

Introduction to Learning and Behavior, 3e by Russell A. Powell, Diane G. Symbaluk, and P. Lynne Honey Copyright © 2009 Wadsworth Publishing, a division of Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. Discrimination The 2,000-Hz tone has become an excitatory CS (or CS+). It predicts the presentation of food. The 1,900-Hz tone has become an inhibitory CS (or CS–). It predicts the absence of food.

Introduction to Learning and Behavior, 3e by Russell A. Powell, Diane G. Symbaluk, and P. Lynne Honey Copyright © 2009 Wadsworth Publishing, a division of Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. Development of Disorders Phobias - overgeneralization of a fear response. Example: –A woman who overgeneralizes her fear of an abusive relationship may develop a fear of all relationships. Experimental Neurosis - neurotic-like symptoms which develop when exposed to extreme uncertainty. Example: –Jana’s boyfriends display neuroticism after her erratic behavior.

Introduction to Learning and Behavior, 3e by Russell A. Powell, Diane G. Symbaluk, and P. Lynne Honey Copyright © 2009 Wadsworth Publishing, a division of Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. Extroversion - Introversion Introverts are highly reactive to external stimulation condition easily develop anxiety-type symptoms in reaction to stress Extroverts less reactive to external stimulation condition less easily develop physical-type symptoms in reaction to stress

Introduction to Learning and Behavior, 3e by Russell A. Powell, Diane G. Symbaluk, and P. Lynne Honey Copyright © 2009 Wadsworth Publishing, a division of Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. Higher-Order Conditioning stimulus that is associated with a CS can also become a CS. Example: –Wasp - Trash Can

Introduction to Learning and Behavior, 3e by Russell A. Powell, Diane G. Symbaluk, and P. Lynne Honey Copyright © 2009 Wadsworth Publishing, a division of Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. Wasp - Trashcan Example Wasp: Sting  Fear NS1 US UR Wasp  Fear CS1 CR Trashcan: Wasp  Fear NS2CS1 CR Trashcan  Fear CS2 CR

Introduction to Learning and Behavior, 3e by Russell A. Powell, Diane G. Symbaluk, and P. Lynne Honey Copyright © 2009 Wadsworth Publishing, a division of Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. Third-Order Conditioning pairing third stimulus with the CS. It is difficult to obtain. The conditioned response to a third-order conditioned stimulus (the CS3) is likely to be very weak. Example: –Advertising – an attractive woman in a dress

Introduction to Learning and Behavior, 3e by Russell A. Powell, Diane G. Symbaluk, and P. Lynne Honey Copyright © 2009 Wadsworth Publishing, a division of Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. Sensory Preconditioning when one stimulus is conditioned as a CS, another stimulus it was previously associated with can also become a CS. Example: –The toolshed was previously associated with wasps. Toolshed: Wasps NS2 NS1

Introduction to Learning and Behavior, 3e by Russell A. Powell, Diane G. Symbaluk, and P. Lynne Honey Copyright © 2009 Wadsworth Publishing, a division of Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. How does the toolshed elicit fear? Wasp: Sting  Fear NS1 US UR Wasp  Fear CS1 CR Toolshed  Fear CS2 CR

Introduction to Learning and Behavior, 3e by Russell A. Powell, Diane G. Symbaluk, and P. Lynne Honey Copyright © 2009 Wadsworth Publishing, a division of Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. What impacts sensory preconditioning? The response elicited by the toolshed (CS2) is generally weaker than the response elicited by the wasps (CS1). This type of conditioning works best if the stimuli are paired relatively few times. Sometimes works better if stimuli are presented simultaneously as opposed to sequentially.

Introduction to Learning and Behavior, 3e by Russell A. Powell, Diane G. Symbaluk, and P. Lynne Honey Copyright © 2009 Wadsworth Publishing, a division of Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. Compound Stimulus simultaneous presentation of two or more individual stimuli Example: –The sound of a metronome is presented at the same time as a light. Two Types: –Overshadowing –Blocking

Introduction to Learning and Behavior, 3e by Russell A. Powell, Diane G. Symbaluk, and P. Lynne Honey Copyright © 2009 Wadsworth Publishing, a division of Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. Overshadowing the most salient member of a compound stimulus is more readily conditioned as a CS and thereby interferes with conditioning of the least salient member. Example: –assigning an assistant to announce an unpopular decision –a bright light and a faint-sounding metronome

Introduction to Learning and Behavior, 3e by Russell A. Powell, Diane G. Symbaluk, and P. Lynne Honey Copyright © 2009 Wadsworth Publishing, a division of Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. Notation for Overshadowing [Bright light + Faint metronome]: Food  Salivation NS US UR [Bright light + Faint metronome]  Salivation CS CR Bright light  Salivation CS CR Faint metronome  No salivation NS —

Introduction to Learning and Behavior, 3e by Russell A. Powell, Diane G. Symbaluk, and P. Lynne Honey Copyright © 2009 Wadsworth Publishing, a division of Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. Blocking the presence of an established CS interferes with conditioning of a new CS. consists of a neutral stimulus and a CS rather than two neutral stimuli (overshadowing) that differ in salience. Example: –When announcing bad news, announce with another manager who is already disliked by the employees.

Introduction to Learning and Behavior, 3e by Russell A. Powell, Diane G. Symbaluk, and P. Lynne Honey Copyright © 2009 Wadsworth Publishing, a division of Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. Latent Inhibition an unfamiliar stimulus is more readily conditioned than a familiar stimulus. Example: –a rabbit in a grassy field is attacked by a coyote –the scent of the coyote is a good predictor of a possible attack, not the scent of the grass People with schizophrenia display less latent inhibition than is normal.

Introduction to Learning and Behavior, 3e by Russell A. Powell, Diane G. Symbaluk, and P. Lynne Honey Copyright © 2009 Wadsworth Publishing, a division of Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. Temporal Conditioning a form of classical conditioning in which the CS is the passage of time. Example: –anxiety in residents who experience a bombing attack each night at 2:00 a.m. for several nights –feeling hungry at noon

Introduction to Learning and Behavior, 3e by Russell A. Powell, Diane G. Symbaluk, and P. Lynne Honey Copyright © 2009 Wadsworth Publishing, a division of Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. Occasion Setting a procedure in which a stimulus (i.e., an occasion setter) signals that a CS is likely to be followed by the US with which it is associated. The context of the conditioning often comes to serve as an overall predictor of the relationship between two events. Example: –Alcohol absent { Parents: Mild abuse  Mild anxiety –Alcohol present { Parents: Severe abuse  Strong anxiety

Introduction to Learning and Behavior, 3e by Russell A. Powell, Diane G. Symbaluk, and P. Lynne Honey Copyright © 2009 Wadsworth Publishing, a division of Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. External Inhibition the presentation of a novel stimulus at the same time as the CS produces a decrease in the strength of the CS. Example: –present a light at the same time as the metronome –the dog has been distracted by the light and therefore reacts less strongly to the metronome.

Introduction to Learning and Behavior, 3e by Russell A. Powell, Diane G. Symbaluk, and P. Lynne Honey Copyright © 2009 Wadsworth Publishing, a division of Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. US Revaluation postconditioning presentation of the US at a different level of intensity, thereby altering the strength of response to the previously conditioned CS. The value or magnitude of the US is changed. The intensity of response is dependent on the animal’s most recent experience with the US. Example: –Giving the dog more food after conditioning it with less

Introduction to Learning and Behavior, 3e by Russell A. Powell, Diane G. Symbaluk, and P. Lynne Honey Copyright © 2009 Wadsworth Publishing, a division of Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. Pseudoconditioning an elicited response that appears to be a CR is actually the result of sensitization rather than conditioning. Example: –pair of the light with the shock, so that dog’s leg flexion is elicited by light Sensitization can result in the response being elicited by other stimuli as well. This is a potential problem whenever the US is some type of emotionally arousing stimulus.

Introduction to Learning and Behavior, 3e by Russell A. Powell, Diane G. Symbaluk, and P. Lynne Honey Copyright © 2009 Wadsworth Publishing, a division of Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. Summary Strengthening a conditioned response by pairing a CS (or NS) with a US is known as acquisition. Weakening a conditioned response by repeatedly presenting the CS by itself is known as extinction. Spontaneous recovery is the reappearance of a previously extinguished response after a rest period. Disinhibition is the sudden recovery of an extinguished response following introduction of a novel stimulus.

Introduction to Learning and Behavior, 3e by Russell A. Powell, Diane G. Symbaluk, and P. Lynne Honey Copyright © 2009 Wadsworth Publishing, a division of Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. Summary, continued Stimulus Generalization vs. Stimulus Discrimination Semantic Generalization Higher-order conditioning Sensory preconditioning Temporal conditioning Occasion setting

Introduction to Learning and Behavior, 3e by Russell A. Powell, Diane G. Symbaluk, and P. Lynne Honey Copyright © 2009 Wadsworth Publishing, a division of Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. Summary, continued US revaluation Pseudoconditioning Processes that interfere with conditioning: –overshadowing –blocking –latent inhibition –external inhibition