Module 9 Classical Conditioning

3 Kinds of Learning l Classical Conditioning n Kind of learning in which a neutral stimulus acquires the ability to produce a response that was originally produced by a different stimulus l Operant Conditioning n Kind of learning in which the consequences that follow some behavior increase or decrease the likelihood of that behavior’s occurrence in the future l Cognitive Learning n Kind of learning that involves mental processes, such as attention and memory n May be learned through observation or imitation n May not involve any external rewards

Pavlov’s Experiment: 3 Steps l Select stimulus and response l Establish classical conditioning l Test for conditioning

Select Stimulus & Response l Neutral Stimulus n Some stimulus that causes a sensory response, but does not produce the reflex being tested n Bell does not normally cause Sam to salivate l Unconditioned Stimulus (UCS) n Some stimulus that triggers a physiological reflex, such as salivation or eye blink n When presented to Sam, food causes him to salivate l Unconditioned Response (UR) n An unlearned, innate, involuntary physiological reflex that is elicited by the UCS

Establishing Classical Conditioning l Trial n Common procedure used in classical conditioning n Present both stimuli l Typical trial n Pair the neutral stimulus (tone) with the UCS (food) n Tone + Food = UCR (Salivation)

Testing For Conditioning l After 10 to 100 trials, test for the occurrence of classical conditioning l Present the CS (tone) without the UCS (food) l Conditioned stimulus (CS) n Formerly neutral stimulus that has acquired the ability to elicit a response that was previously elicited by the UCS l Conditioned response (CR) n Elicited by the CS n CR is similar to, but not identical in size or amount to, the UCR

Other Conditioning Concepts l Generalization n Tendency for a stimulus that is similar to the original CS to elicit a response that is similar to the CR n Carla may also experience anxiety when smelling her own hair shampoo because it is similar to the dentist’s aftershave l Discrimination n Occurs when an organism learns to make a particular response to some stimuli but not others n The smell of Carla’s nailpolish does not elicit feelings of anxiety l Extinction n A procedure in which a CS is repeatedly presented without the UCS n Therefore, the CS no longer elicits the CR

Other Conditioning Concepts cont. l Spontaneous Recovery n Tendency for the CR to reappear after being extinguished even though there have been no further conditioning trials

How Useful is Classical Conditioning? l Adaptive value n Usefulness of certain abilities or traits that have evolved in animals and humans that increases their chance of survival n Examples include finding food, acquiring mates, and avoiding pain l Taste-aversion learning n Associating a particular sensory cue with getting sick n Thereafter avoiding that particular sensory cue n Rats quickly learn to avoid the smells or taste associated with getting sick after eating poisonous bait l Preparedness n Animals and humans are biologically prepared to associate some combinations of conditioned and unconditioned stimuli more easily than others

How Useful is Classical Conditioning? cont. n Garcia showed that taste aversion could occur in one trial n He baited grazing areas with pieces of sheep flesh laced with a chemical that causes coyotes to become sick. As a result, there was an estimated 30-60% reduction in sheep killings by coyotes

Conditioned Emotional Response l Feeling some positive or negative emotion when experiencing a stimulus that initially accompanied a pleasant or painful event l Many couples have a special song that becomes emotionally associated with their relationship

Contiguity Theory l Classical conditioning occurs because 2 stimuli are paired closely together in time l As a result, the neutral stimulus becomes the CS, which elicits the CR l Because seeing pizza is paired closely in time with eating it, the sight of the pizza alone begins to elicit salivation

Cognitive Perspective l An organism learns a predictable relationship between 2 stimuli such that the occurrence of one stimulus predicts the occurrence of another l Classical conditioning occurs because the organism learns what to expect l Currently, there is widespread support for the cognitive perspective explanation of classical conditioning

Can Emotional Responses Be Conditioned? l John Watson tried to classically condition an emotional response in a young child named Little Albert l He presented a white rat followed by a loud noise that elicited a startle and crying l Albert developed an emotional response (fear) to the white rat Source: PhotoDisc, Inc.

Anticipatory Nausea l Feelings of nausea that are elicited by stimuli associated with nausea-inducing chemotherapy treatments l Patients experience nausea in anticipation of their treatment l Conditioning anticipatory nausea n Neutral stimulus is smell of the treatment room and Michelle’s dish detergent n US is the chemotherapy which elicits nausea & vomiting n Conditioning trials occur when the smell of the treatment room is paired with the chemotherapy n This produces the CR which is that the smell of the treatment room or the detergent elicits nausea

Systematic Desensitization l Procedure based on classical conditioning l Person imagines or visualizes fearful or anxiety-evoking stimuli and then immediately uses deep relaxation to overcome the anxiety l Serves as a form of counterconditioning because it replaces fear with relaxation

3 Steps To Systematic Desensitization l Learn to relax l Make an anxiety hierarchy l Imagine and relax