Pavlovian or Classical Conditioning Psychology 3306

Introduction Pavlov was working on digestion, the rest is history! Pavlov was working on digestion, the rest is history! Figured that lots of dogs’ behaviour may have involved this conditional redirection of reflexes Figured that lots of dogs’ behaviour may have involved this conditional redirection of reflexes Called the phenomenon ‘Conditional Reflexes’ Called the phenomenon ‘Conditional Reflexes’

Conditional? Yes conditional Yes conditional Was mistranslated and ‘conditioned’!!! Was mistranslated and ‘conditioned’!!! So that is where we get the term conditioning from So that is where we get the term conditioning from

Key terms Unconditioned Stimulus (UCS or US) Unconditioned Stimulus (UCS or US) Biologically relevant stimulus, that without prior learning elicits an…. Biologically relevant stimulus, that without prior learning elicits an…. Unconditioned Response (UR or UCR) Unconditioned Response (UR or UCR) Conditioned Stimulus (CS) Conditioned Stimulus (CS) Neutral stimulus that with many CS – US pairing elicits a Neutral stimulus that with many CS – US pairing elicits a Conditioned Response (CR) Conditioned Response (CR)

Cool conditioning stuff Seems that pretty much any reflex can be hooked up Seems that pretty much any reflex can be hooked up Today we concentrate on a few different preparations Today we concentrate on a few different preparations Human eyeblink (rabbits too) Human eyeblink (rabbits too) CER (Conditioned emotional response) or suppression CER (Conditioned emotional response) or suppression SCR (Skin conductivity response) SCR (Skin conductivity response) Taste aversion or food aversion Taste aversion or food aversion

Early theoretical ideas Pavlov and stimulus substitution Pavlov and stimulus substitution US replaced by CS US replaced by CS However the CR is not always the same as the UR However the CR is not always the same as the UR Sign tracking takes this idea into account actually Sign tracking takes this idea into account actually Weak, but intuitively pleasing Weak, but intuitively pleasing

Perhaps physiology? Pavlov thought there were CS and US centres in the brain Pavlov thought there were CS and US centres in the brain Hmmm, don’t seem to be, though some responses are hooked up to specific brain regions Hmmm, don’t seem to be, though some responses are hooked up to specific brain regions What is the connection though is it S – S or S – R? What is the connection though is it S – S or S – R?

S-S and S-R US CS UR

If we could just get rid of that US – UR bond….. US CS UR

Rescrola (1973) So, how do you get rid of a response that is hard wired to a stimulus? So, how do you get rid of a response that is hard wired to a stimulus? Well, if you use CER, then your response is startle right? Well, if you use CER, then your response is startle right? How do you get rid of a startle reflex? How do you get rid of a startle reflex? Habituation!! Habituation!! (Bob is a smart man) (Bob is a smart man)

Design Group Phase 1 Phase 2 Test Habituation L -> N NoiseLight Control NothingLight

Results Less suppression in Habituation group Less suppression in Habituation group (In other words, more responding) (In other words, more responding) Therefore, the connection MUST be S – S Therefore, the connection MUST be S – S WOW! WOW!

Some important properties of Pavlovian conditioning Acquisition Acquisition Asymptote Asymptote Extinction Extinction Spontaneous recovery Spontaneous recovery Disinhibition Disinhibition Rapid Reacquisition Rapid Reacquisition

Conditioned Inhibition Summation Test Summation Test B+ B+ A- A- AB AB Retardation Test Retardation Test A- A- AB AB

Generalization So you will get a response (CR) to a given CS. So you will get a response (CR) to a given CS. Just like with habituation, you will get generalization Just like with habituation, you will get generalization Just like with habituation the less similar the new CS is to the original, the less CR you get Just like with habituation the less similar the new CS is to the original, the less CR you get

Discrimination Sort of the opposite of Generalization Sort of the opposite of Generalization CS+ and CS- CS+ and CS- Animal responds (CR) to S+ not to S- Animal responds (CR) to S+ not to S- Discrimination gets too hard you get ‘neuroses’ Discrimination gets too hard you get ‘neuroses’

Temporal Relationships Simultaneous conditioning Simultaneous conditioning Short delay Short delay Long delay Long delay Trace conditioning Trace conditioning Backwards Backwards Again, contiguity alone does not do the trick, no surprise here Again, contiguity alone does not do the trick, no surprise here

Correlation of events CS- CS- CS- CS- old control group, animal learns what? CS + CS- CS+ CS- CS+ CS- Rescorla Control CS+ CS+ CS+ CS+ CS+

Conditional probability The animal basically compares p(US | CS) with p(US | no CS) The animal basically compares p(US | CS) with p(US | no CS) The greater the difference the greater the conditioning The greater the difference the greater the conditioning Long term more than short term Long term more than short term Whole new take on learning Whole new take on learning

Other paradigms Higher order conditioning Higher order conditioning Sensory preconditioning Sensory preconditioning Outside the lab too! Outside the lab too! Daily life Daily life Systematic desensitization Systematic desensitization Aversive counterconditioning Aversive counterconditioning Flooding Flooding