Classical Conditioning Quiz

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Questions and Answers

What is classical conditioning?

Learning in which a response naturally caused by one stimulus comes to be elicited by a different, formerly neutral stimulus.

The classical conditioning formula can be written as: UCS --> _____

UCR

Who accidentally discovered classical conditioning?

Ivan Pavlov

What is an unconditioned stimulus (UCS)?

A stimulus that naturally and automatically causes a specific response in an organism. Signup and view all the answers

What is an unconditioned response (UCR)?

The response caused by a UCS that is automatic and unlearned. Signup and view all the answers

What does higher order conditioning refer to?

Once a neutral stimulus becomes a conditioned stimulus, it may function as an unconditioned stimulus to elicit new learning. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following are key variables of classical conditioning? (Select all that apply)

Timing Signup and view all the answers

What must stimuli (UCS, NS) have to provoke a response?

They must be noticeable enough. Signup and view all the answers

How must UCS and NS be paired for effective conditioning?

They must be paired close together so that an association is made. Signup and view all the answers

Why is frequency important in classical conditioning?

UCS and NS must be paired together many times to establish a strong association. Signup and view all the answers

What is blocking in classical conditioning?

Previous learning prevents conditioning to a second stimulus when the two stimuli are presented together. Signup and view all the answers

What did Kamin's work demonstrate?

Rats that learned to fear a tone which had been followed by a shock failed to fear the light when it was presented alongside the tone. Signup and view all the answers

What is backward conditioning?

NS may come before or after UCS, but not before and after. Signup and view all the answers

What does Rescorla's work exemplify?

A tone could either mean being fearful or relaxed, depending on when it occurred with shock. Signup and view all the answers

What happens during extinction in classical conditioning?

After a period of time passes when CS is not paired with UCS, CS returns to being an NS. Signup and view all the answers

What is spontaneous recovery?

After extinction, it is not unusual to see the recurrence of the conditioned response. Signup and view all the answers

What is generalization in classical conditioning?

An organism may learn to respond not only to the CS, but also to other stimuli that are similar to the CS. Signup and view all the answers

What is discrimination in classical conditioning?

Organisms can learn to decipher between similar stimuli when only particular stimuli are paired with a UCS. Signup and view all the answers

What is taste aversion?

Occurs when an organism becomes ill following the consumption of a particular food. Signup and view all the answers

What is the Garcia effect?

Using principles of taste aversion, John Garcia and Koelling caused coyotes to avoid the livestock after they became ill. Signup and view all the answers

What is preparedness in classical conditioning?

Conditioned behaviors that work well with an organism's instinctive behaviors and are easy to train. Signup and view all the answers

What is contrapreparedness?

Other conditioned behaviors go against the organism's instinctive behaviors and are difficult or impossible to train. Signup and view all the answers

What is systematic desensitization?

A therapy method involving generating a 'fear hierarchy' and learning relaxation techniques. Signup and view all the answers

What is flooding in therapy?

The client faces the worst-case scenario involving fear to overcome phobias. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Classical Conditioning Overview

Classical conditioning is a learning process where a natural response to one stimulus is triggered by a previously neutral stimulus.
Key figures include Ivan Pavlov, who unintentionally discovered this phenomenon through experiments with dogs.

Key Concepts

The classical conditioning formula consists of three main components:
- Unconditioned Stimulus (UCS) naturally elicits a response (UCR).
- A Neutral Stimulus (NS) paired with UCS leads to a Conditioned Stimulus (CS) that elicits Conditioned Response (CR).

Terminology

Unconditioned Stimulus (UCS): Esp: food; naturally causes a specific response.
Unconditioned Response (UCR): Esp: salivation; an automatic, unlearned reaction to UCS.
Conditioned Stimulus (CS): A previously neutral stimulus that, after association with UCS, evokes a conditioned response.
Conditioned Response (CR): The learned reaction to the CS.

Advanced Conditioning

Higher Order Conditioning: A conditioned stimulus can serve as an unconditioned stimulus for further learning (e.g., a light predicting a tone that signals food).
Factors affecting conditioning include:
- Strength: Stimuli must be noticeable to elicit responses.
- Timing: Optimal pairing of UCS and NS is crucial; NS should precede UCS for best results.
- Frequency: Repeated pairings solidify associations.

Conditioning Effects and Variations

Blocking: Previous association with UCS can prevent conditioning to a new stimulus if presented simultaneously.
Backward Conditioning: NS may appear either before or after the UCS but not both; it’s less effective.
Taste Aversion: A learned aversion after becoming ill from a specific food.

Notable Studies

Kamin's Work: Demonstrated blocking where rats did not fear a light if it was only associated with a previously conditioned tone and shock.
Rescorla's Work: Showed the context can influence response; a tone signaling fear or relaxation based on its pairing with shock.

Extinction and Recovery

Extinction: Occurs when CS is no longer paired with UCS, leading to the CS reverting to a neutral state (e.g., Baby Albert losing fear of fluffy white objects).
Spontaneous Recovery: The return of a conditioned response after a period of extinction indicates learned behavior has not been entirely erased.

Generalization and Discrimination

Generalization: Responding similarly to stimuli that are similar to the CS.
Discrimination: Distinguishing between different stimuli, responding only to specific CS associated with UCS.

Clinical Applications

Preparedness: Some behaviors are naturally easier to condition based on an organism's instincts.
Contrapreparedness: Conditioning is hindered when behaviors conflict with natural instincts.
Systematic Desensitization: Involves a hierarchy of fearful situations and relaxation techniques to gradually reduce fear.
Flooding: Clients confront their greatest fears to diminish longstanding fears; facing worst-case scenarios often leads to overcoming fear reactions.

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Description

Test your knowledge on classical conditioning concepts and key figures like Ivan Pavlov. This quiz covers essential definitions and formulas associated with this fundamental learning process. Sharpen your understanding of how behaviors can be conditioned through associations.