Learning Theory: Classical Conditioning Flashcards

Questions and Answers

What is learning?

Permanent change, experience

Behavior is a function of its?

Environment and consequences

What does conditioning refer to?

Stimuli and responses

What are the three types of learning?

Classical Conditioning, operant conditioning, and vicarious conditioning Signup and view all the answers

What is classical conditioning?

(Pavlov) a learning process that occurs when two stimuli are repeatedly paired; a response that is at first elicited by the second stimulus is eventually elicited by the first stimulus alone Signup and view all the answers

Who discovered classical conditioning?

Ivan Pavlov Signup and view all the answers

What does Pavlov's Dog refer to?

An experiment done to show classical conditioning regarding food and a bell Signup and view all the answers

What is an unconditioned stimulus?

In classical conditioning, a stimulus that unconditionally—naturally and automatically—triggers a response Signup and view all the answers

What is an unconditioned response?

The unlearned, naturally occurring response to the unconditioned stimulus Signup and view all the answers

Give an example of an unconditioned stimulus.

Food or loud noise Signup and view all the answers

Give an example of an unconditioned response.

Salivation Signup and view all the answers

What is a conditioned stimulus?

A stimulus that elicits a response only after learning has taken place Signup and view all the answers

Give an example of a conditioned stimulus.

Bell or needle with a balloon visual Signup and view all the answers

What is a neutral stimulus?

A stimulus that does not initially elicit a response Signup and view all the answers

What is a conditioned response?

A learned response to a previously neutral stimulus Signup and view all the answers

Who is Edwin B. Twitmeyer?

A forgotten pioneer in classical conditioning Signup and view all the answers

What was the apparatus experience conducted by Twitmeyer?

Hit hammer on knees Signup and view all the answers

What is the unconditioned stimulus of the apparatus experience?

Hammer hitting the knee Signup and view all the answers

What is the conditioned stimulus of the apparatus experience?

Bell paired with the knee jerk Signup and view all the answers

What does John Watson's Little Albert experiment aim to determine?

If fear was an innate or conditioned response Signup and view all the answers

What is acquisition in classical conditioning?

Each pairing of CS and UCS = Trial; presents CS first and then UCS immediately after Signup and view all the answers

What is extinction in classical conditioning?

The diminishing of a conditioned response; occurs when an unconditioned stimulus does not follow a conditioned stimulus Signup and view all the answers

What is spontaneous recovery?

The reappearance, after a pause, of an extinguished conditioned response Signup and view all the answers

What is the UCS in dental anxiety?

Drill in teeth Signup and view all the answers

What is the CS in dental anxiety?

Sight of the drill Signup and view all the answers

How is classical conditioning applied in therapy?

Graded exposure in vivo and progressive muscle relaxation Signup and view all the answers

What is graded exposure in vivo?

Treatment for phobias Signup and view all the answers

What is a phobia in terms of classical conditioning?

Conditioned stimulus Signup and view all the answers

What is fear in terms of classical conditioning?

Conditioned response Signup and view all the answers

What is a stimulus hierarchy?

10 to 20 scenes arranged in roughly equal steps from low-anxiety scenes to high-anxiety ones Signup and view all the answers

What is counterconditioning?

Approach situations on hierarchy Signup and view all the answers

What is one-session treatment?

Sessions that gradually expose one to what they're afraid of, lasting 4-6 hours, with fairly rapid exposure and no relaxation Signup and view all the answers

Who is Martin Seligman?

Got sick when smelling A1 sauce that he initially loved; an experiment associated with prepared learning Signup and view all the answers

What is the UCS in the Seligman incident?

Flu virus Signup and view all the answers

What is the UCR in the Seligman incident?

Nausea Signup and view all the answers

What is the CS in the Seligman incident?

Sauce Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Learning and Conditioning Concepts

Learning: Permanent change in behavior resulting from experience.
Behavior and Environment: Behavior functions based on the environment and its consequences.
Conditioning: Involves the association between stimuli and responses.
Types of Learning: Includes Classical Conditioning, Operant Conditioning, and Vicarious Conditioning.

Classical Conditioning

Definition: A learning process conceptualized by Pavlov, where two stimuli are repeatedly paired; a response conditioned by the second stimulus will eventually occur with the first stimulus alone.
Ivan Pavlov: Noted psychologist who discovered classical conditioning through experiments with dogs, teaching them to salivate at the sound of a bell (Pavlov's Dog).

Key Terminology

Unconditioned Stimulus (UCS): A stimulus that naturally triggers a response without prior learning (e.g., food, loud noise).
Unconditioned Response (UCR): The unlearned, reflexive response to an unconditioned stimulus (e.g., salivation).
Conditioned Stimulus (CS): A previously neutral stimulus that, after conditioning, elicits a conditioned response.
Conditioned Response (CR): A learned response to a conditioned stimulus.

Important Experiments

Pavlov's Dog Experiment: Demonstrated classical conditioning by pairing food with the sound of a bell, leading to salivation upon hearing the bell alone.
Edwin B. Twitmeyer: A pioneer of classical conditioning who conducted an experiment using a hammer hitting the knee, which paired a bell with the reflexive knee jerk response.
Watson and Little Albert Experiment (1919): Explored fear as a conditioned response; conditioned a child to fear a white rat by associating it with loud, frightening noises.

Conditioning Processes

Acquisition: Learning occurs through trials consisting of pairings of the conditioned stimulus and unconditioned stimulus.
Extinction: The reduction of a conditioned response when the unconditioned stimulus no longer follows the conditioned stimulus.
Spontaneous Recovery: The reappearance of a previously extinguished conditioned response after a period of rest.

Applications of Classical Conditioning

Dental Anxiety:
- UCS: Pain from a dental drill.
- CS: The sight of the drill; leads to a conditioned fear response.
Treatment Approaches:
- Graded Exposure in Vivo: Gradual exposure therapy for phobias.
- Stimulus Hierarchy: A ranked list of anxiety-inducing stimuli from least to most threatening.

Advanced Concepts

Counterconditioning: A therapeutic technique that involves exposing individuals to feared stimuli within a controlled hierarchy to replace fear responses.
One-Session Treatment: A rapid exposure method that takes a few hours for effective desensitization without relaxation procedures.
Martin Seligman Incident: Illustrates prepared learning through an association formed between a food (A1 sauce) and illness, leading to aversion.

Summary of Associations

Seligman Incident:
- UCS: Flu virus.
- UCR: Nausea.
- CS: A1 sauce.
- CR: Aversion to the sauce due to the association with discomfort.

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Test your knowledge on classical conditioning with these flashcards. Each card presents key terms and definitions essential for understanding the principles of this learning theory. Perfect for psychology students or anyone interested in learning processes.