Psychology Flashcards on Classical Conditioning

Questions and Answers

Who came up with classical conditioning and how did he come across it?

Ivan Pavlov discovered classical conditioning while studying the digestive systems of dogs.

What contribution did John Watson make to classical conditioning?

John Watson conducted an experiment with an infant named Albert to condition fear by associating a loud noise with a white rat.

What is operant conditioning? Provide an example.

Operant conditioning is learning from the consequences of behavior; for example, receiving a sticker for visiting the doctor.

Explain B.F. Skinner's experiments.

B.F. Skinner is known for Skinner's Box and Project Pigeon, where rats learned to press levers for food and pigeons guided missiles during WWII. Signup and view all the answers

What is the difference between a primary and secondary reinforcer? Provide examples.

Primary reinforcers are naturally rewarding (e.g., food, water), while secondary reinforcers have no inherent value (e.g., money). Signup and view all the answers

Name and describe the four schedules of reinforcement with examples of each.

<ol> <li>Fixed Ratio: Requires a set number of responses (e.g., three strikes and you're out). 2. Variable Ratio: Unknown responses needed (e.g., slot machine). 3. Fixed Interval: Set time for reinforcement (e.g., paid every other Friday). 4. Variable Interval: Unknown time for reinforcer (e.g., pop quiz).</li> </ol> Signup and view all the answers

Describe the experiment associated with Albert Bandura.

Bandura's Bobo doll experiment showed children imitating adults' aggressive behavior towards a doll, demonstrating observational learning. Signup and view all the answers

Describe Pavlov's experiment including these terms: NS, UCS, UCR, CS, and CR.

In Pavlov's experiment: NS (Neutral Stimulus) is the bell, UCS (Unconditioned Stimulus) is the meat, UCR (Unconditioned Response) is salivation, CS (Conditioned Stimulus) is the bell after conditioning, and CR (Conditioned Response) is salivation at the bell. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Classical Conditioning

Ivan Pavlov, a Russian physiologist, founded classical conditioning while studying dogs' salivation related to digestion.
He conditioned dogs to salivate to the sound of a bell, demonstrating involuntary responses to new stimuli.

John Watson and Little Albert

John Watson conducted an experiment with an infant named Albert to explore fear conditioning in humans.
Albert, initially unafraid of a white rat, was conditioned to fear it through loud noises, linking stimuli with emotional responses.
The fear generalized to similar objects, leading to ethical concerns regarding the experiment's impact on the child.

Operant Conditioning

Operant conditioning refers to learning through consequences of behavior, a concept established by B.F. Skinner.
Example: Receiving a sticker as a reward for visiting the doctor exemplifies positive reinforcement in daily life.

B.F. Skinner's Experiments

Associated with operant conditioning, Skinner's famous experiments include Skinner's Box and Project Pigeon.
Skinner’s Box involved a rat learning to press a lever to receive food, reinforcing behavior through rewards.
In Project Pigeon, pigeons were trained to guide missiles by pecking at targets for rewards, illustrating behavior modification.

Primary vs. Secondary Reinforcers

Primary reinforcers are naturally rewarding (e.g., food, water, sleep) and necessary for survival.
Secondary reinforcers derive value from their association with primary reinforcers (e.g., money can buy food).

Schedules of Reinforcement

Fixed Ratio: A set number of responses required for reinforcement (e.g., three strikes in baseball).
Variable Ratio: An unpredictable number of responses needed for reinforcement (e.g., gambling).
Fixed Interval: Reinforcement delivered after a fixed time period (e.g., bi-weekly pay).
Variable Interval: Reinforcement applied at unpredictable time intervals (e.g., surprise quizzes).

Albert Bandura and Observational Learning

Albert Bandura demonstrated learning through observation with the Bobo doll experiment.
Children who witnessed adults abusing a doll imitated the violence, while those who did not observe displayed no aggression.
This experiment highlights the role of modeling in learning behaviors.

Pavlov's Classical Conditioning Experiment

Neutral Stimulus (NS): The bell, initially eliciting no response.
Unconditioned Stimulus (UCS): The meat, which naturally elicited salivation (Unconditioned Response).
Conditioned Stimulus (CS): The bell became a conditioned stimulus after being paired with the meat.
Conditioned Response (CR): Salivation in response to the bell alone after conditioning.

Description

Explore the foundational concepts of Classical Conditioning through these flashcards. Learn about Ivan Pavlov's groundbreaking experiments with dogs that revealed how behaviors can be conditioned. Test your knowledge and understand the principles behind this pivotal psychological theory.