Theories of Learning: Classical Conditioning

Questions and Answers

What is classical conditioning?

A type of learning that occurs through the repeated association of two (or more) different stimuli.

Who was Ivan Pavlov?

A Russian physiologist known for describing classical conditioning.

What is a stimulus?

Any object or event that elicits a response from an organism.

What is a response?

A reaction by an organism to a stimulus. Signup and view all the answers

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

Conditioned stimulus Signup and view all the answers

What is a neutral stimulus?

A stimulus that does not naturally elicit any specific response. Signup and view all the answers

What is an unconditioned stimulus?

Any stimulus that consistently produces a particular, naturally occurring, automatic response. Signup and view all the answers

What is an unconditioned response?

The reflexive, involuntary response that occurs automatically when the unconditioned stimulus is presented. Signup and view all the answers

What is a conditioned stimulus?

The stimulus that is neutral at the start of the conditioning process. Signup and view all the answers

What is a conditioned response?

The learned response that is produced by the conditioned stimulus. Signup and view all the answers

Match the following key processes of classical conditioning to their descriptions:

Acquisition = The overall process during which an organism learns to associate two events. Extinction = The gradual decrease in the strength or rate of a conditioned response. Spontaneous recovery = The reappearance of a conditioned response after a rest period. Stimulus generalization = The tendency for another stimulus similar to the original conditioned stimulus to produce a similar response. Stimulus discrimination = When a person or animal responds only to the conditioned stimulus, not to similar stimuli. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Classical Conditioning

A learning process involving repeated associations between different stimuli.
Learning occurs when a stimulus consistently triggers a response that did not initially occur.

Ivan Pavlov

Russian physiologist known for his discovery of classical conditioning through experiments with dogs.
Observed that dogs salivated not only at food but also at stimuli associated with food, like the lab technician.
Conducted experiments using bells and other stimuli to establish associations leading to salivation.

Key Definitions

Stimulus: An object or event that elicits a response from an organism.
Response: A reaction by an organism in reaction to a stimulus.

Key Elements of Classical Conditioning

Neutral Stimulus (NS): Initially does not elicit a specific response (e.g., the sound of a bell).
Unconditioned Stimulus (UCS): A stimulus that consistently produces a naturally occurring automatic response (e.g., food).
Unconditioned Response (UCR): An involuntary reaction to the UCS (e.g., salivation in response to food).
Conditioned Stimulus (CS): A previously neutral stimulus that, after conditioning, elicits a response (e.g., the bell after conditioning).
Conditioned Response (CR): A learned response to the CS (e.g., salivation in response to the bell).

Conditioning Process

Before Conditioning: NS (bell) does not elicit a response; UCS (food) elicits UCR (salivation).
During Conditioning: NS is paired with UCS (bell + food) through repeated presentations.
After Conditioning: NS becomes CS (bell), which now elicits a CR (salivation).

Key Processes of Classical Conditioning

Acquisition: The process of learning to associate the CS with the UCS; involves close temporal presentation of both stimuli.
Extinction: The gradual weakening of the CR when the CS is no longer followed by the UCS.
Spontaneous Recovery: The reappearance of the CR after a rest period when the CS is presented again, although often weaker than before.
Stimulus Generalization: The tendency for stimuli similar to the CS to elicit a similar response; greater similarity leads to a higher likelihood of generalization.
Stimulus Discrimination: The ability to differentiate between the CS and similar stimuli, responding only to the CS.

Description

Explore the fundamentals of classical conditioning, a key theory in learning psychology. This quiz covers essential terms and definitions, including the contributions of Ivan Pavlov. Test your understanding and deepen your knowledge of how associations between stimuli shape behavior.