VCE Psychology Unit 4 - Classical Conditioning

Questions and Answers

What does Classical Conditioning refer to?

A simple form of learning (correct)

A complex form of learning

Only the learning of voluntary responses

Only the learning of involuntary responses

What is the alternative name for Classical Conditioning?

Respondent Conditioning or Pavlovian Conditioning

What are the stages of Classical Conditioning?

Pre-Conditioning, Acquisition, Post-Conditioning

During the _____ phase, a number of trials take place in which the Neutral Stimulus is paired with the Unconditioned Stimulus.

Acquisition Signup and view all the answers

What is a Neutral Stimulus (NS)?

A stimulus that does not usually elicit any reflexive response. Signup and view all the answers

What is an Unconditioned Stimulus (UCS)?

A stimulus that produces a reflexive response without learning. Signup and view all the answers

What is an Unconditioned Response (UCR)?

A reflexive, involuntary response to an Unconditioned Stimulus. Signup and view all the answers

What changes when a Neutral Stimulus becomes a Conditioned Stimulus?

It starts causing the Conditioned Response. Signup and view all the answers

What is a Conditioned Response (CR)?

The learnt reflex response caused by the Conditioned Stimulus. Signup and view all the answers

Match the following terms with their definitions:

Neutral Stimulus (NS) = A stimulus that does not produce a reflexive response Unconditioned Stimulus (UCS) = A stimulus that produces a reflexive response automatically Unconditioned Response (UCR) = An involuntary response to an Unconditioned Stimulus Conditioned Stimulus (CS) = A previously Neutral Stimulus that now elicits a response Signup and view all the answers

Identify the elements from the car crash scenario: What was the Neutral Stimulus (NS)?

Favourite Song Signup and view all the answers

Identify the elements from the car crash scenario: What was the Unconditioned Stimulus (UCS)?

Car Crash Signup and view all the answers

Identify the elements from the car crash scenario: What was the Conditioned Response (CR)?

Shaking and crying due to his favourite song Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Classical Conditioning Overview

Classical Conditioning is a learning process through repeated associations between stimuli to elicit natural responses.
Known as Respondent Conditioning or Pavlovian Conditioning.
Examples include anxiety from prior experiences with magpies, excitement from a dog lead, and fear of flying after traumatic events.

Process of Classical Conditioning

Involves pairing the Unconditioned Stimulus (UCS) with a Neutral Stimulus (NS) or Conditioned Stimulus (CS).
The organism learns to connect the NS/CS with the UCS, leading to a learned response over time.

Stages of Classical Conditioning

Pre-Conditioning Phase: Involves the natural reflex response to a stimulus before any conditioning occurs.
Acquisition Phase: Involves trials where the NS is paired with the UCS, leading to the Unconditioned Response (UCR).
Post-Conditioning Phase: After learning, either the NS or UCS can trigger the response independently.

Definitions of Key Terms

Neutral Stimulus (NS): Stimulus that initially does not trigger a reflexive response; termed CS before conditioning.
Unconditioned Stimulus (UCS): A stimulus that naturally elicits a reflexive response without prior learning.
Unconditioned Response (UCR): Reflexive response naturally occurring in reaction to the UCS.
Conditioned Stimulus (CS): Initially the NS, it elicits a response after conditioning through association with the UCS.
Conditioned Response (CR): The learned response that occurs when the CS is presented, previously the UCR.

Example of Emotional Conditioning

An individual experiences emotional response (UCR) from a car crash (UCS) while listening to their favorite song (NS).
The song then becomes a CS, leading to emotional reactions (CR) upon hearing it later.

Additional Example of Conditioned Response

An individual develops aversive reactions to fish (UCR) after experiencing food poisoning from contaminated fish (UCS).
Subsequent encounters with fish trigger the same aversive response (CR).

Description

Explore the concept of Classical Conditioning through flashcards that cover its definitions and examples. This learning technique, originating from Pavlov's experiments, demonstrates how certain stimuli can elicit responses. Perfect for VCE Psychology students looking to grasp this fundamental topic.