Learning Theory: Classical Conditioning PDF

**Behaviour theory** **Describe the process of Classical Conditioning** Behaviour therapy is based on learning theory. Rooted in behaviourism- learning is based on our environment by forming associations between triggers and reaction Action-based approach and relies upon tested principles betwee...

**Behaviour theory** **Describe the process of Classical Conditioning** Behaviour therapy is based on learning theory. Rooted in behaviourism- learning is based on our environment by forming associations between triggers and reaction Action-based approach and relies upon tested principles between triggers and reactions Action-based approach: tested principles of classical and operant conditioning underlying learning theory Modern approaches have been guided by learning theory and are nowadays applied through integrated techniques to treat it Learning theory forms the groundwork for cognitive behaviour learning practice in behavioural/clinical interventions Classical conditioning is applied in Behaviour Therapy to: - Understand how behaviours are learned - Understand how behaviours are maintained - Modify or change behaviours - Behaviour modification based on: - Conditioned patterns of emotional reactions & associated physiological responses Changing problematic behaviour into an adaptive behaviour Behaviour is associated with learnt emotional reactions and physical sensations e.g. fear associated with sweating and a higher heart rate learnt behaviour- behaviour that was conditioned by the environment Classical conditioning process: 1. Unconditioned stimulus: not associated with anything eliciting to unconditioned response (not learnt) 2. Other stimuli paired with an unconditioned stimulus are associated together: when this is happening produces an unconditioned response When done many times, when you remove the unconditioned stimulus and only present another stimulus you find presenting on its own produces an unconditioned response. The second stimulus has elicited a conditioned response. *1. Before Learning* Unconditioned Stimulus (UCS) Unconditioned Response (UCR) *2. During Learning* Conditioned Stimulus (CS) + UCS Unconditioned Response (UCR) *3. After Learning* Conditioned Stimulus (CS) Conditioned Response (CR) Classical conditioning shows you how to extinguish maladaptive response Factors that can contribute to the strength of classical conditioning - Temporal Contiguity (time proximity) - Close temporal contiguity between CS (rat) and UCS (noise) - The closer the temporal contiguity between unconditioned stimulus and conditioned stimulus the stronger the classical condition - stronger association - Generalisation - Fear (CR) generalised to a white rabbit, a dog, a sealskin coat, a Santa Claus mask, and even Watson's hair! - Doesn't have to be the same trigger that causes a fearful response it can be something similar - Extinction - Rat (CS) presented without the loud noise (UCS) would lead to extinction of the fear response (CR) - Stopping pairing the two stimuli so the response can extinguish Phobias & avoidance Phobia: conditioned fear - Patients don't put themselves in a position where behaviour will extinguish (as they will avoid exposure to their aversive stimulus) and can cause distress if exposed 'Flooding', i.e., placing the patient at the deep end, is the least preferred option; almost completely replaced by graduated exposure or systematic desensitization--graded exposure *Systematic desensitisation* - Based on graded exposure and counter-conditioning (opposite response) - Entails training the patient in deep muscle relaxation. constructing a hierarchy of anxiety-provoking situations. and presenting each situation seriatim to the imagination of the person in a relaxed, non-anxious state - Owing to recent technological advances, can be supplemented or replaced by real-life exposure, i.e. in vivo desensitization Replace the conditioned response with another response which is adaptive Technique Relaxation technique given to patients: construct anxiety resulting events and rank them Ask the patient to think of that situation and apply the relaxation technique they have learnt - Uses specially programmed computer software, visual immersion devices and artificially created environments to give the patient a simulated experience; - Graded exposure and habituation to a vivid experience, to enable counter-conditioning of the maladaptive response without the associated costs of in-vivo exposure; applied effectively for the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder **Describe the process of Operant Conditioning** ***Operant*** ***conditioning*** is applied in Behaviour Therapy to: Behaviour modification based on: ABC of operant conditioning **A** **B** **C** - A = Antecedent stimulus - Conditions/situation in which the behaviour occurs - Example: green light - B = Behaviours (operants) - Behavioural response - Example: rat presses lever - C = Consequence - What happens because of the operant behaviour *Association with certain behaviours* *Reinforcement*  *Punishment* reduces the likelihood of behaviour occurring in the future remove desirable stimulus - Positive punishment is deemed to be less effective - May arouse negative emotions or aggression - May not generalise to other situations/behaviours; doesn't teach desired behaviour - Negative punishment is the preferred means of punishment - Less likely to arouse negative emotions or aggression - e.g. placing individual in an environment with no reinforcers until undesirable behaviour has dissipated - e.g. removing the reinforcing consequences that maintain a response **Explain the related phenomena of temporal contiguity, generalisation, extinction and shaping** Temporal conguiniuity Also important for operant conditioning - Conditioning is more effective with temporal contiguity of response and reinforcement Generalisation - Conditioned behaviour transfers to **antecedent situations or stimuli** that are similar to the original trained one - Occurs without further conditioning after generalisation of reward contingency e.g. rat presses lever when seeing green light as well as when hearing a sound (stimulus after generalisation) Extinction - Gradual decrease in behaviour until it is no longer produced - Occurs when Behaviour is no longer associated with its Consequences e.g. rat pressing lever no longer produces food Shaping - Use of ***shaping*** techniques to build up desired behaviours - Reinforcement of successive approximations to the desired behaviour - Break desired behaviour into series of simpler steps - Start training simple behaviours and build up gradually to more complex ones - Using examples, describe the application of these processes to the management of behavioural or clinical problems Behaviour therapies -- applications **Classical conditioning techniques** Re-conditioning or counter-conditioning; involving flooding or graded exposure (e.g. systematic desensitisation) **Operant conditioning techniques** Reinforcing, punishing and shaping Applied to a range of mental health problems including: Depressive and anxiety disorders; schizophrenia; anorexia; neurodevelopmental disorders; as well as physical conditions, e.g. chronic pain