Lesson 3 (Classical Conditioning) PDF

Behaviorist Approach Classical Conditioning The approach is only concerned with observable stimulus-response behaviors. All behaviors are learned through interaction with the environment. Even complex actions can be broken down into stimulus-response....

Behaviorist Approach Classical Conditioning The approach is only concerned with observable stimulus-response behaviors. All behaviors are learned through interaction with the environment. Even complex actions can be broken down into stimulus-response. Black box Stimulus (can’t be Response studied)  Stimulus Response (anything that (Reaction to an causes a event) response) John Watson In 1913, Watson published the article “Psychology as the behaviorist views it”(also called “The Behaviorist Manifesto”). In the manifesto, Watson outlined the major features of behaviorism: 1- All behavior is learned from the environment When born our mind is a blank slate. 2- Psychology should be seen as a science Theories need to be supported by empirical data “It’s theoritecal goal is ……. prediction and control.” While behaviorists often accept the existence of cognitions and emotions, they prefer not to study them 3- There is little difference between the learning that takes place in humans and that in other animals Research can be carried out on animals as well as humans. Rats and pigeons became the primary source of data for behaviorists, as their environments could be easily controlled. 4- Behavior is the result of stimulus-response Watson described the purpose of psychology as: 'To predict, given the stimulus, what reaction will take place; or, given the reaction, state what the situation or stimulus is that has caused the reaction.’ Classical Conditioning Ivan Pavlov Terms of the theory 1- Neutral Stimulus: A neutral stimulus (NS) is a stimulus that initially does not evoke a response until it is paired with the unconditioned stimulus. 2- Unconditioned Stimulus: A feature of the environment that causes a natural and automatic unconditioned response. 3- Unconditioned Response: An unlearned response that occurs automatically when the unconditioned stimulus is presented. 4- Conditioned Stimulus: A substitute stimulus that triggers the same response in an organism as an unconditioned stimulus. 5- Conditioned Response: The learned response to the previously neutral stimulus. 6- Acquisition: It describes when an organism learns to connect a neutral stimulus and an unconditioned stimulus. 7- Extinction: A gradual weakening of a conditioned response by breaking the association between the conditioned and the unconditioned stimuli. 8- Spontaneous Recovery: The return of a conditioned response (in a weaker form) after a period of time following extinction. 9- Generalization: The tendency to respond in the same way to stimuli that are similar but not identical to the conditioned stimulus. 10- Discrimination: A process through which individuals learn to differentiate among similar stimuli and respond appropriately to each one. For example, eventually Pavlov’s dog learns the difference between the sound of the 2 bells and no longer salivates at the sound of the non-food bell. Little Albert Experiment Watson & Rayner (1920) were the first psychologists to apply the principles of classical conditioning to human behavior by looking at how this learning process may explain the development of phobias. Before Conditioning: When he was about nine months old, his reactions to various stimuli (including a white rat, burning newspapers and a hammer striking a four-foot steel bar just behind his head) were tested. Only the last of these frightened him, so this was designated the unconditioned stimulus (UCS) and fear the unconditioned response (UCR). The other stimuli were neutral because they did not produce fear. During Conditioning: When Albert was just over eleven months old, the rat and the UCS were presented together: as Albert reached out to stroke the animal, Watson struck the bar behind his head. After Conditioning: This occurred seven times in total over the next seven weeks. By this time the rat, the conditioned stimulus (CS), on its own frightened Albert, and fear was now a conditioned response (CR). Classical conditioning in the classroom: Theachers should make sure that students associate positive emotional experiences to learning. Critical evaluation: Complex human behaviour such as memory, thinking, reasoning or problem-solving has proved more problematic. In normal adults, the conditioning process can apparently be overriden by instructions. The deterministic approach underestimates the uniqueness of humanbeings and their free well.  ‫‪:‬ﻓﺰورة‬ ‫ أﻧت ﺳﺎﺋق ﻟﺣﺎﻓﻠﺔ ﺗﺣﻣل ‪ ٤٠‬ﺷﺧص‪ ،‬ﻗﻣت ﺑﻣﻠﺋﮭﺎ وﺑدأت ﺑﺎﻟﺳﯾر ﻋﻧدﻣﺎ وﺻﻠت إﻟﻰ اﻟﻣﺣطﺔ‬ ‫اﻷوﻟﻰ ﻧزل ‪ ٧‬رﻛﺎب وﺻﻌد ‪ ٥‬ﺛم ﻋﻧدﻣﺎ وﺻﻠت ﻟﻠﻣﺣطﺔ اﻟﺛﺎﻧﯾﺔ ﺻﻌد ‪ ٣‬وﻧزل ‪... ٨‬اﻟﺳؤال‬ ‫ھو ﻛم ﻋﻣر ﺳﺎﺋق اﻟﺣﺎﻓﻠﺔ؟‬ ‫ اﻹﺟﺎﺑﺔ‪:‬‬ ‫ ﻋﻣر ﻟﺳﺎﺋق ھو ﻋﻣرك اﻧت ﻷﻧﮫ ﻛﻣﺎ ﻗﻠﻧﺎ ﺑداﯾﺔ اﻟﺳؤال أﻧت اﻟﺳﺎﺋق‬ Quiz 1- Classical conditioning is a type of learning in which a neutral stimulus comes to bring about a response before it is paired with a stimulus that naturally brings about that response. A. True B. False Correct Answer: B. False 2- Unconditioned Stimulus is a stimulus that, before conditioning, does not naturally bring about the response of interest. A. True B. False Correct Answer B. False 3- The reemergence of an extinguished conditioned response after a period of rest and with no further conditioning is known as Extinction. A. True B. False Correct Answer B. False 4- Unconditioned Stimulus is a stimulus that naturally brings about a particular response without having been learned. A. True B. False Correct Answer A. True 5- Stimulus Generalization occurs if two stimuli are sufficiently distinct from one another that one evokes a conditioned response but the other does not. A. True B. False Correct Answer B. False 6- When the conditioned stimulus is no longer paired with the unconditioned stimulus, what occurs? A. Extinction B. Generalization C. Discrimination D. Nothing Correct Answer A. Extinction 7- Morebucks, a Labrador retriever, will get her ball when her human companion says, "Morebucks, get your ball." When her human companion says, "Morebucks, get your toy," the dog will bring back a toy, not the ball. This demonstrates the principle of learning called A. Spontaneous recovery B. Cognitive learning C. Discrimination D. Generalization Correct Answer C. Discrimination 8- Samantha got sick one evening after eating sushi for dinner. Even though she actually had the flu, the thought of eating sushi now makes her nauseated. In this case, thinking about sushi is a A. Unconditioned Stimulus B. Unconditioned Response C. Conditioned Response D. Conditioned Stimulus Correct Answer D. Conditioned Stimulus 9- The key element in classical conditioning is A. Timing B. Reflexive Behaviour C. Learning D. Association Correct Answer D. Association  10- Which of the following statements is NOT suggested by behaviorists? A) Behavior could be understood and described without reference to mental processes. B) A person’s behavior at any given time is determined by that person’s past experiences with the environment. C) Significant portions of a person’s psychology are innate. Correct Answer C) Significant portions of a person’s psychology are innate.