7A - Classical Conditioning

Habituation

the diminishing of a physiological or emotinal response to a frequently repeated stimulus (Ex: No longer being startled when the subway train goes by your house).

associative learning

learning that certain events occur together. The events may be two stimuli (as in classical conditioning) or a response and its consequences (as in operant conditioning).

Stimulus

any event or situation that evokes a response (ex. food is a stimulus that produces the response, salivating)

classical conditioning

a type of learning in which one learns to link two or more stimuli and anticipate events

Behaviorism

a theory of learning that suggests that all behaviors are acquired through conditioning processes.

neutral stimulus (NS)

in classical conditioning, a stimulus that does not elicit a response before conditioning

unconditioned stimulus (US)

in classical conditioning, a stimulus that naturally and automatically triggers a response

unconditioned response (UR)

In classical conditioning, the unlearned, naturally occurring response to the unconditioned stimulus

conditioned stimulus (CS)

in classical conditioning, an originally neutral stimulus that, after association with an unconditioned stimulus, triggers a conditioned response

conditioned response (CR)

in classical conditioning, the learned response to a previously neutral (but now conditioned) stimulus (CS)

acquisition

the initial stage of learning when a new behavior or response is established.

higher-order conditioning

a type of classical conditioning that involves using a conditioned stimulus to create a new conditioned stimulus. (Ex. An animal is conditioned to associate a bell with food; then a light is paired with the bell, the bell is removed, and the animal associates the light with food).

Extinction

the gradual weakening of a conditioned response that results in the behavior decreasing or disappearing.

spontaneous recovery

the reappearance, after a pause, of an extinguished conditioned response

Generalization

the tendency, once a response has been conditioned, for stimuli similar to the conditioned stimulus to elicit similar responses. (Ex. Little Albert has a fear response to a rat and generalizes that fear to a bunny too).

Discrimination

in classical conditioning, the learned ability to distinguish between a conditioned stimulus and stimuli that do not signal an unconditioned stimulus (Ex. your ability to distinguish between your cell phone chime and your friend’s so that you don’t respond to it)

Taste Aversion

a learned response where an individual develops a strong dislike or avoidance of a specific food or drink after associating it with a negative experience, such as nausea or illness

One Trial Learning

a type of learning where a strong association or response is established after only one exposure to a stimulus or experience

Biological Preparedness

the idea that living organisms are naturally predisposed to learn certain associations between stimuli and responses more easily than othersThe