Module 3 EDF 6225

Respondent Conditioning

The first type of learning to be discovered and studied within the behaviorist tradition

Ivan Pavlov

The major theorist in the development of classical conditioning

Ivan Pavlov studied...

The digestive system of dogs and observed that dogs were deprived of food began to salivate when one of his assistants walked into the room

Classical Conditioning

Stimulus (S) elicits > Response (R) conditioning since the antecedent stimulus (singular) causes (elicits) the reflexive or involuntary response to occur

Classical conditioning starts with a...

Reflex

The specific Model for classical conditioning

1.) Unconditioned Stimulus (US) elicits > Unconditioned Response (UR)

2.) Neutral Stimulus (NS) > does not elicit the response of interest

3.) Neutral/Orienting Stimulus (NS) is repeatedly paired with the Unconditioned/Natural Stimulus (US)

4.) The NS is transformed into a Conditioned Stimulus (CS)

Respondent Conditioning

No new behaviors are learned

Unconditioned Stimulus (UCS)

The stimulus that will automatically or reflextively elicit a specific response in order to have respondent conditioning

Neutral Stimulus/Orienting Stimulus

A stimulus that will not elicit this specific response, but will elicit an orienting response

Before conditioning

- Unconditioned Stimulus (UCS)

- Neutral stimulus/orienting stimulus

During conditioning

- The neutral stimulus will first be presented, followed by the unconditioned stimulus

- The learner will develop an association/connection between these two stimuli

After conditioning

- The previously neutral or orienting stimulus will elicit the response previously only elicited by the unconditioned stimulus

- Conditioned Stimulus

- Conditioned Response

Conditioned Stimulus

Elicits a different response as a result of conditioning or learning

Conditioned Response

Elicited by a stimulus as a result of learning

John Watson believed that...

Humans are born with the ability to emotionally respond involuntary to only a few stimuli

According to Watson...

The fact that adults respond involuntarily with anxiety to a larger number of stimuli than babies do, is due to classical conditioning

To test Watson's theory...

Watson and Rayner (1920) respondently conditioned an emotional response of anxiety in an infant they dubbed "Little Albert"

Watson and Rayner's Respondent Conditioning Procedure

- To get Albert to fear the rat

- CS = Seeing Rat --- paired with --- UCS Loud Noise (reflex --- UCR distress)

The classical conditioning of phobic disorder

States that the learned fear to a CS generalizes (transfers) to other stimuli, with the most transfer occurring to stimuli that are most similar to the CS

Stimulus Discrimination

Refers to a procedure in which a stimulus that is similar to an established cs-and therefore, that elicts a CR - is never followed by the UCS, thereby causing the CR to that stimulus to extinguish

Classical Conditioning Theory of Phobic Disorder

Individuals learn to discriminate between the CS, which often is followed by the UCS, from stimuli that are similar to it but are rarely or never followed by the UCS

What did Thorndike perform research in?

The ability of cats to learn to escape from a "puzzle box"

In classical conditioning....

Subjects learn that the presentation of one stimulus is followed by the presentation of a second stimulus that reflexively elicits an involuntary response

With both respondent conditioning and operant learning

Subjects learn to associate paired events

Mostly or fully involuntary

It is virtually impossible to voluntarily experience a complete panic attack

More involuntary than voluntary

It is virtually impossible not to salivate when asked to inhibit this response after food has been placed on one's tongue

More voluntary than involuntary

People with mild tic disorders (such as mild tourette's disorder) can easily perform their tics when asked to do so, and to not perform their tics when asked not to do so

Mostly or fully voluntary

It is quite easy for most people to move their left thumbs when asked to do so, and not to move their left thumbs when asked not to do so

In Operant Learning

Subjects learn that, when placed within a particular situation, the performance of a voluntary (nonreflexive) response to the situation will be followed by a rewarding (or punishing) consequence

The most important difference between the two types of learning

- In respondant conditioning, the CR is elicted reflexively by a preceding stimulus (the CS)

- In operant learning, the learned response (operant response) is performed because it is followed by a stimulus (the reward)

5 Basic principles in operant conditioning

1.) Positive Reinforcement

2.) Negative Reinforcement

3.) Response Cost

4.) Punishment

5.) Extinction

Positive Reinforcement

Added after a response and increases the frequency of the response

Negative Reinforcement

After the response, the negative reinforcer is removed which weakens the frequency of the response

Response Cost

Weakens a behavior by subtracting a positive stimulus, then the positive reinforcer is removed after which weakens it

Punishment

Has to weaken a behavior by adding a negative stimulus, then after the response, a negative or aversive stimulus is added which weakens it

Extinction

No longer reinforcing a previously reinforced response results in the weakening of the frequency of the response