unit 3 - topic 2 learning

classical conditioning

focuses on learning through association, where a previously neutral stimulus causes a reflex response.

key terms

response and reflex response

response

is the behaviour that emerges as a result of a stimulus

reflex response

an automatic, involuntary and almost instantaneous response to a stimulus.

reflex components

NS, UCS, UCR, CS, CR

neutral stimulus (NS)

on it’s own does not elicit a particular response - e.g. “lemon”

unconditioned stimulus (UCS)

an inherent ability to elicit the reflex response - e.g. something thrown at you

unconditioned response (UCR)

the reflexive reaction to a specific unconditioned stimulus - e.g. causes a flinch

conditioned stimulus (CS)

elicits a particular due to learning (same as NS) - e.g. “lemon”

conditioned response (CR)

reflex response elicited by a previously neutral stimulus as a consequence of learning (same as UCR) - e.g. causes a flinch

key principles of classical conditioning

acquisition, stimulus generalisation, discrimination, extinction, spontaneous recovery

acquisition

when the neutral stimulus s repeatedly paired with the unconditioned stimulus and the association is formed = classical conditioning

stimulus generalisation

a similar stimulus to the conditioned stimulus elicits the same response

discrimination

a stimulus does no elicit the same response, because it differs too significantly from the conditioned stimulus

extinction

the repeated presentation of the conditioned stimulus on its own, ceases to elicit the conditioned response

spontaneous recovery

the sudden reappearance of a previously extinct conditioned response after the unconditioned stimulus has been absent for some time

Study: Pavlov’s Dog (1902)

aim, method, procedure, findings, contributions, and crit and lims