9 - Varieties of Conditioned Responses

Flashcards about varieties of conditioned responses, goal-tracking and sign-tracking conditioned approach responses, stimulus-substitution theory, sign/goal tracking, opponent process theory, conditioned compensatory response, and drug overdose

Factors Influencing the Form of the CR

Individual differences between subjects, properties of the US, properties of the CS, ethological factors, and homeostasis

Goal Tracking

Subjects approach and investigate the location that the US (i.e. food) will be delivered.

Sign Tracking

Subjects approach and investigate the CS.

Stimulus-Substitution Theory

Posits that the CS starts to take on properties of the US as subjects learn Pavlovian associations.

Sign/Goal Tracking - Species Differences

Pigeons are prolific sign trackers, and individual rats tend to sign track or goal track (but usually not both).

Sign/Goal Tracking - Clinical Implications

Sign tracking seems to be more common in female rats; a tendency to show sign-tracking CRs may predict increased susceptibility to addiction.

Adaptive Role of Sign Tracking

Directs animals towards good things and away from bad things; taste aversions and preferences are sign-tracking “approach” responses.

Examples of sign-tracking

Learning: Visual CS → food Both CSs evoked sign-tracking responses: Wood block CS evoked biting, gnawing, and nibbling as CR. [Consistent with stim. sub. theory] Rat CS evoked grooming and sniffing as CR!

Opponent Process Theory - A-Process

Physiological changes that move an organism away from homeostasis; usually triggered by an external stimulus.

Opponent Process Theory - B-Process

Physiological changes that attempt to counteract the A-process.

B-Process Sensitization

With repeated activations, the b-process increases in magnitude; results in reduced subjective experience (tolerance) and increased overshoot/after-effect.

Conditioned Compensatory Response

A CR that develops to oppose the effects of a US that will move the organism away from homeostasis; after learning the CS-US relationship, b-process is activated by a CS that predicts the US.

Conditioned Compensatory Response - Artificial Sweeteners

Sweet taste (CS) activates the blood-sugar-lowering b-process (CR), but the a-process (elevated blood sugar from sucrose) never arrives; net result: hypoglycemia.

Conditioned Compensatory Response - Drug Overdose

Familiar surrounding act as CSs that trigger a conditioned compensatory response to user’s drug of choice; in a novel environment, lack of compensatory response causes stronger drug effect.