B.A. Ch.3

Phylogenetic Behavior & Pavlovian Conditioning

What is Behavior?

An individual living organism's activity, public or private, which may be influenced by internal or external stimulation.

Behavior only helps an individual survive only if…

only if the action suits the local enviornent.

Learning helps individuals survive in…

in an ever changing environment.

What are two types of behavior?

Phylogenic & Learned (Ontogenic)

What is Phylogenic behavior?

Actions owning their origins to natural selection/not learned, evolution

What is Learned (ontogenic) behavior?

Behavior acquired or modified during the individual’s lifetime

What is an example of Phylogenic behavior?

Reflexes

What are reflexes?

Innate, genetically “programmed” behaviors common to all members of the species that increase the chance of survival in the stable ecological niche.

What is an example of Learned (ontogenic) behavior?

Habituation (modifying our reflexes) & Pavlovian Learning

What does elicit mean?

When a stimulus causes a reflexive response.

What behavior is correlated with elicit?

Phylogenic

What does evoke mean?

All other occasions when behavior is influenced by a stimulus.

What behavior is correlated with evoke?

Learned (Pavlovian & Operant)

George walks up on stage to present to an audience. The A/C is faulty, and the stage lights are bright. Although George is comfortable presenting to audiences, he begins to sweat

Elicit

John hears a loud noise and immediately reaches up to cover his ears with his hands

Evoke

What is habituation?

Gradual reduction in responding following repeated presentation of the eliciting stimulus. Decreases magnitude

Sensitization

No matter if the magnitude is high or low the same “high” response occurs.

How was Pavlovian Learning discovered?

Ivan Pavlov sprayed meat powder in dog’s mouth to study saliva production.

NS means

neutral stimulus

US means

unconditioned stimulus

CS means

conditioned stimulus

UR means

unconditioned stimulus

CR means

conditioned response

How does Pavlovian Learning work?

1. NS + US (creates)➡ UR over and over with time the span of time increasing

2. Eventually the the NS is no longer necessary and the US becomes the CS

3. CS (creates)➡ CR

An example of Pavlovian Conditioning?

The Little Albert Experiment

Three Things Learned in Pavlovian Conditioning

1. The CS signals a delay-reduction to the US

2. The US is coming! The US is coming!

3. Humans are really good at timing thing

Four Principles of Effective Pavlovian Conditioning

1. Use an important US.

2. Use a salient (noticeable) CS.

3. Use a CS that signals a large delay reduction to the US.

4. Make sure the CS is not redundant. Order matters

Pavlovian conditioning is strongly influenced by what?

Human emotions

Pavlovian Generalization

Conditioned responding to a novel stimulus that resembles the CS.

Pavlovian Extinction

After Pavlovian learning is established, the CS is presented but the US does not follow. Eventually, the CS stops eliciting a response.

What is an Extinction-Based Therapy?

If the CR is a negative emotion, then Pavlovian extinction might be used to reduce that fear.

Who first used Extinction-Based Therapy?

Mary Cover Jones

Examples of what Extinction-Based Therapy is used for?

PTSD, pain, sex, and food aversion.

Who/what most commonly used emotion conditioning.

Watson; Advertising