classical conditioning

backward conditioning

presenting a neutral stimulus after an unconditional stimulus comes (yields no learning)

classical conditioning

learning an association between a previously neutral event and an event that reliably follows the once-neutral event

conditional response (CR)

a learned response to a previously neutral stimulus that means something good or bad is likely to happen

conditional stimulus (CS)

something that was originally neutral, but which has been associated with a naturally good or bad stimulus

discrimination

learning not to respond to a stimulus that resembles a CS when the UCS does not follow the similar stimulus

extinction

the disappearance of a conditioned response (a CR) after the CS is repeatedly presented without the UCS following

generalization

responding to a stimulus that resembles a CS as if it were that CS (more resemblance, stronger response)

one-trial learning

a surprising form of classical conditioning that happens when the CS and UCS are paired only once

predictiveness hypothesis

the idea that classical conditioning only happens when a CS predicts that an UCS is usually coming It explains why backward conditioning doesn't work.

preparedness

an innate readiness to learn some things easily (like a fear of snakes)

second-order conditioning

a complex form of classical conditioning in which - after learning that a CS predicts the delivery of the UCS - the organism learns that a different stimulus predicts the delivery of the previously learned CS: CSx CSy UCS

spontaneous recovery

the (post-extinction) return of a conditional response (CR) after a delay during which the CS was not presented at all

unconditional response (UCR)

a natural response to a positive or negative stimulus (e.g., drooling for meat powder)

unconditional stimulus (UCS)

something that produces a natural response in the absence of learning