Classical Conditioning

Mental Representation

The format in which information is encoded, stored, and reconstructed within our minds = schemas

Cognition

activities of ‘the mind’ - involves acquisition and use of knowledge and mental processes including perception, attention, memory

Learning

The set of biological, cognitive, and social processes through which organisms make meaning from their experiences, producing long-lasting changes in their behavior, abilities, and knowledge = makes some species more adaptive than others as can predict the future from past

Sensitization

The temporary state of heightened attention and responsivity that accompanies sudden and surprising events.

Habituation

The gradual diminishing of attention and responsivity that occurs when a stimulus persists = ignore repetitive non-threatening stimuli so can focus attention on more important changes in environment.

Conditioning

Learning predictive relationships

Classical Conditioning

Learning predictive relationships between initially NS and UCS and its UCR so that the NS becomes a CS that causes CR on its own

Neutral Stimulus (NS)

A stimulus that does not initially produce a reflex response.

Unconditioned Stimulus (UCS)

A biologically significant stimulus that naturally causes a reflex response.

Unconditioned Response (UCR)

An unlearned, innate reflex response to an unconditioned stimulus.

Conditioned Stimulus (CS)

A formerly neutral stimulus that, after association with an unconditioned stimulus, elicits a conditioned response.

Conditioned Response (CR)

A learned reflex response to a conditioned stimulus.

Stimulus Generalization

The transfer of a classically conditioned response to other similar stimuli - occurs naturally

Stimulus Discrimination

Trained to produce a response only to a specific stimulus - learn to discriminate between 2 similar stimuli when these stimuli are not consistently associated with same UCS (non-target stimuli never associated with UCS)

Extinction

CR weakened by presenting CS without UCS = association not completely gone

Spontaneous Recovery

re-emergence of previously extinguished CR- short-lived as will rapidly extinguish again if not pairing CS and UCS

Rapid Reacquisition

Relearning a conditioned response more quickly after extinction than the first time

perceptual cognitive cycle

current experience is product of combing perceptual present and cognitive past = schemas constantly updated as explore world

cognitive capacities

capacities to learn about and respond to their environment in adaptive ways through learning and memory

behaviourism

John Watson - approach that emphasises study of observable behaviour by focusing on relationship between stimuli and responses. Dismisses study of internal mental states

non-associative learning

hardwired information that doesn’t need to be learned. Forms including sensitisation and habituation

associative learning

learning that forms association between 2 stimuli or stimuli and a response = enables organism to predict outcomes based on past

3 phases

1. conditions that exist before conditioning - NS not yet associated with stimuli and UCR to UCS that is either naturally rewarding (appetitive) or punishing (aversive)

2. during conditioning - predictive relationship between NS and UCS begins to form

3. after conditioning - NS becomes CS that produces CR in preparation for UCS

Little Albert

Watson and Rayner 1920 - initially Albert wasn’t afraid of range of stimuli including white rat. But had natural startled response to loud noise. Albert was exposed to a white rat paired with loud noises, resulting in a fear response to the rat.

• NS/CS = white rat

• UCS = loud noise

• UCR = scared/crying

• CR = scared of rat

Kandel’s experiment

On aplysia. wanted to map neural pathway of classical conditioning

• NS/CS = gentle touch to siphon

• UCS = electric shock to tail

• UCR = gill-withdrawal

• CR = gill-withdrawal when gentle touch is applied