classical conditioning

classical coonditioning

•  Learning explained by changing voluntary behaviors through antecedents (stimuli).

  • Involves pairing two stimuli to create an association.

  • The second stimulus eventually produces the desired response on its own.

  • An association forms between two (or more) stimuli, one of which naturally produces the response, and the other which is not normally associated or produces the response, such that the appearance of this second stimulus alone results in the desired response behaviour

reflex

• Reflex: Innate involuntary response to a stimulus.

• Reflexes are hard-wired and do not need to be learned.

• Unconditioned: Not learned or naturally occurring.

2 types of reflexes

• Somatic Reflexes: Affect skeletal muscles (e.g., withdrawal reflex).

• Autonomic Reflexes: Affect smooth muscles, organs, and glands (e.g., salivation).

unconditioned stimulus

• The UCS is a biologically significant stimulus (e.g., food) that naturally causes a reflex response (e.g., salivation).

• It consistently produces a specific, naturally occurring, automatic response

unconditioned response

• The UCR is an involuntary reflex that occurs automatically in response to a biologically significant stimulus.

• It happens when the unconditioned stimulus (UCS) is presented.

neutral stmulus

• Neutral Stimulus (NS): A stimulus that does not normally cause a reflex or predictable response.

conditioned stimulus

• Conditioned Stimulus (CS): A previously neutral stimulus that acquires the ability to cause a reflex response through association with an unconditioned stimulus.

conditioned response

• Conditioned Response (CR): A reflex response to a conditioned stimulus in the absence of the unconditioned stimulus.

stimulus generlisation

• The tendency for stimuli similar to the $CS$ to trigger a similar response ($CR$).

adaptive role

important for learning

e.g. child burns on fire becomes afraid of flames

non adaptive role

does not help learning/ survival

• e.g. child swatting flies hits a wasp and becomes afraid of flies

stimulus discrimination

• Responding only to the $CS$ and not to similar stimuli.

extinction

• The gradual decrease in the strength of a $CR$ when the $UCS$ is no longer presented.

variation in extinction

• The gradual decrease in the strength of a $CR$ when the $UCS$ is no longer presented.

spontaneous recovery

Spontaneous recovery is when a conditioned response (CR) reappears after a rest period, even after it seems to have been extinguished.

characteristics of spontaneous recovery

• Does not always occur.

• When it does, it is often short-lived.

• The CR is usually weaker than during the original acquisition.

long term outcome of spontaneous recovery

• Long-term Outcome: If extinction is repeated several times, the CR may eventually disappear permanently, and spontaneous recovery will not occur.