Classical Conditioning

Classical Conditioning (aka pavlovian conditioning)

Learning of a contingency between a signal and in event that are paired in time/space.

Instrumental Conditioning

Allows us to associate actions and consequences

Conditioned Response

Conditioned upon training (an unrelated source igniting the same response to the related source).

Ex. Metronome making dog salivate is conditioned response

Contingent Relationship

The presentation of one stimulus reliably leads to the presentation of another.

(Signal —> Event) Ex. Lightning, then Thunder

Unconditioned Stimulus (US)

Stimulus that triggers a natural response without learning

Ex. Food in mouth (US) will naturally cause you to salivate (UR) without any training necessary

Unconditioned Response (UR)

Biologically programmed repsonse after unconditioned stimulus

Ex. Food in mouth (US) will naturally cause you to salivate (UR) without any training necessary

Conditioned Stimulus (CS)

Previously neutral stimulus that becomes associated with an unconditioned stimulus to produce a learned contingency and trigger a response on its own

Ex. Tune (CS) being played before giving dogs food (US) will condition them to salivate (CR/UR) when just the tune starts playing.

Conditioned Response (CR)

Response similar to UR occuring once the contingency between CS and US has been learned.

Ex. Tune (CS) being played before giving dogs food (US) will condition them to salivate (CR) when just the tune starts playing.

Acquisition

The process by which a contingency between a CS and US is learned.

Acquisition Curve

Negatively accelerated increasing function where most learning occurs during the early trials but plateaus in the subsequent trials.

Conditioned vs Unconditioned

If prior learning is required for the stimulus to elicit the response, then it’s conditioned. Otherwise, it’s unconditioned.

Stimulus vs Response

Stimulus is the event, while response is outcome

Extinction

Loss of the CR when the CS no longer predicts the US, caused by repeating the CS alone over many trials without the US.

Spontaneous Recovery

Sudden recovery of a conditional response following a rest period after extinction.

Stimulus Generalization

Process by which similar, but not same, stimulus to the CS will also elicit a CR.

Ex. Presenting 500Hz tone prior to a shock will cause fear, but so will presenting a 400Hz tone

Generalization Gradient

A normal distribution where the highest fear (CR) response is from the original CS, and the fear becomes less on each side as the variations of the CS are presented.

Stimulus Discrimination

Opposite of Stimulus Generalization; Restricts the range of CS that can elicit a response

Ex. Discrimination training so that only 500Hz tone elicits fear, but no other Hz of tones by presenting a shown ONLY with 500Hz tone, and presenting other Hzs in the absence of a shock.

CS+ / CS-

CS+ : Presence of (biological) stimulus
CS- : Absence of (biological) stimulus

Ex.
CS+ : 500hz tone, reliably predicting the presence of a shock
CS- : 600hz tone, reliably predicting the absence of a shock

Alternating between these two in test trials depicts an individuals ability to discriminate between stimuli, by causing fear only with the 500Hz tone.

What are the 2 methods using classical conditioning to get rid of phobias?

1. Implosive Therapy

2. Systematic Desensitization

Implosive Therapy

Individual with phobia is encouraged to confront the CS using imagination.

Ex. Person with germphobia being asked to imagine their hands covered in dirt

Systematic Desensitization

Gradual exposure to CS to slowly make the CR extinct.

Ex. Person with germphobia being asked to cover their hands in paper confetti

Compensatory responses

Responses that counteract the challenge to homeostasis, protecting us from any changes that could become harmful.

What are the 2 types of learning

1. Non-Associative

2. Associative

Non associative learning

Info about one external Stimulus, they modify existing ones instead of creating new ones

1. Habituation: Decrease in behaviour responding to repeated stimulus

2. Sensitization: Increase in behavioural responding to a repeated stimulus

Associative Learning

How 2+ pieces of information are related (classical conditioning and instrumental conditioning)

Brain changes during learning

• long-term potentiation: strengthening synaptic connections between neurons

Learning and Drugs

• Functional changes in addicted brains affect future choice of behaviours

• Addicted brains respond to the drugs AND drug-associated cues

• Shows increased activity at anterior angulate cortex

• drug effects decrease with repeated administration (tolerance gained)

HIgher-Order Conditioning

Established CS is paired with new stimulus, allowing the new one to become another CS able to elicit a CR. It’s weaker and more vulnerable to extinction compared to the original