Chapt 3- Elicited Behaviors and Classical Conditioning

appetitive conditioning.

Conditioning procedure in which the US is an appetitive event (one that an organism approaches or seeks out).

aversive conditioning.

Conditioning procedure in which the US is an aversive event (one that an organism avoids).

backward conditioning.

Conditioning procedure in which the onset of the NS follows the onset of the US.

classical conditioning.

A process whereby a stimulus comes to elicit a response because it has been paired with (or associated with) another stimulus. Also known as Pavlovian conditioning or respondent conditioning.

conditioned response (CR).

The response, often similar to the unconditioned response, that is elicited by the conditioned stimulus.

conditioned stimulus (CS).

Any stimulus that, although initially neutral, comes to elicit a response because it has been associated with (paired with) an unconditioned stimulus.

delayed conditioning.

Conditioning procedure in which the onset of the NS precedes the onset of the US, and the two stimuli overlap.

dishabituation.

The reappearance (or recovery) of a habituated response to a stimulus following the presentation of another, seemingly irrelevant novel stimulus.

elicited behavior.

Behavior that is drawn out (elicited) by a preceding stimulus. Also known as respondent behavior.

excitatory conditioning.

Conditioning procedure in which a stimulus is associated with the presentation of a US and therefore, as a CS, comes to elicit a response.; pairing an NS with the presentation of an US

fixed action pattern.

A fixed sequence of responses elicited by a specific stimulus.

flexion response.

The automatic response of jerking one's hand or foot away from a hot or sharp object.

habituation.

A decrease in the strength of an elicited response following repeated presentations of a stimulus that naturally (without prior learning) elicits that response.

inhibitory conditioning.

Conditioning procedure in which a stimulus is associated with the absence or removal of a US and therefore, as a CS, comes to inhibit the occurrence a response (meaning that the response is less likely to occur when the CS is present than when it is absent).

opponent-process theory.

A theory proposing that an emotional event elicits two competing processes- (1) an a-process (or primary process) that is directly elicited by the event, and (2) a b-process (or opponent process) that is elicited by the a-process and serves to counteract the a-process.

orienting response.

The automatic positioning of oneself to facilitate attending to a stimulus.

pseudoconditioning.

False conditioning in which an elicited response that appears to be a CR is actually the result of sensitization rather than conditioning.

reflex.

A relatively simple, involuntary response to a stimulus.

reflex arc. (sim)

A neural structure that underlies many simple reflexes and consists of a sensory neuron, an interneuron, and a motor neuron, in that order.

sensitization.

An increase in the strength of an elicited response following repeated presentations of the stimulus that naturally (without prior learning) elicits that response.

sign stimulus (or releaser).

A specific stimulus that elicits a fixed action pattern.

simultaneous conditioning.

Conditioning procedure in which the onset of the NS and the onset of the US are simultaneous.

startle response.

A defensive reaction to a sudden, unexpected stimulus, which involves the automatic tightening of skeletal muscles and various hormonal and visceral changes.

temporal conditioning.

A form of classical conditioning in which the CS is the passage of time.

trace conditioning.

Conditioning procedure in which the onset and offset of the NS precede the onset of the US.

unconditioned response (UR).

The response that is naturally (without prior learning) elicited by the unconditioned stimulus.

unconditioned stimulus (US).

A stimulus that naturally (without prior learning) elicits a response.