Classical Conditioning

Behaviourist Approaches to learning

theories that propose learning occurs by interacting with the external environment

classical conditioning

a process of learning through the involuntary association between a neutral stimulus and an unconditioned stimulus that results in a conditioned response

three stages of classical conditioning

1. before conditioning

2. during conditioning

3. after conditioning

before conditioning

the first stage of classical conditioning, during which the neutral stimulus has no associations and therefore does not produce any significant response

neutral stimulus

the stimulus that produces no significant response prior to conditioning

unconditioned stimulus

the stimulus that produces an unconscious response

unconditioned response

a naturally occurring behaviour in response to a stimulus

During conditioning

the second stage of classical conditioning, during which the neutral stimulus is repeatedly paired with the unconditioned stimulus, producing the unconditioned response

after conditioning

the third stage of classical conditioning, during which the neutral stimulus becomes the conditioned stimulus, producing a conditioned response

conditioned stimulus

the stimulus (initially NS) that produces a conditioned response after being paired with an unconditioned stimulus

conditioned response

the response that occurs involuntarily after the conditioned stimulus is presented

classical conditioning (diagram)

Before conditioning:

NS ---> no response

UCS ---> UCR

During Condtioning:

NS + UCS ---> UCR

After Conditioning:

CS —> CR