Chapter 5: Classical Conditioning Concepts and Applications

Vocabulary flashcards covering theories, phobia mechanisms, classical conditioning treatments, and practical applications from Chapter 5 lecture notes.

Stimulus-Substitution Theory

A classical conditioning theory stating that the CS acts as a substitute for the US, predicting that the CR should always be the same, or at least highly similar, to the UR.

Preparatory-Response Theory of Conditioning

A theory proposing that the purpose of the CR is to prepare the organism for the presentation of the US, allowing for situations where the CR and UR are different.

Compensatory-Response Model

A model of drug addiction showing that drug-related cues elicit compensatory responses (such as agitation, cravings, and withdrawal) that maintain drug use through negative reinforcement.

Rescorla-Wagner Theory

A theory stating that a US can support only a limited amount of conditioning, which must be distributed among various CSs, with stronger stimuli supporting more conditioning than weaker stimuli.

Overexpectation Effect

A decrease in the conditioned response that occurs when two separately conditioned CSs are combined into a compound stimulus for further pairings with the US.

US Revaluation

The process where exposure to a US of a different intensity than used during conditioning alters the strength of the response to a previously conditioned CS.

Incubation

The strengthening of a conditioned fear response as a result of brief exposures to an aversive CS.

Selective Sensitization

An increase in an individual's reactivity to a potentially fearful stimulus following exposure to an unrelated stressful event.

Systematic Desensitization

A classical conditioning treatment for phobias involving relaxation training, creation of a hierarchy of 10 to 15 imaginary scenes, and pairing each hierarchy item with relaxation.

Counterconditioning

A procedure in which a CS that elicits one type of response is associated with an event that elicits an incompatible response.

Reciprocal Inhibition

The principle that the occurrence of one response can be inhibited by the occurrence of an incompatible response.

Flooding

A classical conditioning treatment involving prolonged exposure at some level to a feared stimulus to provide maximal opportunity for the conditioned fear response to extinguish.

Imaginal Flooding

A flooding procedure in which the client is asked to visualize, as clearly as possible, a scenario involving the feared event.

In Vivo Flooding

A flooding procedure that involves prolonged exposure to the actual feared event.

Participant Modeling / Contact Desensitization

A hybrid treatment technique used in conjunction with exposure that has been shown to greatly facilitate treatment for phobias.

Aversion Therapy

A treatment procedure for problem behaviors that reduces the attractiveness of a desired event by associating it with an aversive stimulus.

Covert Sensitization

A form of aversion therapy carried out using imaginal stimuli rather than real stimuli.

Placebo Effect

A medical application of classical conditioning resulting from pairing the appearance of a drug (originally a neutral stimulus) with the active ingredients of the drug (the unconditioned stimulus).