PSYC 245: Ch 4, Classical Conditioning: Basic Phenomenon and Various Complexities

What is acquisition?

strengthening the CR response

what is an asymtope of conditioning?

peak (intensity) response

what are two factors that influence acquisiton?

• NS Intensity: NS - CS (ie strong smell)

• US Intensity: US - CS (ie food - vomitting)

What is high-order conditioning?

1. Clown: balloon pop - fear; Clown: fear

2. Bday Party: Clown - fear; Bday party: fear

what is advertising with celebs?

• wholesome: celebs w/ no record etc.

  • “edgy”: celebs w a past (drugs, etc.)

what is a compound stimuli?

2 stim at 1 time

what is overshadowing?

1 stim more powerful than another, over “powers” it

ex: training dog to sit

What is blocking?

presence of est. CS “blocks”/interferes with conditioning of a new CS

ex: dog knows how to “sit”, training it to stay “down” and doesn’t respond as well

what is extinction?

CS no longer present w US; stopping a CR

• process: weaken/eliminate CR

• procedure: CS w/out US to extinguish CR

why is fear so hard to extinguish?

emotions can return and act as a stimulus at any time

why can you not completely unlearn/forget a stimulus?

inhibition; you can repress it, but it’s still there; cannot be completely ignored

what is stimulus discrimination?

can tell the difference between/w CS and another stim

what is discrimination training?

responding to ONE stimulus when looking at the original and the similar stimulus

What is stimulus generalization?

response to stimulus becomes response to similar

what is the Little Albert Experiment?

baby, loud noises presented w white fluffy animals

• conditioned to fear all white, fluffy objects w/out the loud noise

What is spontaneous recovery?

you remember it after a short period of absence

• brief and not as strong as CS

why are emotions important in classical conditioning/in general?

senses/emotions can trigger a response; smells especially