Psych 1X03 Unit 2 Classical Conditioning

Conditional Response (CR)

An automatic response established by training (learning) to a once neutral stimulus—the conditional stimulus (CS).

Conditional Stimulus (CS)

A previously neutral stimulus that, after becoming associated with the unconditional stimulus (US), now triggers a conditional response (CR).

Conditioning Trials

Trials in which the CS and US are presented together. These trials create an association between the two stimuli. Also known as training trails.

Contiguity

The extent to which the CS and US occur together in time and space.

Contingency

A term used to describe the association between the CS and US, because the presence of the CS reliably predicts the presence of the US.

Dishabituation

An increase in responding that follows a change in a previously habituated stimulus.

Drug Tolerance

The decreased effectiveness of a drug over the course of repeated administration.

Excitatory Conditioning

When the presence of the CS predicts the presence of the US.

Extinction

When the CS no longer elicits the CR. Occurs when the CS is repeatedly presented alone.

Extinction Trial

The CS is repeatedly presented alone to extinguish the CS–US association. Not to be confused with tests trials, where the CS is presented alone to test whether an association has been learned.

Habituation

A decrease in response to a stimulus when it is repeatedly presented without consequence.

Higher-Order Conditioning

A neutral stimulus is paired with a CS to produce the same CR as the CS.

Homeostasis

Maintaining the body’s internal equilibrium.

Inhibitory Conditioning

The presence of the CS predicts the absence of the US.

Learning

Mechanisms of behaviour that undergo relatively enduring change based on experience.

Orienting Response

An automatic shift of attention toward a stimulus.

Reacquisition

The reintroduction of conditioning trials after extinction has occurred. Reacquisition is faster than acquisition, indicating that some of the original learning is retained following extinction.

Sensitization

An increase in response to a stimulus as it is repeatedly presented. Often adaptive, because it prompts you to engage in behaviours appropriate to escaping a potentially harmful stimulus.

Spontaneous Recovery

The re-emergence of a previously extinguished CS after a temporal delay.

Stimulus Discrimination

An organism’s ability to fine-tune its responding such that a CR occurs in response to one CS, but not to other similar stimuli. Typically occurs through discrimination training.

Stimulus Generalization

The CR is elicited by a new stimulus that is similar to the original CS. The more similar the new stimulus is to the original CS, the greater the response. The strength of the CR follows a generalization gradient.

Unconditional Response (UR)

A biologically determined response that is evoked prior to any learning.

Unconditional Stimulus (US)

Any stimulus that evokes a UR.

Non-Associative Learning

they modify an existing stimulus-response relation, rather than create a new association between stimuli or between a stimulus and a response

Associative Learning

The process where an organism forms a connection between two unrelated stimuli or between a stimulus and a behavior, leading to a learned response. (ex classical conditioning)