ch. 5: respondent conditioning of reflexive behaviour

respondent conditioning

elicited by prior stimuli, not affected by consequences

• involuntary/reflexive at a subconscious level

unconditioned reflex

stimulus-response relationship, stimulus automatically elicits a response apart from any prior learning

unconditioned stimulus

stimulus that elicits a response without prior learning of conditioning

unconditioned response

response elicited by an unconditioned stimulus

neutral stimulus

stimuli that do not elicit a response

conditioned reflex

stimulus-response relationship where a stimulus elicits a response because of prior respondent conditioning

conditioned stimulus

the stimulus in a conditioned reflex

conditioned response

a response elicited by a conditioned stimulus

5 variables that influence the development of a conditioned reflex

1. conditioning strengthens is CS is presented before the US, esp immediately

2. the more the CS is paired with the US, the greater ability the CS has to elicit the CR

3. conditioning strengthens when CS is always paired with US, rather than occasionally

4. the most consistently paired US becomes the strongest CS

5. intensity of stimuli affects strength and rate of conditioning

higher-order conditioning

when a neutral stimulus becomes a conditioned stimulus by being paired with another conditioned stimulus

first order conditioning

the normal classical conditioning, before a second stimulus is added

second order conditioning

after the second stimulus is added in pairing with first stimulus to create a conditioned response

body systems that are respondently conditioned

• digestive systems (nervousness, taste aversion)

• circulatory (increased heart rate and blood)

• respiratory system (coughing, sneezing)

• immune systems (immunosuppression)

two procedures of elimination a conditioned reflex

• respondent extinction

• counterconditioning

respondent extinction

presenting a conditioned stimulus while withholding the unconditioned stimulus

• conditioned stimulus slowly loses its capability to eliciting conditioned response

• separate the conditioned pair extinguishes the response

  • eg: the dark, dogs

counterconditioning

conditioned stimulus will lose its ability to elicit a conditioned response if paired with another stimulus that elicits a response that is incompatible with the controlled stimulus

respondent stimulus generalization

when an organism has been conditioned so that a particular conditioned stimulus and conditioned response, then a similar stimulus also elicits the conditioned response

eg of respondent stimulus generalization

I get nervous driving past old high school, even driving pat the school now but on my way to work makes me anxious

respondent stimulus discrimination

a similar stimulus does not function as a conditioned stimulus for the conditioned response because the second stimulus has been paired with extinction

example of respondent stimulus discrimination

when a child is able to distinguish that a man with a beard is not warm and gentle like their dad who has a beard

characteristics of operant behaviour

1. operates on the environment to produce consequences

2. voluntary

3. involves skeletal muscles

operant conditioning

type of learning where behaviour is modified by its consequences