Introduction to Classical Conditioning and its Concepts

Classical Conditioning

• Definition: A learning process through which associations are made between a natural stimulus and a neutral stimulus.

Key Concepts:

• Conditioning: The process of learning through associations.

• Unconditioning: The process of unlearning a previously learned response.

• Little Albert Study: An experiment by John B. Watson focused on conditioning fear in a child, illustrating classical conditioning.

Little Albert Study Details:

• Neutral Stimulus (NS): The rat. Little Albert had no prior experience with the rat, hence it had no meaning or value to him initially.

• Symbolism of the Rat: Initially, the rat was nothing to Little Albert, representing a 'neutral' state.

Paired Associations:

• Unconditioned Stimulus (US): Refers to stimuli that trigger a natural response without learning.

  • Example: The loud noise produced by the cymbals in Watson's study was the unconditioned stimulus.

• Unconditioned Response (UR): The natural reaction to the unconditioned stimulus.

  • Example: Little Albert's fear or crying when confronted with the loud noise.

• Conditioned Stimulus (CS): A previously neutral stimulus that now elicits a conditioned response due to its association with an unconditioned stimulus.

  • Example: The rat became a conditioned stimulus after being paired with the loud noise.

• Conditioned Response (CR): A learned response to the conditioned stimulus.

  • Example: Little Albert's fear and crying when he saw the rat after conditioning.

Classical Conditioning Terminology:

• Stimulus: Anything that elicits a response.

• Response: The reaction to a stimulus (e.g., Little Albert crying in response to seeing the rat).

The Process of Classical Conditioning:

1. Acquisition: The process in which the conditioned response is learned through repeated pairing of the CS with the US.

2. Extinction: The process of breaking the association between the CS and the US, leading to a gradual decrease in the conditioned response.

3. Spontaneous Recovery: The sudden reappearance of the conditioned response after a period of extinction.

Generalization and Discrimination:

• Generalization: The ability to respond similarly to different stimuli that are similar to the conditioned stimulus.

  • Example: Little Albert began to fear not only the white rat but also other furry objects (generalizing his fear).

• Discrimination: The ability to differentiate between distinct stimulus conditions, responding differently to various stimuli.

  • Example: Little Albert learns to distinguish between the rat (which he fears) and other animals like a cat (which he does not fear).

Fear Responses and Learned Behaviors:

• Fear as a Behavior: Responses such as fear, happiness, or anxiety are innate and interconnected, emphasizing that not all responses are learned behavior.

Ethical Implications:

• The Little Albert study exemplifies ethical concerns regarding psychological experiments involving children, raising questions about the implications of conditioning fear and distress in young individuals.

Operant Conditioning

Definition and Overview:

• A learning process where behaviors are modified based on the consequences they produce.

  • Involves reinforcement and punishment to increase or decrease specific behaviors.

Key Terms:

• Reinforcement: Any consequence that strengthens the behavior it follows.

  • Positive Reinforcement: Adding a stimulus to increase a desired behavior (e.g. giving a treat).

  • Negative Reinforcement: Removing an undesirable stimulus to increase a desired behavior (e.g. turning off an alarm).

• Punishment: Any consequence that decreases the likelihood of the behavior occurring again.

  • Positive Punishment: Adding an unpleasant stimulus to reduce a behavior (e.g. assigning extra chores).

  • Negative Punishment: Removing a desirable stimulus to reduce a behavior (e.g. taking away a phone).

Examples:

• Positive Reinforcement Example: Giving a candy bar for answering a question correctly enhances the likelihood of answering again.

• Negative Reinforcement Example: Hitting the snooze button to stop the alarm sound to encourage continued sleep negatively reinforces the behavior.

• Positive Punishment Example: Making someone study more for failing a test

• Negative Punishment Example: Grounding a child to reduce undesirable behavior is an instance of negative punishment.

Distinction Between Classical and Operant Conditioning:

• Classical conditioning is involuntary and forms associations between stimuli. Operant conditioning is voluntary and requires behavior to occur to understand learning outcomes.