Classical Conditioning Concepts

Front

Classical conditioning

Back

Focuses on the association of one stimulus with another stimulus to elicit a response.

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Acquisition

Back

Pairing of the natural and neutral stimuli (e.g., loud noise and rat) have occurred enough times that the neutral stimulus alone will elicit the conditional response (e.g., crying).

Front

Unconditioned stimulus (UCS)

Back

A stimulus that elicits a particular response without prior training.

Front

Unconditioned response (UCR)

Back

A response that occurs to a stimulus without prior training.

Front

Conditioned response (CR)

Back

The response that is eventually elicited by the conditioned stimulus after repeated pairings with the unconditioned stimulus.

Front

Conditioned stimulus (CS)

Back

A stimulus that does not elicit a particular response initially, but comes to do so as a result of Classical Conditioning.

Front

Extinction of CR

Back

The response to a conditioned stimulus can be eliminated if the conditioned stimulus is presented repeatedly without the unconditioned stimulus.

Front

Spontaneous recovery

Back

The original response disappears on its own, but then is elicited again by the previous CS at a later time, possibly under certain circumstances.

Front

Stimulus discrimination

Back

One can distinguish among similar but distinct stimuli.

Front

Generalization

Back

Responding to a stimulus that is similar to the CS (e.g., Albert made generalizations and feared the white rat-CS but also other white stimuli-white coat).