Revision Class 1 - Classical Conditioning

Revision Class 1

Classical Conditioning

Three phase process

and special terms that form the language of classical conditioning.

Before conditioning

• Neutral stimulus (NS) --> no relevant response; is the new stimulus and becomes the CS.

  
  

• Unconditioned stimulus (UCS) --> Unconditioned response (UCR); original stimulus.

During conditioning

• Neutral stimulus (NS) new stimulus followed by the Unconditioned stimulus (UCS) original stimuli --> Unconditioned response (UCR) due to the UCS original stimuli

• repeated pairings or associations between NS being followed by the UCS must take place.

After conditioning

• Conditioned stimulus (CS) --> Conditioned response (CR) due to the new stimulus.

• Remember the NS has become the CS

Stimulus generalisation

• An organism is not able to tell the difference between similar stimuli so that the conditioned response is made to the stimulus that is like the conditioned stimulus.

Stimulus discrimination

• An organism can tell the difference between similar stimuli so that the conditioned response is made only to the conditioned stimulus.

Extinction

• If the CS is continually presented without the UCS following it then the CR will gradually die out.

Spontaneous recovery

• The CR can show spontaneous recovery if, after extinction has occurred, it is exhibited again if the CS is presented.

Multiple Choice

What term is applied to the random reappearance of a behaviour after extinction?

• Stimulus generalisation

• Stimulus discrimination

• Random allocation

• Spontaneous recovery

Multiple Choice

When a child hears a loud noise, he cries. The family's dog often barks loudly. Each time the child sees the dog, he cries. What is the conditioned response?

• crying due to the loud noise

• the loud noise

• crying due to seeing the dog

• the barking of the dog

Multiple Choice

Stimulus generalisation refers to the tendency for stimuli similar to the ___________________ to elicit the conditioned response.

• UCR

• CS

• NS

• UCS

Multiple Choice

Tamara normally feeds her cat canned cat food and uses an electric can opener to open these cans. She noticed every time she uses her electric can opener, her cat starts to salivate. What is the CS?

• The cat food

• the sound of the electric can opener

• the cat coming to the kitchen

• Tamara

Multiple Choice

What is the tendency to respond to a new stimulus as if it’s the original conditioned stimulus?

• stimulus discrimination

• stimulus generalisation

• higher-order conditioning

• spontaneos recovery

Multiple Choice

What is the definition of a conditioned response?

• Knowing innately how to respond to stimuli without having to be taught.

• Learning to respond to a neutral stimulus after it has been repeatedly followed by a conditioned stimulus.

• Learning to respond to a neutral stimulus after it has been repeatedly followed by an unconditioned stimulus.

• Knowing innately how to respond to two stimuli that have been repeatedly paired together.

Multiple Choice

In classical conditioning, the neutral stimulus can only be associated with the unconditioned stimulus if the

• neutral stimulus prepares the organism for the other stimulus.

• neutral stimulus is sufficiently intense.

• unconditioned stimulus produces an intense reflex or emotional response.

• unconditioned stimulus produces a voluntary aversive response.

Multiple Choice

If a conditioned response that has been extinguished is seen again when the _______________ is presented without being followed by the UCS the process is known as _________________.

• unconditioned stimulus; spontaneous recovery

• conditioned stimulus; counter conditioning

• conditioned stimulus; spontaneous recovery

• unconditioned stimulus; counter-conditioning

Open Ended

Using the language of classical conditioning suggest how an experimenter could extinguish a conditioned response. (2 marks)

Open Ended

Using the language of classical conditioning suggest how Watson and Rayner could have extinguished Little Albert’s conditioned emotional response.

Open Ended

A researcher notices that each time she makes a loud noise her research participant jumps. The researcher then shines a bright light before making a loud noise.

After a few pairings she notices that her research participant jumps when only the light is flashed.

In reference to the three phase process of classical conditioning describe what has happened in this scenario. ( 4 marks)