Download Classical Conditioning

Classical Conditioning
MODULE 15
LITTLE ALBERT VIDEO
I. What is Classical Conditioning?
 Learning – A relatively permanent change in behavior due
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to experience.
Classical Conditioning – Learning by association; A
stimulus gains the power to cause a response because it
predicts another stimulus that already produces the
response.
Stimulus – Anything in the environment that you can
respond to.
Response – Any behavior or action.
Behaviorism – View that Psychology should only study
observable behavior. (If you can’t see it, you can’t study it)
Cognition – Mental processes like thinking, knowing and
remembering.
II. Components of Classical Conditioning
 Classical
conditioning led a
group of dormmates to respond
to the word Flush!
the same way they
responded to
painfully hot water.
II. Components of Classical Conditioning
 Unconditioned Stimulus (UCS) – A stimulus that
triggers a response automatically and reflexively.
(Ex. Very hot shower water)
 Unconditioned Response (UCR) – Automatic
response to the UCS. (Ex. Jumping out of the water)
 Conditioned Stimulus (CS) – Previously neutral
stimulus, though learning, has gained the power to
cause a conditioned response. (Ex. “Flush!”)
 Conditioned Response (CR) – Response to the CS.
(Ex. Jumping out of the water)
III. Classical Conditioning Process
Pavlov demonstrated the procedures of classical conditioning by using meat
to train a dog to salivate to the sound of a tuning fork. Video
III. Classical Conditioning Process
 Acquisition – Process of developing a learned
response through the pairing of the CS and UCS.
 Extinction – Diminishing of a learned response; The
CS loses its power to trigger a CR.
 Spontaneous Recovery – Reappearance, after a rest
period, of an extinguished conditioned response.
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Weaker
Can be extinguished more quickly
III. Classical Conditioning Process
 Acquisition occurs as the CS and the UCS are repeatedly
paired. Extinction happens if the CS is presented by itself.
Spontaneous recovery means that the extinguished CR again
appears after a rest period.
IV. Generalization and Discrimination
 Generalization – When an organism produces the
same response to two similar stimuli.
 Discrimination – When an organism produces
different responses to two similar stimuli.
 Example: You get sick eating school spaghetti so
now you get sick at the sight of all spaghetti
(generalization). Eventually you can eat spaghetti
anywhere but school (discrimination).
V. Classical Conditioning in Everyday Life
 Little Albert meets Watson and Rayner –
Conditioned a small child to fear a white rat by
associating it with a loud noise
 Classical conditioning is used in advertising (pairing
a product with a celebrity or emotion)
 Taste aversion (associating a food with sickness)
Examples
 Kim was very nervous about her upcoming chemistry exam.
She had studied very hard. On the day of the big exam, she
happened to get a stomach flu and subsequently did not do
well on her test. Now when she even begins studying for
any exam, she feels sick to her stomach. Identify the
elements of classical conditioning.
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Unconditioned Stimulus (UCS) – Stomach Flu
Unconditioned Response (UCR) – Sick to stomach
Conditioned Stimulus (CS) – Studying for exam
Conditioned Response (CR) – Sick to stomach
Examples
 At the beginning of the school year, a relatively quiet new beeping fire
alarm was installed. When it went off one day for a fire drill in
September, the students didn’t respond to this new sound. Teachers had
to usher them out the door. However, in October the new beeping alarm
went off as the halls filled with smoke. Frightened students hurried out of
the school to safety. In November, the beeping alarm went off again, and
the students again hurried out fearfully. However, this time it was only a
fire drill, so there was no fire. Then for 10 days straight in December, the
alarm malfunctioned and went off daily. Now no one paid any attention
to it again. After Christmas break, the alarm was repaired and went off as
scheduled for a drill in January. Several students jumped anxiously,
remembering the October fire. Identify the following elements of classical
conditioning.
Examples
 Unconditioned Stimulus (UCS)
 Unconditioned Response (UCR)
 Conditioned Stimulus (CS)
Running/scared
Alarm
 Conditioned Response (CR)
 Extinction
Fire/smoke
Running/scared
No response to malfunction in December
 Spontaneous Recovery
Response to alarm after break in January