Download Outcome 2 Classical Conditioning Notes week 8

Unit 3 Psychology
Area of Study 2: How do people learn and remember?
Models to explain learning
Key knowledge: Dot point 3
“Classical conditioning as a three-phase process (before conditioning, during conditioning
and after conditioning) that results in the involuntary association between a neutral
stimulus and unconditioned stimulus to produce a conditioned response, including stimulus
generalisation, stimulus discrimination, extinction and spontaneous recovery.”
Classical Conditioning
Classical conditioning, studied by Pavlov, occurs when a neutral stimulus (NS) is associated
with an unconditioned stimulus (UCS) to elicit a response.
The UCS causes a reflex response called the unconditioned response (UCR). If the NS is
consistently paired with the UCS, it becomes a conditioned stimulus (CS) capable of
producing a response by itself. This response is a conditioned (learnt) response (CR).
When the CS is followed by the UCS, conditioning is reinforced (strengthened).
When the CS is repeatedly presented alone, conditioning is extinguished (weakened or
inhibited). After extinction seems to be complete, a rest period may e followed by the
temporary reappearance of a CR. This is called spontaneous recovery.
Though stimulus generalisation, stimuli similar to the CS will also produce the CR.
Generalisation gives way to stimulus discrimination when an organism demonstrates the CR
only when the specific CS is present.
Stimulus: any event that elicits (produces) a response from an organism.
Response: a reaction by an organism to a stimulus.
UCS: any stimulus that consistently produces an UCR.
UCR: the response that occurs automatically as a result of the UCS.
CS: the stimulus that is neutral at the start of classical conditioning and does not normally
produce the UCR, but eventually becomes associated with the UCS.
CR: the learned or acquired response to the CS.
Classical Conditioning as a three-phase process
1. Before conditioning:
NS is presented and does not elicit a relevant response.
UCS is presented and elicits the UCR.
2. During conditioning:
NS (which becomes the CS) is paired with the UCS. The UCS is presented as soon after
the CS as possible and the UCR is elicited.
The CS and UCS are paired over a number of trials for the learning(conditioning) to be
acquired. This creates the CR.
3. After conditioning:
CS is presented and elicits the CR
After conditioning
During conditioning
Before conditioning
Example: Pavlov’s experiment with the dogs
NS (Bell)
no relevant response
UCS (Food)
UCR (Salivation in response to food)
NS (Bell)
+ (over a number of trials is paired with)
UCS (Food)
UCR (Salivation in response to food)
CS (Bell)
CR (Salivation in response to bell)
Key processes in classical conditioning
Acquisition: is the overall process during which an organism learns to associate two events
(the CS and UCS). The CS and UCS are presented closely together and the duration of
acquisition is the number of trials it takes for the CR to be acquired.
Extinction: the gradual decrease in the strength or rate of a CR that occurs when the UCS is
no longer presented. When a CR no longer follows presentation of the CS.
Spontaneous recovery: is the reappearance of a CR when the CS is presented, following a
rest period, after the CR appears to have been extinguished.
Stimulus generalisation: the tendency for another stimulus – one that is similar to the
original CS – to produce a response that is similar to the CR.
Stimulus discrimination: Occurs when a person or animal responds to the CS only, but not
to any other stimulus that is similar to the CS.
*Videos
**Textbook – Learning activity 5.2, 5.4, 5.5
*** Student Activity Manual – 4.1, 4.2
**** Psych Book – Chapter 2: Activity 6
***** Annotated Practical Activity – Wizz Fizz Prac