Download Psychology 1110 Study Sheet Classical Conditioning Automatic or

Psychology 1110 Study Sheet
Classical Conditioning
Automatic or Voluntary?
Your first question in analyzing a behavior should be whether the behavior is an automatic reflex or a voluntary choice. An
automatic reflex is just that: It is triggered automatically by a stimulus and the subject has no control over the response. In
most cases, this type of behavior is easy to spot. However, there are a few examples of voluntary behavior that might look
like reflexes at first glance. One example is nail biting. Most people who bite their nails will say that the behavior occurs
without them noticing it. But this does not make the behavior an automatic reflex. Nail biting is a voluntary behavior (it can
be initiated and stopped on command) that is repeated so often that it begins to occur without much deliberate thought. It
appears to be automatic, but not in the same way as an automatic reflex, which cannot be controlled through voluntary
choice.
Once you have determined that you are dealing with an automatic reflex, you can analyze the behavior according to the three
steps of classical conditioning:
Step 1: Unconditioned Reflex
An unconditioned reflex is an unlearned, automatic behavior. That is, it is a reflex “built in” to the subject’s nervous system.
Usually these types of reflexes have survival value in the right context.
Unconditioned Stimulus (UCS)  Unconditioned Response (UCR)
Step 2: Conditioning
During the process of conditioning (also called acquisition), a new stimulus (called the conditioned stimulus) is paired with
the UCS to create a learned association between the CS and the UCS. Usually, but not always, learning will require multiple
pairings of the CS and the UCS to form a strong association.
Conditioned Stimulus (CS)
+
Unconditioned Stimulus (UCS)  Unconditioned Response (UCR)
The response is still called “unconditioned” during conditioning because it is triggered by the Unconditioned Stimulus. We
have no evidence at this point that the Conditioned Stimulus could produce it on its own.
Step 3: Conditioned Reflex
After sufficient pairings of the CS and the UCS, the CS alone should be able to produce a response, which we will now call
the Conditioned Response because it is the result of learning. A conditioned reflex is made up of a Conditioned Stimulus
and a Conditioned Response. It is still automatic, but it differs from the Unconditioned Reflex because it has been learned.
Conditioned Stimulus (CS)  Conditioned Response (CR)
Classical Conditioning Notation
UCS  UCR
CS
+
UCS  UCR
CS  CR
(Unconditioned Reflex)
(Conditioning)
(Conditioned Reflex)
Operant Conditioning
Punishment or Reinforcement?
Positive or Negative?
I would suggest that you approach operant conditioning examples with a two-step question. First, ask yourself if
the consequence leads to an increase or decrease in behavior. If a behavior increases, you are dealing with
reinforcement. If the behavior decreases, you are dealing with punishment (extinction also decreases behavior,
but extinction is not a consequence). The second question to ask is What action was involved in delivering the
consequence? If the consequence involved giving or presenting something, then the consequence is positive. If
the consequence involves taking away or removing something, then the consequence is negative. Put your
answers to the two questions together and you should have the correct label.
Here's an example to work through:
A mild electrical current is administered to a rat's brain after each time the rat presses a bar. Following the
electrical stimulation, the rat's bar pressing increases.
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Behavior
Consequence
Effect on behavior
Bar pressing
Electrical current given
Bar pressing increases
The behavior increases, therefore we are dealing with reinforcement.
The consequence is given; therefore, we are dealing with a positive consequence.
The consequence is positive reinforcement.
Now try this one on your own:
Linda has a cold. She takes an antihistamine medication, after which her runny nose, aches, and pains go away.
Linda is now more likely to take an antihistamine when she gets a cold in the future.
Behavior
Consequence
Effect on behavior
Here is the table from class:
Effect on Behavior
A
Given
C
Increase
Decrease
Positive
Positive
Reinforcement
Punishment
Behavior
Behavior 
Negative
Negative
Reinforcement
Punishment
Behavior
Behavior 
T
I
O
N
Taken
Away
These are Classical and Operant Conditioning examples for you to work through. This set includes 7 examples,
which often get complex because they reflect real-world situations. If you can work through these on your own
and get the correct answers, you probably have a good grasp on this material.
Classical & Operant Conditioning Examples (Set 1)
(1) Robert gets a ticket for driving under the influence that results in a $500 fine and suspension of his driving
license.
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Is this classical or operant conditioning?
What's the behavior involved? Will it increase or decrease?
What kind of consequence is involved?
Explanation: This is operant conditioning because the behavior is voluntary and it was followed with
a consequence. The behavior is driving under the influence and it should decrease in this example (a
strict behaviorist would obviously want some proof of this first). The consequences are both negative
punishments. They would be punishments because the behavior will decrease and they are negative
because they both involve something taken away (money and driving privileges).
(2) Chris is bitten by the neighbor's German Shepherd. Now whenever she sees a dog in the neighborhood, she
becomes afraid and runs away. She still enjoys petting her own family's cocker spaniel.
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Is this classical or operant conditioning?
What is the conditioned stimulus? Unconditioned stimulus? Conditioned and unconditioned response?
Is this an example of stimulus generalization? Stimulus discrimination?
Explanation: This example is a bit more complicated because it involves mostly classical
conditioning, but operant conditioning is present too. Her fear response is classically conditioned,
because it is an automatic response. Her behavior of running away is operant conditioning because it is
a voluntary behavior. The CS in this example is the sight of a dog in the neighborhood. The US was the
dog bite from the German Shepherd. The UR and the CR are both fear. Stimulus generalization occurs
when her CR generalizes to other dogs in the neighborhood. Her behavior shows discrimination in that
the CR does not occur with her own dog.
(3) Jacob's date was wearing a very alluring cologne on their recent date. The date itself was quite passionate.
The following day when Jacob gets into his car he smells the lingering scent of his date's cologne and becomes
transfixed with joy.
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Is this classical or operant conditioning?
What is the unconditioned stimulus? Conditioned stimulus? Unconditioned and conditioned response?
Is this an example of stimulus generalization or discrimination?
Can Jacob forget about his date and just go purchase a bottle of the cologne? Will his reaction subside?
Explanation: This is an example of classical conditioning, because the response of becoming
transfixed with joy is automatic. The US would be the passionate date, which led to the UR of a joyful
reaction. The CS was the scent of the cologne and the CR would be the joyful reaction. Stimulus
generalization and discrimination are not involved here, but could be if Jacob responds in a similar way
to other colognes and then develops a specific response to just the cologne worn by his date.
(4) Martin has a panic attack during a plane ride. Now the mere thought of an airplane makes him very nervous.
Twenty years pass and Martin is still afraid of airplanes even though he never took another flight.
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Is this classical or operant conditioning?
What are the US, CS, UR, and CR?
Why hasn't this response extinguished?
Explanation: This example is primarily classical conditioning, because his fear response is
automatic. (However, the choice to avoid planes would be a voluntary, operant conditioning, behavior.)
The US would be the panic attack and the UR would be the fear it automatically triggered. The CS
would be the airplane and the CR would be fear (the response has apparently generalized to all planes).
The response hasn't extinguished in 20 years because Martin never went through extinction. He would
need to be exposed to the CS (airplanes) without the US (panic attacks) over many trials for his CR
(fear) to extinguish.
(5) Shelly is in the grocery store with her dad. As they near the checkout lane, Shelly starts whining for a candy
bar but her dad says no. Shelly begins to cry and cries louder when her dad continues to refuse. At the checkout
lane, in front of the cashier, Shelly throws herself onto the floor and begins screaming. Her dad responds by
grabbing a candy bar and giving it to her. She quickly quiets down and eats her candy bar. This exchange gets
repeated on subsequent trips to the grocery store.
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Classical or operant?
What is Shelly's behavior in this example? What kind of consequence follows her behavior?
What is dad's behavior in this example? What kind of consequence follows his behavior?
How should dad handle this situation differently?
Explanation: This example is operant conditioning, because most of the behaviors in question are
voluntary (whining, temper tantrums, giving candy bars, being quiet). Shelly's behavior is whining
(then crying and throwing a temper tantrum), which is followed eventually by a candy bar. This is an
example of positive reinforcement because something is given to her (the candy bar), which will
increase her behavior (crying, whining) in the future. Dad's behavior is giving the candy bar, which is
followed with peace and quiet. This is an example of negative reinforcement because something is
taken away (the crying and whining) and dad's behavior (giving candy bars) will increase in the future.
The obvious problem in this situation is that undesirable behaviors are being reinforced, which will
make matters worse in the future. There are many ways the dad could handle the situation better, but the
bottom line is to avoid providing reinforcement for a behavior that is undesirable. He could ignore the
behavior (extinction) or he could punish the behavior (for example, using a negative punishment like
taking away the privilege of going to the grocery store in the future).
(6) Your bright cat has learned that your presence in the kitchen is associated with food. Your cat has also
learned that he can encourage your presence in the kitchen on Saturday mornings by standing on your chest and
meowing (when you are obviously trying to sleep). You decide to get up and feed the cat to shut it up, but the
problem only gets worse on subsequent weekends.
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Classical or operant? (Be careful with this one!)
You know the drill. If it's operant, what kind of consequence is involved? If it's classical, what are the
assorted stimuli and responses?
Could it be both operant and classical?
Explanation: Most of what I have described here is operant conditioning because it involves
voluntary behaviors (cat standing on your chest and meowing, you getting up and feeding the cat).
However, there is also an undescribed element of classical conditioning in which the cat has learned to
associate you with the delivery of food and now automatically responds to your presence in the kitchen
with a similar emotional response (joy?). The cat's behavior of bothering you is positively reinforced
because the cat receives something (food) and the behavior increases. Your behavior is negatively
reinforced because feeding the cat puts an end to its annoying behavior and we would expect you to
repeat this behavior in the future. This is essentially the same as the preceding example and I would
recommend a different course unless you enjoy the cat's annoying behavior. It will probably backfire if
you try to punish the cat for meowing, so the best thing to do is to ignore the cat (extinction) and feed it
when it is being quiet.
(7) You throw a wild party at which you consume too much alcohol (vodka and orange juice). You become very
sick and spend a few hours vomiting. The next morning while cleaning up the mess, you get a whiff of the
vodka and orange juice that were still sitting out in the kitchen. You immediately become nauseated and run to
the bathroom to vomit some more (pretty picture, isn't it?).
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Classical or operant?
What are the assorted stimuli and responses involved?
Explanation: The main focus in this example is on classically conditioned behaviors, because nausea
is an automatic response. (However, I should point out that throwing parties, drinking alcohol, and
learning from your mistakes are voluntary and would be examples of operant conditioning.) The US is
nausea (caused by alcohol poisoning) and the UR is the retching and vomit reflex. The CS is the smell
of vodka/orange juice (both or either) and the CR is the retching and vomit reflex. (You would probably
also have a strong CS-CR with the taste and possibly the sight of vodka and orange juice.)