Classical Conditioning – Ch. 5Classical Conditioning – Ch. 5

September 23, 2005September 23, 2005Class #14Class #14

Medical/Mental Medical/Mental ApplicationsApplications

Classically conditioned allergies???Classically conditioned allergies??? Immune system reactionsImmune system reactions Treatment for pedophilesTreatment for pedophiles

Russell et al. (1984)Russell et al. (1984)

ParticipantsParticipants 8 adult male guinea pigs8 adult male guinea pigs

ProcedureProcedure Paired certain smells with allergy-Paired certain smells with allergy-

producing proteinproducing protein Group 1: sulfur-smellGroup 1: sulfur-smell Group 2: fish-smellGroup 2: fish-smell

Russell et al. (1984)Russell et al. (1984)

UCS -------------------------------------------UCS ------------------------------------------- UCR UCR(allergy-producing protein) (allergic (allergy-producing protein) (allergic reaction)reaction)

   NS --------------------------------------------NS -------------------------------------------- NO RESPONSE NO RESPONSE

(fish) (fish) (no reaction)(no reaction)   NS + UCS -----------------------------------NS + UCS ----------------------------------- UCR UCR

(fish) (protein) (allergic reaction)(fish) (protein) (allergic reaction)* This is repeated several times…* This is repeated several times…

  CS ---------------------------------------------CS --------------------------------------------- CR CR(fish) (fish) (allergic reaction) (allergic reaction)

Immune System studies..Immune System studies..

Ader and Cohen (1975)Ader and Cohen (1975) Rats drank a saccharin solution Rats drank a saccharin solution

immediately before the injection of immediately before the injection of cyclophosphamide, an cyclophosphamide, an immunosuppressive drug that also has immunosuppressive drug that also has aversive gastrointestinal side effectsaversive gastrointestinal side effects

Following this pairing, rats avoided Following this pairing, rats avoided drinking the saccharin solution – drinking the saccharin solution – another taste aversion studyanother taste aversion study

O'Reilly and Exon (1986) O'Reilly and Exon (1986) These researchers paired a saccharin taste (NS) with These researchers paired a saccharin taste (NS) with

the immunosuppressing cyclophosphamide (UCS) the immunosuppressing cyclophosphamide (UCS) One of cyclophosphamide's natural effects is the One of cyclophosphamide's natural effects is the

reduction of natural killer-cell activityreduction of natural killer-cell activity Natural killer-cells are one of an organism's first Natural killer-cells are one of an organism's first

defenses against the development of malignant defenses against the development of malignant tumorstumors

When they find a cell that has been infected with a When they find a cell that has been infected with a virus or one that has become cancerous, they engulf virus or one that has become cancerous, they engulf and destroy it and destroy it

When O'Reilly and Exon presented saccharin to their When O'Reilly and Exon presented saccharin to their rat subjects, it resulted in a conditioned taste rat subjects, it resulted in a conditioned taste aversion as well as a conditioned reduction in natural aversion as well as a conditioned reduction in natural killer-cell cytotoxicitykiller-cell cytotoxicity

Bovbjerg and Redd Bovbjerg and Redd (1990)(1990)

ParticipantsParticipants 20 female ovarian cancer patients20 female ovarian cancer patients

ProcedureProcedure Chemotherapy given to patients in Chemotherapy given to patients in

hospital settinghospital setting Patients return home within 24-48 hours Patients return home within 24-48 hours

after treatmentafter treatment HypothesisHypothesis

Classically conditioned anticipatory Classically conditioned anticipatory nausea and vomiting (ANV) and nausea and vomiting (ANV) and anticipatory immune suppression (AIS)anticipatory immune suppression (AIS)

Bovbjerg and Redd Bovbjerg and Redd (1990)(1990)

UCS -------------------------------------------UCS ------------------------------------------- UCR UCR (chemo) (chemo) (nausea/vomiting)(nausea/vomiting)

   NS --------------------------------------------NS -------------------------------------------- NO NO

RESPONSE RESPONSE (hospital) (hospital) (no reaction)(no reaction)

   NS + UCS -----------------------------------NS + UCS ----------------------------------- UCR UCR

(hospital) (chemo)(hospital) (chemo) (nausea/vomiting) (nausea/vomiting)    * This is repeated several times…* This is repeated several times…

  CS ---------------------------------------------CS --------------------------------------------- CR CR(hospital) (hospital) (nausea/vomiting) (nausea/vomiting)

Bovbjerg and Redd Bovbjerg and Redd (1990)(1990)

UCS -------------------------------------------UCS ------------------------------------------- UCR UCR (chemo) (chemo) (immunosuppressive)(immunosuppressive)

   NS --------------------------------------------NS -------------------------------------------- NO NO

RESPONSE RESPONSE (hospital) (no reaction)(hospital) (no reaction)

   NS + UCS -----------------------------------NS + UCS ----------------------------------- UCR UCR

(hospital) (chemo)(hospital) (chemo) (immunosuppressive) (immunosuppressive)  * This is repeated several times…* This is repeated several times…

  CS ---------------------------------------------CS --------------------------------------------- CR CR(hospital) (hospital) (immunosuppressive)(immunosuppressive)

ResultsResults

Participants experienced both Participants experienced both decreased immune function and decreased immune function and increased nausea when they increased nausea when they returned to hospital settingreturned to hospital setting

Practical ImplicationPractical Implication

Could cancer patients decrease in Could cancer patients decrease in immune functioning possibly be immune functioning possibly be avoided?avoided?

Buske-Kirschbaum et al. Buske-Kirschbaum et al. (1994)(1994)

Healthy volunteers were provided Healthy volunteers were provided with a (sherbet sweet/white noise), with a (sherbet sweet/white noise), which was repeatedly paired with an which was repeatedly paired with an injection of epinephrine (US)injection of epinephrine (US)

After epinephrine injections (0.2 mg After epinephrine injections (0.2 mg subcutaneously), a transient subcutaneously), a transient increase of natural killer (NK) cell increase of natural killer (NK) cell activity (UR) could be observedactivity (UR) could be observed

Later, the sherbet itself elicited an Later, the sherbet itself elicited an increase in NK cell activityincrease in NK cell activity

Treatment for Sexual Treatment for Sexual AggressorsAggressors

Hall et al. (1993)Hall et al. (1993) Pairing of photographic images of Pairing of photographic images of

unclothed children with aversive stimuli unclothed children with aversive stimuli Drug-induced nausea similar to Antabus Drug-induced nausea similar to Antabus

treatments for alcohol abuserstreatments for alcohol abusers Unpleasant scents (ammonia)Unpleasant scents (ammonia)

Limited successLimited success

Placebo EffectPlacebo Effect

Might be employed to help some of Might be employed to help some of these individualsthese individuals