PSY211 Classical Conditioning

7/27/2019 PSY211 Classical Conditioning

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Psychology of Learning

PSY211

Classical Conditioning

B. Charles Tatum


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Classical (Pavlovian) Conditioning: A form of learning (conditioning) in

which a previously neutral stimulus elicits a response that formerlyoccurred to a second (unconditioned) stimulus.

Unconditioned Stimulus (UCS or US): A stimulus that elicits a response

without prior learning (reflexively, innately, instinctively).

Unconditioned Response (UCR or UR): The response to a UCS.

Examples of UCS-UCR

Food Powder-Salivation

Air Puff-Eye blink

Loud Noise-Startle Reaction

Electric Shock-Finger Withdrawal Conditioned Stimulus (CS): A previously neutral stimulus

that is paired with the UCS and acquires the ability to elicit a

response similar to the UCR.

Conditioned Response (CR): The response elicited by the CS.

Quantitatively by not qualitatively different from the UCR.

Basic Elements of Classical Conditioning


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UCS

(Hot Water)UCR

(Quickly Jump Aside)

CS

(Toilet Flush)

CR

(Slower Side Step)

Time

.5 sec.

Classical Conditioning Paradigm

CS-UCS

Contiguity

qualitatively the same as the UCR

but quantitatively different
http://depositphotos.com/4449810/stock-photo-The-girl-in-the-bathroom.html?sst=120&sqc=287&sqm=38508&sq=a73rv


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Basic Types of Classical Conditioning

Defensive/Aversive: Emotionally negative (aversive, noxious) UCS(e.g., electric shock, puff of air, acid).

Appetitive: Emotionally positive UCS (e.g., food powder, sexual

stimulation).

Temporal: UCS occurs at regular intervals (e.g., smell of dinner, alarm

clock) and elicits a UCR (e.g., salivation, wake up). CR occurs atregular intervals without an observable CS (e.g., salivate at 6:00 PM,

wake up at 6 AM). CS is signal from biological clock.

Semantic Conditioning: Verbal concepts (e.g., words, phrases) take on

positive or negative connotations by being paired with UCS (e.g., taboo

words, warm fuzzy words). Higher-Order Conditioning: Build a new CS from an old CS (old CS can

substitute for UCS).


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Classically Conditioned Control of Bed-Wetting

(Case Study; Subject = Jenna)

0

10

20

30

40

Baseline Weeks 1-5 Weeks 6-10 Weeks 11-15 Weeks 16-20

Weeks

D

ry

Nights

UCS

(Alarm)UCR

(Wake Up)

CR

CS(Bladder Pressure)


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Higher-Order Classical Conditioning

UCS

(Bombs)

UCR

(Fear)

CRCS1

(red-checkered

head gear)

CS2(swarthy face)

Time

1st order

CS1(head gear)

UCR

(Fear)

CR2nd order


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NUMBER

OF CS-UCS

PAIRINGS

NUMBER OF CS

PRESENTATIONS

ALONE

TIMEO

UT

Acquisition Extinction Spontaneous

Recovery

TIMEO

UT

Phases of Classical Conditioning

(Acquisition, Extinction, and Spontaneous Recovery)

Spontaneous

Recovery


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Phases and Principles of Classical Conditioning

Acquisition Phase: Gradual strengthening of CR when CS pairedwith UCS

Stimulus Qualities and Parings

Number of CS-UCS pairings.

CS and UCS intensity.

Inter-trial interval (massed versus distributed [spaced] practice). Inter-stimulus (CS-UCS) interval (usually, but not always, .5 sec.).

Temporal Arrangements

Backward conditioning (UCS-CS).

Simultaneous conditioning (CS and UCS together).

Trace conditioning (CS ends long before the onset of UCS). Delayed conditioning (CS starts long before UCS and overlaps

UCS).

Overshadowing: Only more intense stimulus will condition with

compound stimuli (CS1 + CS2).


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Some Temporal Arrangements for Conditioning

UCS CS UCR but no CR

UCS

CS

UCR but weak CR

Backward

Simultaneous

CS UCS CRRegular

CS UCS CRTrace

CS UCS CRDelayed

CS1 + CS2 UCS CR to CS1 onlyOvershadowing

lightning thunder

rattle snake snake bite

Fozzie Bear loud noise

Fozzie Bearloud noise

loud noise

Fozzie Bear

bright light

+

Fozzie Bearloud noise

.5 sec. gap

Long gap


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Acquisition Phase (Continued)

Prior Experience

Blocking: Condition CS1, then condition compound (CS1 + CS2).

CS2 alone will not elicit the CR.

Latent Inhibition: Repeated presentation of CS alone interfereswith subsequent conditioning.

Sensory Preconditioning: Compound (CS1 + CS2) paired without

a UCS, then pair CS1with UCS. The other CS (CS2) will also

acquire the CR.

Phases and Principles of Classical Conditioning

(Continued)


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Prior Experience and Conditioning

CS1 UCS CR

CS1 + CS2 UCS CRBlocking

CS UCSWeak CR

Latent

Inhibition

No UCSCS alone

CS1 + CS2 No UCS

CS1 UCS CR

CS2 CRNo UCS

Sensory

Pre-

conditioning

shoes erotic stimulus

shoes + negligee erotic stimulus

CS2 No CRnegligee

smooth jazz

smooth jazz graphic violence

ball with bell inside

bell food

ball


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Phases and Principles of Classical Conditioning (continued)

Extinction Phase: Gradual decrease in CR strength when CS is

presented alone

Forgetting: Decreased performance following periods of no practice

Extinction: Decreased performance following practice with no UCS

(learning not to respond)

Spontaneous Recovery Phase: Renewed CS-CR strength after time out

Stimulus Generalization

Generalization Gradient

Generalization Decrement

Stimulus Discrimination (Differential Conditioning)

CS+ versus CS-

Experimental Neurosis (Double Bind Theory)

Counter Conditioning

Systematic Desensitization

Aversion Therapy


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RedheadStrawberry

Blond

Platinum

Blond

Auburn Brunette

Streng

thofEmotionalResponse



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UCS

(sad

movies)

UCR

(tears)

CR

CS+

(soft, slow music)

UCS

(sad

movies)

UCR

(tears)

CR

CS-

(loud, fast music)

Stimulus Discrimination

X

X

AsthetwoCS

sbecomemoresimilar,

discrimination

becomesmoredifficult


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UCS

(height)UCR

(fear)

CR

CS

(airplanes)

UCS

(tension

release

exercises)

UCR

(relaxation)

CR

CS

(airplanes)

Counter Conditioning

This CS-CR Pair...

Is replaced with this CS-CR pair...


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Classical Conditioning and the Origins of Racial Prejudice

Aversive Conditioning(Neutral Stimuli = checkered headgear, white hoods, baggy pants)

Higher Order Conditioning(Human Characteristics = skin color, facial features)

Semantic Conditioning

(Names = Muslim, whites, blacks)



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Theories of Classical Conditioning

Stimulus Substitution (Pavlov, 1927)

The CS becomes a substitute for the UCS (e.g., dinner bell [CS]

substitutes for food [UCS] in eliciting salivation) Based on the notion that the CS and UCS occur together (contguity)

Evidence inconsistent with theory

Simultaneous Conditioning

Backward Conditioning

Overshadowing and Blocking Latent Inhibition and Sensory Preconditioning

Nonequivalence of CR and UCR

CR is qualitatively the same as the UCR, but quantitativelydifferent (e.g., less intense)

UCR to shock is an increase in heart rate, CS paired with shock

produces a decrease in heart rate

UCR to a drug is a lowering of breathing rate, CR to the syringe

used to inject the drug (the CS) is an increase in breathing rate


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Attention Theory (Bolles, 1979; Mackintosh, 1975; Rescorla &Wagner, 1972)

The CS will elicit a conditioned response if it captures the attention of the

animal either because it predicts the UCS or it surprises the animal.A Stimulus (CS) that predicts the presence of food is likely to elicit a

conditioned response

An unusual or novel stimulus (CS) that surprises an animal (e.g.,

uncommon sound) is likely to elicit a conditioned response

Evidence

consistentwith theory

Simultaneous conditioning and backward conditioning do not allow forprediction and thus produce weak conditioning

Overshadowing and blocking involve stimuli that capture the animals

attention (intensity or familiarity) and these stimuli are more likely to

produce a conditioned response

Latent inhibition occurs because the repeated exposure to a stimulus

weakens its surprise value

Sensory preconditioning is explained because the attention given to one

stimulus (CS1) is transferred to another stimulus (CS2)

The CR and UCR may not be the same because they serve different

predictive roles (e.g., UCR to a drug needle prepares user for the loweredrespiration caused by the drug)

Theories of Classical Conditioning (continued)

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PSY211 Classical Conditioning