CLASSIC CONDITIONING

Pages 210-214

By Curtis Olsen and Cory Szakal

•Learning: a relatively permanent change in behavior, knowledge, capability, and attitude

The 6 Principles of Classical Conditioning

• The 6 principles of Classical Conditioning are:• Acquisition

• Stimulus Generalization

• Stimulus Discrimination

• Extinction

• Spontaneous Recovery

• And High-Order Conditioning.

Acquisition

• Neutral stimulus (NS) and unconditioned stimulus (UCS) are paired.

• Neutral stimulus (NS) turns into a conditioned stimulus (CS) causing a conditioned response (CR).

• Example: Being scared (CR) to go to the dentist (CS) by connecting it with a painful tooth-pulling (UCS).

Conditioning

• Delayed conditioning: The neutral stimulus is shown before the unconditioned stimulus and stays until the unconditioned response starts, and yields the fastest learning.

• Backward conditioning: The unconditioned stimulus is shown before neutral stimulus. This is less effective.

Conditioning Continued

• Forward conditioning: Occurs when the neutral stimulus appears just before and during the presentation of the unconditioned stimulus.

• Trace conditioning: Relies on memory - it is when the presentation of the neutral stimulus ceases before the arrival of the unconditioned stimulus.

Stimulus Generalization

• A conditioned response (CR) is brought out by conditioned stimulus (CS) and by stimuli similar to the conditioned stimulus (CS).

• Example: You learn to fear the dentists’ office and places that smell like them.

Stimulus Discrimination

• Certain stimuli similar to the conditioned stimulus don’t bring out the conditioned response.

• Example: You learn the physician’s office isn’t connected to the painful tooth-pulling.

Extinction

• Conditioned stimulus is presented alone, without the unconditioned stimulus. Eventually the conditioned stimulus no longer brings out the conditioned response.

• Example: You go back to the dentist for a check-up, with no pain or tooth-pulling, and your fear slowly disappears.

Spontaneous Recovery

• Sudden reappearance of a conditioned response that was previously gone.

• Example: While watching a movie depicting a dentist performing oral surgery, your fear temporarily returns suddenly.

High-Order Conditioning

• Neutral stimulus becomes conditioned stimulus after being paired with previous conditioned stimulus repeatedly.

• Example: When you crave fast-food after seeing a billboard advertisement.