Lecture 14: Classical Conditioning i. ii. iii. iv. v. vi. vii. How do we learn? a. We learn by association i. Our mins connect events that occur in sequence b. Classical conditioning i. A type of learning in which an organism learns to associate stimuli Pavlov’s Experiments a. Before conditioning food (Unconditioned Stimulus, US) produces salivation (Unconditioned Response, UR) b. The tone (neutral stimulus) does not c. During conditioning, neutral stimulus (tone) and US (food) are paired resulting in salivatory (UR) d. After conditioning neutral stimulus (now Conditioned Stimulus, CS) elicits salivation (now Conditioned Response, CR) e. Unconditioned stimulus (US) i. Naturally elicits response f. Unconditioned response (UR) i. Naturally occurring response g. Conditioned Stimulus (CS) i. Originally irrelevant stimulus ii. Association with US triggers CR h. Conditions response (CR) i. Learned response Little Albert a. Was conditioned to hate rats b. Generalized to other furry animals Characteristics of Classical Conditioning a. Acquisition i. Associate a neutral stimulus with a US ii. Neutral stimulus must come before unconditioned stimulus 1. Must predict something in environment Extinction a. Diminishing of a conditioned response i. When the US no longer follows CS ii. Eventually quit responding Spontaneous Recovery a. The reappearance of an extinguished response after a break i. Becomes extinct again Generalization a. Tendency for similar stimuli to elicit similar responses i. Pavlov conditioned salivation (CR) by using vibrations on the thigh ii. Responded strongest to thigh stimulation, but also to stimulation near thigh viii. ix. x. xi. xii. Discrimination a. Ability to distinguish between a conditioned stimulus and other stimuli Extending Pavlov a. Behaviorism i. Everything understood in terms of stimulus and response b. Severely underestimated the underlying cognitive processes Biological Preparedness (Disposition) a. Some believed that any association could be learned equally well b. John Garcia i. Paired taste, sight or sound with radiation (nausea) ii. Found that taste was strongly associated with nausea 1. Sight and sound didn’t work very well 2. Radiation could come hours after Taste Aversion a. Humans are apt to have an aversion to foods if the become sick afterwards b. Used to control predators i. Wolves scared of sheep? Classical Conditioning a. Classical conditioning forms associations between stimuli (CS and US) b. Relies on respondent behavior i. Automatic response to a stimulus