Hollywood

Test 2 

Study Guide for Module 2: Pavlovian/Classical Conditioning

Note: You should be able to define, explain, and work with examples of any term that is in bold.

·         Pavlov’s work with dogs

o   Who was Pavlov, what did he study, what did he discover?

Pavlov was a physiologist who discovered classical conditioning·      

   The Classical Conditioning Paradigm     

o   UCS/US-Unconditioned stimulus- An environmental event that causes a reflexive response without conditioning. 

o   UCR-Unconditioned Response-An unlearned innate, involuntary behavior caused automatically by an antecedent stimulus. 

o   N-Neutral Stimulus-An environmental event that prior to conditioning, does not cause the reflexive behavior-of-interest.  

o   CS-Conditioned Stimulus 

o   CR-Conditioned Response-An involuntary behavior caused by a learned stimulus. 

o   When has conditioning occurred? When the conditioned stimulus becomes the conditioned response

o   Know how to complete a Classical Conditioning Paradigm for examples

·         2 Important Things to Note about Classical Conditioning

o   The Presentation of the 2 stimuli (US and CS) is independent of behavior

o   The behavior involved is a reflex response (involuntary behavior only)

·         Higher-Order Conditioning-If a neutral stimulus is paired with a well-established conditioned stimulus, the effect is much the same as if the stimulus had been paired with an unconditioned stimulus.   

o   Be able to explain the concept and apply to examples.

·         Pairing Methods

o   When is the CS presented relative to the US?

o   Is the CS Presented prior to the US?

§  If so, it’s either Short-Delay, Long-Delay, or Trace

·         Is the CS removed prior to the presentation of the US?

o   If yes, it’s Trace.

o   If not, it’s either Short-Delay or Long-Delay depending how long the CS is present prior to the introduction of the US.

§  If not, it’s either Simultaneous or Backwards.

·         Are the CS and the US presented at the same time?

o   If yes, it’s Simultaneous.

o   If not, it’s Backwards.

o   Know how to read the associated diagram and apply to examples.

·         Know the variables that influence the effectiveness of Pavlovian Conditioning

o   Pairing Method – which pairing methods are ineffective? Backwards conditioning pairing method and stimulus conditioning

o   CS-US Contingency – The degree to which the CS predicts the US.  Increasing the contingency of the US is on the CS, increases the effectiveness of Pavlonian conditioning.

o   CS-US Contiguity – in general what is the relationship between CS-US contiguity and the effectivenss of Pavolovian conditioning? What’s one factor that influences the optimal interval? Be able to explain.  Closeness in time or space of two events.  In general, the closer the CS and the US in time (interstimulus interval) the more effective the Pavlovian conditioning(unless they are simultaneous which is ineffective). Type of response(eye blink vs. fear vs. taste aversion)

o   Stimulus Features-physical characteristics of the CS influence the effectiveness of Pavlovian conditioning 

All stimulus are not equal 

§  Compound Stimulus-Presentation of 2 potential CS simultaneously-which one produces the CR?

§  Overshadowing-One CS renders another potential CS ineffective

·         Stronger overshadows weaker

·         Adaptive pairings of CS and US are more effective 

o   Understand and be able to explain the mouse experiement on CS-US Belongingness

o   Prior Experience with Stimulus

§  Latent Inhibition Effect – remember the example I gave in class about 2 women who varied in their experience with dogs, be able to apply concept to other examples.  Novel CS and US improve conditioning

o   # of CS-US Pairings-Increasing the number of pairings of the CS-US increases the effectiveness of Pavlovian conditioning, with the initial pairings being the most important.

·         Phases of Classical Conditioning

o   Acquisition-Learning and conditioning

o   Extinction-Unlearning due to repeatedly presenting the CS without the US   

o   Reacquisition-Relearning 

·         Spontaneous Recovery-Rest period(following extinction) is a critical factor.  The behavior that has become suppressed with extinction recovers with a period of rest.  The recovered behavior is not complete.  

·         Stimulus Substitution Theory-Pavlov created.  Older, problematic 

New neurological connection between the CS and the US—-> CR and UR are one and the same.

Main problems: CR and UR are not always the same. CR is weaker, CR occurs less reliably, CR appears more slowly.  

Sometimes the CR is opposite the UR

Does not account for blocking/overshadowing, latent inhibition, and extinction

·         Rescorla-Wagner Model-Newer, most influential theory of conditioning in past 40 years.

 Limit to the amount of conditioning that can occur: Nature of US, CS-US pairings, Limit of UR

The greatest amount of learning occurs in the first/earliest pairings of the US and the CS

·         Fear Conditioning- Avoidance maintains many fear-based(anxiety) disorders.  Treatment requires exposure.

o   Baby Albert- Conditioned to fear rats and then generalized the fear to other animals.  

o   Counterconditioning- Reverse the unwanted effects of conditioning

o   Exposure Therapy-Gradual exposure to the fearful stimulus.  

o   Systematic Desenstization-procedure in which a phobic person imagines a very weak form of the frightening CS while relaxed.  

o   Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy (VRET)- Creates highly realistic computer stimulated scenes.  

·         Taste Aversion-Eating is essential to survive.  Developing Taste Aversion has considerable survival value.  Develops quickly.  Possible after only 1 pairing.  Develop in spite of long CS-US delay.