Chapter 5 Outline Classical Conditioning/Russian Learning

Chapter 5
Learning
Chapter Outline
CC/Russian Learning
elicited

Learning: any relatively permanent change in behavior (or behavior potential) resulting from experience. Learning occurs in 3 major ways. (basic forms)

I Classical conditioning: a basic form of learning in which one stimulus comes to serve as a signal for the occureence of a second stimulus. During CC, organisms acquire information about the relations between various stimuli, not simple associations between them. (click then fan. Pavlov’s dogs)
Bell = conditioned stimulus (CS)
Meat powder = unconditioned stimulus (UCS) (ucs because they can’t keep from salivating)
Response to meat powder = Unconditioned response (UCR)

A. Stimulus: a physical event capable of affecting behavior.
B. UCS: In CC, a stimulus that can evoke an UCR the first time it is presented.
C. UCR: In CC, the response evoked by a UCS.
D. CS: In CC, the stimulus that is repeatedly paired with an UCS.
E. CR: conditioned response. In CC, the response to the conditioned stimulus.

II Basic principles
A. Acquisition: the process by which a conditioned stimulus acquires the ability to elicit a CR through repeated pairings of an unconditioned stimulus with a CS.
B. Forward conditioning: presentation of a cs always precedes ucs.
1. Delay conditioning: a form of forward conditioning in which the onset of the ucs begins while the cs is still present.
2. trace conditioning: a form of forward conditioning in which the onset of the cs precedes the onset of the ucs and the presentation of the cs and ucs does not overlap.

C. Simultaneous conditioning: a form of conditioning in which the cs and the ucs begin and end at the same time.
D. Backward conditioning: a form of conditioning in which the presentation of the ucs precedes the presentation of the cs.
E. Extinction: the process through which a cs gradually loses the ability to evoke a cr when it is no longer followed by the ucs.
1. reconditioning: the rapid recovery of a cr to a cs-ucs pairing following extinction.
2. spontaneous recovery: following extinction, reinstatement of cs-ucs pairings will produce a cr.

F. Stimulus generalization: the tendency of stimuli similar to a cs to evoke cr. (bee sting = fear of all buzzing insects)
G. Stimulus discrimination: the process by which organisms learn to respond to certain stimuli but not to others.

III Exceptions to Classical Conditioning
A. Biological constraints of learning: refers to the fact that all forms of conditioning are not equally easy to establish with all organisms. (rats: sugar water, light, xray)
1. conditioned taste aversion: a type of conditioning in which the ucs (usually internal cues associated with nausea or vomiting) occurs several hours after the cs (often a novel food) leading to a strong cs-ucs association in a single trial. The aversion may last a lifetime.