ANSWERS TO Problem Session #1
SCENARIO ONE
US = Bad News
UR = Fear/negative emotion
CS (CS+) = Phone Ringing
CR = Fear/panic to phone ringing
trace conditioning procedure
excitatory conditioning
- extinction when “I have heard the phone ring many times and gradually my sense of fear and panic
has reduced”
- spontaneous recovery when “, although occasionally I still react with fear and panic to the sound of
the telephone ringing.”
SCENARIO TWO
US = kiss
UR = aroused
CS (CS+) = girlfriend
CR = aroused
CS (CS-) = parents (conditioned inhibitor)
short-delay conditioning procedure (or long-delay)
SCENARIO THREE
US = fur coat
UR = allergic reaction
CS (CS+) = music (Beethoven)
CR = allergic reaction
probably backward (both sat down before music started – e.g. fur coat is present before music)
or simultaneous conditioning (music and fur coat presented at same time)
SCENARIO FOUR
US = bell
UR = awaken
CS (CS+) = full bladder
CR = awaken
probably short-delay conditioning
Learning (3203) handout for chapter 3 (answers)
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SCENARIO FIVE
US = foot stab
UR = pain
CS (CS+) = urchin
CR = fear
backward conditioning
SCENARIO SIX
US = batter (stuff on spoon and bowls)
UR = salivation
CS (CS+)= mother baking (excitatory conditioning)
CR = salivation
CS (CS-) = frowning (conditioned inhibitor, inhibitory conditioning)
probably short or long-delay conditioning
SCENARIO SEVEN
US = treatment
UR = discomfort/cry
CS (CS+)= doctors/white coat
CR = fear
Generalization demonstrated by “One day my family decided to eat at a restaurant that happened to
have waiters who wore white jackets. My sister acted fearful and cried the minute she saw them.”
Extinction demonstrated by “The treatments stopped but my sister still had to go for weekly check-ups.
At these check-ups there was no painful treatment, and eventually my sister stopped crying whenever
she saw a doctor in a white coat.”
Disinhibition demonstrated by “At her last check-up though, while we were sitting in the waiting room,
an ambulance blared its siren loudly right outside the waiting room window. Everybody jumped it was so
loud. Shortly after, the white-coated doctor came in to the waiting room and my sister cried with fright the
moment she saw him.”
Learning (3203) handout for chapter 3 (answers)
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SCENARIO Eight
An Example of Higher Order Conditioning:
Higher-Order conditioning: in 1st order conditioning, CS1 acquires strength to serve as "US" in 2nd
order conditioning.
Method:
1st order conditioning phase ->
2nd Order Conditioning
Phase
Test Phase
-->Result
EXP
CS1 --> US
CS2 --> CS1
CS2 --> CR
CON
CS1 --> US
CS2 alone
CS-2 --> no CR
Method:
1st order conditioning phase
-->
2nd Order Conditioning
Phase
Test Phase
-->Result
EXP
“not pleased” --> hit
sad face --> “not pleased”
sad face --> fear
CON
“not pleased” --> hit
sad face alone
sad face --> no fear
Learning (3203) handout for chapter 3 (answers)
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