Classical
Conditioning
Unit 3- Module 14 Notes
Definitions
• Learning:
• A relatively permanent change in behavior caused
by experience
• Classical Conditioning
• Type of learning in which a stimulus gains the power
to create a response
• Stimulus
• Anything in the environment that one can respond
to
• Response
• Any behavior or action
Classical Conditioning
• There are four main components to classical
conditioning:
•
•
•
•
Unconditioned Stimulus (US)
Unconditioned Response (UR)
Conditioned Stimulus (CS)
Conditioned Response (CR)
Classical Conditioning
• Unconditioned Stimulus (US)
• Stimulus that triggers an automatic and
reflexive response
• Classical conditioning CANNOT happen without
an US
• In the shower example, what is the US?
• Hot water
Classical Conditioning
• Unconditioned Response (UR)
• The automatic response to the US
• Relationship between the US and UR is
reflexive and automatic- it is NOT learned
• In the shower example, what is the UR?
• Jumping out of the way of the hot water
Classical Conditioning
• Conditioned Stimulus (CS)
• A previously neutral stimulus that , through
learning, gains the power to cause a
conditioned response
• Before classical conditioning takes place, the
stimulus is considered a neutral stimulus
• In the shower example, what is the CS?
• The word “Flush”
Classical Conditioning
• Conditioned Response (CR)
• The response to the Conditioned Stimulus
• Is the same behavior that is identified as the UR
• In the shower example, what is the CR?
• Jumping out of the way of the hot water
Classical Conditioning
• Two basic processes in classical conditioning:
• Acquisition
• Process of developing a learned response
• Occurs when a neutral stimulus is repeatedly
paired with a US (called a trial)
• In the shower example, how would we know
that acquisition has taken place?
• When the word “Flush” is said and the person
jumps out of the way without the hot water being
present
Classical Conditioning
• Extinction
• Diminishing of a learned response after
repeated presentation of the CS by itself
• How could the CR of jumping out of the way in
the shower become extinct?
• Repeatedly yell “Flush” (CS) without actually
flushing the toilet
• Since water wouldn’t get hot, learner wouldn’t
react to the CS
Classical Conditioning
• Two more terms:
• Generalization
• Producing the same response to two similar
stimuli
• Discrimination
• Ability to distinguish between 2 signals or stimuli
and produce different responses
Classical Conditioning
• Aaron was sitting on a
park bench licking a
lollipop when he got
stung in the ear by a
bee. The sting
produced a great deal
of pain and, as a result,
fear of bees. After the
incident, Aaron began
experiencing fear
whenever he heard the
buzzing sound of a
bee.
Classical Conditioning
• In that scenario, what is the:
• US?
• Pain from the sting
• UR?
• Fear of bees
• CS?
• Buzzing of bees
• CR?
• Fear of bees
Classical Conditioning
• In the previous scenario, how might we
observe generalization?
• If Aaron displayed fear of all buzzing insects
• If Aaron feared all buzzing insects at first, what
would need to happen for us to observe
discrimination?
• Aaron showed the ability to not be afraid of
buzzing insects that did not produce painful
stings
Classical Conditioning
Experiment #1
• Observe the demonstration
• When complete, jot down the following:
• US, UR, CS, CR, Generalization (if any),
Discrimination (if any), Extinction (if any),
Acquisition (if any)
• Then, we will discuss as a class
Classical Conditioning
Experiment #1
Classical Conditioning
Experiment #1
• Observe the demonstration
• When complete, jot down the following:
• US, UR, CS, CR, Generalization (if any),
Discrimination (if any), Extinction (if any),
Acquisition (if any)
• Then, we will discuss as a class
Classical Conditioning
• In the famous “Baby Albert” experiment,
identify the:
•
•
•
•
•
US
UR
CS
CR
Generalization
Classical Conditioning
• Ivan Pavlov’s Experiment
• Pavlov was conducting an experiment on the
role of saliva on digestion- the results of his
experiment, however, became a benchmark in
behavioral psychology!
Classical Conditioning
Classical Conditioning
• Pavlov’s experiment
• The initial results of the experiment were a
success- the dog salivated when the meat was
introduced
• After a period of time, however, the dog
became familiar with the procedure and began
to salivate before the meat arrived
• Pavlov decided to change his experiment and
see if he could train the behavior of the dog by
causing it to salivate to the sound of a tuning
fork rather than the presence of meat
Classical Conditioning
• Using what we have discussed, CREATE
Pavlov’s experiment
• Identify the US, UR, CS, CR
• Identify how acquisition would be produced
• Identify how extinction would be observed