Classical conditioning

• Unconditioned stimulus (ucs) naturally triggers unconditioned response, occurs automatically
• Unconditioned response (ucr) natural response to unconditioned stimulus
• Neutral stimulus (ns) doesn’t trigger any response, paired with unconditioned stimulus can cause learning
• Conditioned stimulus (cs) neutral stimulus repeatedly paired with unconditioned stimulus can cause learning
• Conditioned response (cr) association learning = response elicited by conditioned stimulus
• during conditioning - unconditioned stimulus and neutral stimulus paired
• After conditioning

  neutral stimulus produces the same response as UCS
• Extinction


  When CS and UCS have not been paired for a while the CS and CR not elicit as strong
• Spontaneous recovery

  Extinct response activates again CS elicits CR again
• Stimulus generalisation


  CR to one object is exhibited in the presence of similar stimuli
• Strengths of cc

  • research evidence - Pavlov and Watson and rayner - good controlled studies done on humans + animals
  • COUNTERPOINT- Pavlov concepts being questioned , the NS and UCS have to occur close in time. Rescoria - extent to which NS predicts UCS. Pavlov is inaccurate
• Weaknesses of cc

  • explains small range of behaviours - doesn’t explain how someone Learns + maintains behaviour can be a partial explanation