classical conditioning

• Learning


  A relatively permanent change in behaviour that occurs as a result of experience
• Classical Conditioning


  The process of learning where two unrelated stimuli are repeatedly paired until an association is acquired, and an existing reflex response is elicited by a new stimulus
• Role of the learner in Classical Conditioning

  • Passive (does not require awareness of the learning)
• Behaviour response in Classical Conditioning

  • Involuntary (responses will be reflexive actions)
• Discovery of Classical Conditioning by Ivan Pavlov and the Pavlov's Dog Experiment


  1899
• Pavlov's Dog Experiment


  1. Measuring saliva's role in digestion

  2. Creating aperture for collecting saliva to limit extraneous variables

  3. Noticing dogs salivating to sounds associated with food preparation

  4. Measuring dogs salivating to different stimuli

  5. Discovering a dog's salivation behaviour response could be linked to a neutral stimulus
• Unconditioned Stimulus


  Any stimulus (from environment) that consistently produces a naturally occurring, automatic response (NOT LEARNED)
• Unconditioned Response


  The naturally occurring, automatic response to an unconditioned stimulus (NOT LEARNED)
• Neutral Stimulus


  Any stimulus (from environment) that does not normally produce a predictable response (NOT LEARNED)
• Conditioned Stimulus


  A neutral stimulus becomes a conditioned stimulus (acquisition) if it is repeatedly paired with the unconditioned stimulus until an association forms, and they both result in the same behaviour response (LEARNED)
• Conditioned Response


  The learned response to the new conditioned stimulus (which used to be just a neutral stimulus) (LEARNED)
• 1. Phase Process of Classical Conditioning

  1. Phase 1: Before Conditioning - Neutral stimulus produces no relevant response, unconditioned stimulus elicits the unconditioned response

  2. Phase 2: During Conditioning - Neutral stimulus is repeatedly paired with the unconditioned stimulus to produce the unconditioned response

  3. Phase 3: After Conditioning - Neutral stimulus becomes a conditioned stimulus, conditioned stimulus produces a conditioned response, usually similar to the previously unconditioned response
• Multiple Trial Learning


  • Every pairing of a Neutral Stimulus with an Unconditioned Stimulus is called a trial
  • Acquisition is the overall process of building an association between the NS and the UCS
  • Extinction is the loss of the CR when the UCS is no longer presented
• Factors Influencing Classical Conditioning

  • The unconditioned response must be automatic/involuntary
  • The response is a reflex; involving little conscious thought however, there must be some expectation that the UCS will be present, otherwise the behaviour goes extinct
  • The NS and UCS become contiguous (they are linked so that is is difficult to think of one without the other
  • The NS must be presented before the UCS for association to occur
  • Ideally it should be a very short time, not more than half a second, to be more effective, between when the NS and UCS are presented