Classical conditioning

Cards (12)

classical conditioning
learning by association, involves involuntary behaviour caused by the environment (before stimulus)
neutral stimulus
a stimulus that first doesn't elicit a response
unconditioned stimulus
any stimulus that consistently produces a particular, naturally occurring, automatic response
unconditioned response
a reflexive, involuntary response that's caused by a UCS
conditioned response
the learned response that is produced by the CS, occurs after the CS has been associated with the UCR
conditioned stimulus
the stimulus that is neutral at the start of the conditioning process and does not normally produce the UCR
key processes in classical conditioning
acquisition
extinction
spontaneous recovery
stimulus generalisation
stimulus discrimination
acquisition
the overall process during which the organism learns to associate two events; the CS and the UCS (initial stage)
stimulus discrimination
occurs when a person or animal responds to CS only, but not to any other stimulus that is similar to the CS
extinction
the gradual decrease in the strength or rate of a CR that occurs when the UCS is no longer presented
stimulus generalisation
the tendency for another stimulus to produce a response that is similar to the CR
spontaneous recovery
the reappearance of a CR when the CS is presented, following a rest period after the CR appears to have been extinguished