Classical conditioning

• Classical conditioning is learning which occurs through associations made between the unconditioned stimulus and the neutral stimulus.
• Before conditioning, the UCS produces the UCR. During conditioning, the NS is repeatedly paired with the UCS, producing an UCR. After conditioning, the NS becomes the CS, producing the CR.
• Pavlov showed how dogs could be conditioned to salivate to the sound of a bell if that sound was repeatedly present at the same time as they were given food.
• Pavlov was able to show how a neutral stimulus, can come to elicit a new learned response (conditioned response) through association.
• Most of Pavlov's research was done in a lab, so has high reliability.
• As most of the research was done in a lab it lacks ecological validity.
• Ecological validity is the extent to which the findings of research can be generalised to a real-life setting.
• If the bell (CS) in Pavlov's experiment is repeatedly presented without the food, salivation (CR) will slowly disappear. This is extinction.
• If the CR becomes extinct, the dog will sometimes salivate to the sound of the bell at a later time. This is spontaneous recovery.
• The bell (CS) could be changed in pitch and still produce the CR of salivation. This is generalisation.
• Classical conditioning ignores any biological explanations for behaviour.