3.7 - Classical Conditioning

Behavioral Perspective

• Behavioral: How we learn through rewards, punishments, and observation. Example: How do we develop phobias?

• Theory that focuses on observable behaviors and how they are shaped by external stimuli and reinforcement.

Classical Conditioning

• Learning: A lasting change in behavior due to experience.

• Association: Our minds naturally connect events that occur together.

Classical Conditioning: The Basics

• Definition: Learning to associate a neutral stimulus (NS) with a stimulus that naturally triggers a response.

• Pavlov’s Experiment: Pavlov discovered classical conditioning. He would ring a bell just before presenting food to the dogs. Over time, the dogs began to associate the sound of the bell with the arrival of food, causing them to salivate at the sound of the bell alone, even without the presence of food. This demonstrated the concept of classical conditioning, where a neutral stimulus (the bell) becomes associated with a meaningful stimulus (food) to elicit a response.

The Classical Conditioning Process

1. Unconditioned Stimulus (UCS): A stimulus that naturally and automatically triggers a response. (e.g., food)

2. Unconditioned Response (UCR): The unlearned, natural response to the UCS. (e.g., salivation)

3. Neutral Stimulus (NS): A stimulus that doesn't initially trigger a response. (e.g., a bell)

4. Conditioning: Repeatedly pairing the NS with the UCS.

5. Conditioned Stimulus (CS): The NS becomes the CS after it triggers a response due to its association with the UCS. (e.g., the bell now triggers salivation)

6. Conditioned Response (CR): The learned response to the CS. (e.g., salivation to the bell)

Important Terms

• Acquisition: The initial learning phase when the association between the NS and UCS is formed.

• Extinction: The weakening of the CR when the UCS is no longer presented with the CS.

• Spontaneous Recovery: The reappearance of a weakened CR after a rest period.

• Stimulus Generalization: Responding to stimuli similar to the CS.

• Stimulus Discrimination: Learning to respond only to the specific conditioned stimulus, not to similar stimuli. Example: A dog salivates to a specific bell tone, not to other sounds.

John B. Watson and Behaviorism

• Behaviorist Manifesto (1913):

  • Psychology should focus on observable behavior, not internal mental processes.

  • The goal is to predict and control behavior.

• Little Albert Experiment:

  • Watson conditioned a baby (Albert) to fear a white rat by pairing it with a loud noise.

  • Albert's fear generalized to other furry objects.

  • The experiment was unethical and likely did not cause lasting harm due to extinction (the fear response likely faded over time).

Applications of Classical Conditioning

• Counterconditioning: A therapy technique that helps people unlearn fear responses by pairing the feared stimulus with relaxation.

• Taste Aversions: A strong dislike for a food after a single bad experience (even if the food didn't cause the illness).

Biological Preparedness

• Animals and humans are predisposed to learn certain associations faster than others, especially those related to survival.

• Taste aversions are an example of biological preparedness, helping us avoid poisonous foods.