Chapter 07

Learning

Introduction

Module 15: Classical Conditioning

Learning• A relatively permanent change in behavior

due to experience

• Which are examples of learning?1. The acquisition of language in children.

2. A worm is placed in a T maze. The left side of the maze is brightly lit and dry; the right side is moist and dim. On the first 10 trials, the worm turns right 7 times. On the next 10 trials, the worm turns right all 10 times.

3. The cessation of thumb sucking by an infant.

4. A previously psychotic patient is given phrenological surgery and no longer exhibits any psychotic behaviors.

Stimulus-Response

• Stimulus - anything in the environment that one can respond to

• Response – any behavior or action

• Example: (S)Someone throws a book at your head (R) duck, put

up your hands

Classical Conditioning

• A type of learning where a stimulus gains the power to cause a response because it predicts another stimulus that already produces that response

• Form of learning by association

Stimulus-Response Relationship

Stimulus-Response Relationship

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Stimulus-Stimulus Learning

Learning to associate one stimuluswith another.

Behaviorism

• The view that psychology should restrict its efforts to studying observable behaviors, not mental processes.

• Founded by John Watson

Components of Classical

Conditioning

Module 15: Classical Conditioning

Unconditioned Stimulus (UCS)

• A stimulus that triggers a response automatically and reflexively

Unconditioned Response (UCR)

• The automatic response to the unconditioned stimulus

• The relationship between the UCS and UCR must be reflexive and not learned

Conditioned Stimulus (CS)

• A stimulus that through learning has gained the power to cause a conditioned response

• The CS must be a neutral stimulus before conditioning occurs.

Conditioned Response

• The response to the conditioned stimulus

• Usually the same behavior as the UCR

Ivan Pavlov’s Discovery

Module 15: Classical Conditioning

Ivan Pavlov (1849-1936)

• A Russian physiologist who discovered classical conditioning while doing experiments on the digestive system of dogs

Pavlov’s Method of Collecting Saliva

Pavlov’s Research Apparatus

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CLASSICAL CONDITIONING

• TERMINOLOGY– Conditioned = Learned– Unconditioned = Unlearned– Stimulus = Causes a response– Response = Behavioral reaction to stimulus

• BASIC COMPONENTS:– Natural reflex (automatic, involuntary)– Neutral stimulus – will become conditioned stimulus– Association of stimuli– Timing (0.5 second)

Pavlov’s Experiment

Pavlov’s Experiment

Pavlov’s Experiment

The Office

Classical Conditioning

Processes: Acquisition

Module 15: Classical Conditioning

Acquisition

• The process of developing a learned response

• The subject learns a new response (CR) to a previously neutral stimulus (CS)

Acquisition

Classical Conditioning

Processes: Extinction and Spontaneous

Recovery

Module 15: Classical Conditioning

Extinction

• The diminishing of a learned response

• In classical conditioning, the continual presentation of the CS without the UCS

Extinction

Spontaneous Recovery

• The reappearance, after a rest period, of an extinguished conditioned response

Spontaneous Recovery

Generalization and Discrimination

Module 15: Classical Conditioning

Generalization

• Process in which an organism produces the same response to two similar stimuli

• The more similar the substitute stimulus is to the original used in conditioning, the stronger the generalized response

Generalization

Discrimination

• A process in which an organism produces different responses to two similar stimuli

• The subject learns that one stimuli predicts the UCS and the other does not.

Stimulus Discrimination

Discrimination is the learned ability to distinguish between a conditioned stimulus and other stimuli that do not signal an unconditioned

stimulus.

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Stop the Carousel I Want to Get Off

• Molly was ecstatic when she learned her family was going to the state fair next weekend. When her family arrived at the state fair the temperature was in excess of 100F, but Molly didn't care because she was finally there. Molly stopped and watched some clowns performing next to the carousel. As she watched the silly antics of the clowns with the carousel music playing in the background, Molly got more and more sweaty and uncomfortable. Eventually, she fainted from the heat. After that trip to the state fair, every time Molly hears carousel music she feels a little dizzy.

•  What is the unconditioned stimulus?• What is the unconditioned response?• What is the neutral stimulus that becomes the

conditioned stimulus?• What is the conditioned response?

Stop the Carousel I Want to Get OffAnswers

• unconditioned stimulus: extreme heat (temperature above 100)

• unconditioned response: fainting

• neutral stimulus / conditioned stimulus: carousel music

• conditioned response: feeling dizzy

Kitties and Clickers

Psychologists like to experiment on other organisms in their immediate environment, so Jenny decided to perform a few experiments on her kitty, Precious. Jenny had a little clicker that makes a loud ‘CLICK’ sound. She walked around the house, randomly clicking it for a while while Precious rested in the living room. Then Jenny sat down with Precious, and used the flash on her camera to flash a bright light at the same time she clicked. Precious blinked because of the flash, and looked mildly annoyed. Jenny repeated this process with her 4 times. On the 5th time she clicked the clicker, without using the flash. She still blinked! (She also looked very unhappy).What is the unconditioned stimulus?

• What is the unconditioned response?• What is the neutral stimulus that becomes the conditioned

stimulus? • What is the conditioned response?•  

Kitties and ClickersAnswers

• unconditioned stimulus: bright flash

• unconditioned response: eye blink

• neutral stimulus / conditioned stimulus: clicking sound

• conditioned response: eye blink

Classical Conditioning in Everyday Life:

Little Albert

Module 15: Classical Conditioning

Little Albert

• 11-month-old infant

• Watson and his assistant, Rosalie Rayner, conditioned Albert to be frightened of white rats

• Led to questions about experimental ethics

Little Albert – Before Conditioning

Little Albert – During Conditioning

Little Albert – After Conditioning

Little Albert - Generalization

Classical Conditioning in Everyday Life:Taste Aversion

Module 15: Classical Conditioning

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TASTE AVERSION ACTIVITY: SOUP

Use a 9 point scale (1 = dislike extremely)

• 1. Stirred by a thoroughly washed, used flyswatter.

• 2. Flyswatter is brand new.

• 3. Thoroughly washed but used comb

• 4. Thoroughly washed, used dog bowl

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TASTE AVERSION: FAVORITE COOKIE

• 5. Dropped it on the grass first?

• 6. A waiter had taken a bite first?

• 7. An acquaintance had taken a bite first?

• 8. A good friend had taken a bite first?

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TASTE AVERSION

• The association principle is everything when it comes to food. Rozin’s results:

• 1. 82% a 4 or less (clean flyswatter)

• 2. 58% disliked (brand new flyswatter)

• 3. 76% disliked (clean, used comb)

• 4. 71% disliked (washed dog bowl)

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Taste Aversion

• 5. Only 34% would pass up (grass)

• 6. 84% reject (waiter)

• 7. 31% reject (acquaintance)

• 8. Just 16% refuse (friend)

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Taste Aversion and Biological Predispositions

• Have you ever gotten sick after eating a particular food?

• How did you feel about/react to the food after the incident?

• How strong was this feeling/reaction?

• How long did the feeling/reaction last?

Taste Aversion

• Subjects become classically conditioned to avoid specific tastes, because the tastes are associated with nausea.

• John Garcia (1917- )

Cognition and Biological

Predispositions

Module 15: Classical Conditioning

Biological Perspective

• We are predisposed to learn things that affect our survival.

• We are predisposed to avoid threats our ancestors faced--food that made us sick, storms, heights, snakes, etc.--but not modern-day threats--cars, water pollution, etc.

The End