Classical conditioning
Video clipshttp://www.psychexchange.co.uk/videos/view/20609/
2 and a half men cliphttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JA96Fba-WHk Big Bang theory clip positive reinforcement
http://www.psychexchange.co.uk/_hotpotatoes/8102644451233992961.htm pavlov cloze
http://www.psychexchange.co.uk/videos/view/20088/ recreation of Pavlov’s dogshttp://www.psychexchange.co.uk/videos/view/20445/ boy and
bbgun
http://www.psychexchange.co.uk/videos/view/20218/ basic CC
http://www.psychexchange.co.uk/videos/view/20132/ John Watson – Little Albert
http://www.psychexchange.co.uk/_hotpotatoes/5408354791237315696.htm match quiz Pavlov
Atypical Behaviour – Core Theory
The Behaviourist Theory
What was the weirdest phobia you could find?
BATs
Outline the behaviourist theory of phobias (D+) Explain how classical and operant conditioning
can start and maintain a phobia (B+)
Homework –
1. Describe Classical Conditioning in relation to a phobia of your choice. (5 marks)
2. Explain how the idea of Operant Conditioning can explain why the phobia continues and isn’t extinguished. (3 marks)
The Behaviourist Theory Behaviourists are Psychologists who
believe that behaviours are LEARNED not NATURAL.
They believe we learn to be PHOBIC. Many people can link their phobia to a
bad experience Children often have similar phobias to
parents
Classical Conditioning ‘Learning by Association’ – people
learn to associate a particular response with a particular stimulus.
e.g. When asked a question (stimulus) in class you have learnt to automatically put your hand up (response)
Classical Conditioning Behaviourists accept that some behaviours
are not learnt, but INSTINCTIVE e.g. responses like vomiting, sexual arousal and anxiety
They called these UNCONDITIONED RESPONSES (UCR)
These responses are triggered by UNCONDITIONED STIMULI (UCS)
Objects and events that naturally cause the reaction e.g. poison, stimulating genitals and a threat
Classical Conditioning
BUT – sometimes these responses happen because of a NEUTRAL STIMULUS (NS) – one that normally doesn’t cause a reaction.
e.g. NS = burger. You may once have been sick after eating one.
you then ASSOCIATE the burger(NS) with the response (vomiting)
Next time you have a burger it makes you feel sick!! You have been Classically Conditioned
Classical ConditioningThe Neutral Stimulus (e.g. burger)is now
known as aCONDITIONED STIMULUS (CS) because
it triggers a learnt responseThe response itself doesn’t change (i.e.
vomiting), but as it is a response to a CSIt is now known as a CONDITIONED
RESPONSE (CR)http://www.psychexchange.co.uk/videos/view/20445/ boy and bbgun see also African Land snails
Over to you … Do activities 5.4 and 5.5 p66-67– use the
worksheet. http://www.psychexchange.co.uk/videos/
view/20088/ recreation of Pavlov’s dogs
Copy diagrams on p67 to illustrate Pavlov’s experiment
EXTENSION – Activity 5.6 p67 What does Stimulus Generalisation
mean?Breaktime!
UCS UCR
NS
CS CR
FOODSALIVATION
BELL
BELL SALIVATION
Classical Conditioning – Pavlov’s Experiment
How can Classical Conditioning be used to explain the start of Phobias?
Phobias are the result of a negative experience with a feared object, context or activity
Fear is the Unconditioned Response (UR)
Feared object, action e.t.c is the US A NS can be associated with the feared
action/object e.t.cHere is an example – see p68 …
UCS (sting) UCR
FEARNS (bee)
CS
(bee)
Apiphobia – a fear of bees
+
CR
FEAR
association
This can happen after one bad experience – ONE TRIAL LEARNING
How can Classical Conditioning be used to explain how Phobias continue?
1. Stimulus generalisation – associate CR with stimuli similar to the original stimulus (e.g. apiphobics may also fear wasps)
2. Extinction – associations between stimulus and response gradually disappear – but why don’t people stop being phobic if they have not encountered the stimulus that causes their phobia for a while?
How can Classical Conditioning be used to explain how Phobias continue?
3. Operant Conditioning – ‘learning by consequences’.
If consequence of an action is rewarding we learn to do it again (positive reinforcement)
If the consequence is negative we do not repeat the action (negative reinforcement - punishment)
How can Classical Conditioning be used to explain how Phobias continue?
3. Operant Conditioning .. A phobia is also about avoiding the
object or situation (Stimulus) Avoidance – feel relieved –
REWARDING – keep avoiding the stimulus to get more relief
Facing fear (e.g. bee) – ANXIETY – PUNISHING – don’t want to face fear again
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JA96Fba-WHk Big Bang theory clip positive reinforcement
Behaviourist theory of phobias
All behaviours, including phobias, are learnt.
In other words, phobias are conditioned. Phobias start because of classical
conditioning. Phobias are maintained (kept going) by
operant conditioning.
Over to you … Copy the definition of Operant conditioning
into your Glossary, plus extinction, stimulus generalisation and one trial learning
Create a Classical Conditioning diagram like the one on p68 for a phobia other than Apiphobia
Extension – Storyboard or role play a situation when a phobia might ne started and maintained using the ideas of CC and Operant Conditioning
Homework
1. Describe Classical Conditioning in relation to a phobia of your choice. (5 marks)
2. Explain how the idea of Operant Conditioning can explain why the phobia continues and isn’t extinguished. (3 marks)