Procedures Based on Principles of Respondent Conditioning Chapter 14

Respondent conditioning Deals with behaviors that are elicited automatically by some stimulus Doesn’t produce a new behavior Causes an existing behavior to occur Involves reflexive behavior New stimulus-response sequence is learned CLASSICAL CONDITIONING 1. Deals with behaviors that are elicited automatically by some stimulus Accordingly, this process of conditioning that Pavlov discovered is called classical conditioning 2. The stimulus does not produce a new behavior, 3. but causes an existing behavior to occur (i.e. salivating) (THINK LIME AND HOW IT MAKES YOUR MOUTH WATER) 4. It is important to note that classical conditioning always involves some kind of reflexive behavior A reflex being a relatively simple, unlearned behavior that is governed by the nervous system 5. And, in classical conditioning, a new stimulus-response sequence is learned EX: the dog in the lab had formed a new association between Pavlov and food

Definitions Operant Conditioning Respondent Conditioning Behavior that operates on the environment can be modified by its consequences Operant behaviors – behaviors that operate on the environment to generate consequences Respondent Conditioning Also called Pavlovian Conditioning Behavior is elicited by prior stimuli apart from the consequences from behavior Respondent Behaviors

Terminology Unconditioned stimulus (US): Unconditioned response (UR): natural stimulus producing response Unconditioned response (UR): unlearned response Conditioned stimulus (CS): originally neutral now elicits reflective response Conditioned response (CR): learned reflective response to conditioned stimulus TERMINOLOGY Unconditioned stimulus (UCS): natural stimulus that reflectively produces response Unconditioned response (UCR): dog’s salivation (unlearned, reflexive) Conditioned stimulus (CS): originally neutral elicits reflective response Conditioned response (CR): learned reflective response to a conditioned stimulus

Principle of Respondent Conditioning A neutral stimulus followed closely in time by a US, which elicits a UR, then the previously neutral stimulus will also tend to elicit the same response

Principle of Respondent Conditioning

Factors Influencing Respondent Conditioning The greater the number of pairings of a CS with a US, the greater is the ability of the CS to elicit the CR Stronger conditioning occurs if the CS precedes the US by about half a second, rather than by a longer time or rather than following the US Conditioned taste aversion – exception to the rule A CS acquires greater ability to elicit a CR if the CS is always paired with a given US than if it is only occasionally paired with the US When several neutral stimuli precede a US, the stimulus that is most consistently associated with the US is the one most likely to become a strong CS Respondent conditioning will develop more quickly and strongly when the CS or US or both are intense rather than weak

Higher Order Conditioning 1st order Pair NS and US to produce UR CS will produce CR EX: Pair bell and food to produce salivation; bell will produce salivation after conditioning 2nd order Pair NS and CS to produce CR Produce a new CS which elicits the CR EX: Pair light with bell to produce salivation; light will produce salivation after conditioning

Higher Order Conditioning

Factors affecting conditioning Stimulus generalization Similar stimuli elicit CR Stimulus discrimination Respond to specific stimuli, but not similar ones FACTORS AFFECTING CONDITIONING In studying classical conditioning, Pavlov discovered many factors that could affect the strength of the conditioned response. EX: the more frequently the conditioned stimulus and the unconditioned stimulus were paired, the stronger the association between the two. Pavlov also found that the timing of the stimulus presentations affected the strength of the conditioned response 1. Generalization-phenomenon in which , after conditioning, stimuli that resemble the conditioned stimulus will elicit the conditioned response even though they themselves were never paired with the unconditioned response. 2. Discrimination: occurrence of a learned response to a specific stimulus, but not to other, similar stimuli training can abolish generalization between two stimuli. By not linking the unconditioned stimulus to the neutral stimulus that has been generalized to, the animal will discriminate.

Respondent Extinction Presenting a CS while withholding the US CS will gradually loose its capability of eliciting the CR

Counterconditioning Condition a new response to CS at the same time as the former CR is being extinguished

Common Respondently Conditioned Responses Reflexive responses can be conditioned to previously neutral stimili Biologically adaptive Digestive System Circulatory System – increased heart rate, blood flow Respiratory System – coughing, sneezing, asthma attacks Other Systems – urinary, reproductive systems Biological Preparedness – predisposition of members of a species to be more readily conditioned to some stimuli as CSs than to others Ex: taste aversion – conditioned reflex of digestive system

Respondent and Operant Conditioning Compared Responses Respondent behaviors are reflexive Operant behaviors are voluntary Reinforcers Respondent conditioning pairs NS with US before the response Operant conditioning presents reinforcement after the response Extinction Respondent conditioning – presentation of CS without US Operant conditioning – withholding the reinforcer following a previously reinforced response CSs and SDs Both produce responses that have been conditioned to them Conditioning procedures differ CSs elicit the response conditioned to them SDs evoke the responses to them

Applications of Respondent Conditioning Aversion Therapy Repeated pairing of a troublesome reinforcer with an aversive event Rationale is counterconditioning Treatment of Chronic Constipation Presenting a mild, non-painful electric current prior to defecating Defecation initially elicited by laxative, but drug gradually decreased Apply current at the same time each day, so that eventually can remove the current and natural environment will elicit defecation response Treatment of Nocturnal Enuresis (Bed-Wetting) Bell-pad treatment Bell connected to pad under the bottom sheet Bell sounds (US) and awakens (UR) as soon as the first drop of urine makes contact with the pad Eventually child will wake up before urinating Has been conditioned to the stimulus of pressure of bladder