Learning
How Do We Learn? Most learning is associative learning. – Learning that certain events occur together.
Classical Conditioning Ivan Pavlov – Russian scientists that studied digestion of dogs – Dogs would salivate (drool) before they were given food (triggered by sounds, lights, etc.) – Pavlov believed that dogs must have LEARNED to salivate.
CONDITIONED Means LEARNED UNCONDITIONED NEUTRAL STIMULUS Means UNLEARNED or NOT YET LEARNED Means it does nothing
Classical Conditioning Unconditioned Stimulus (UCS): a stimulus that naturally and automatically triggers a response. Response known as the unconditional response (UCR) – Unlearned, naturally occurring response to UCS.
For Example… This is passive learning (learner does not have to think) Unconditioned StimulusUnconditioned Response
For Example… This is passive learning (learner does not have to think) Unconditioned StimulusUnconditioned Response
For Example… This is passive learning (learner does not have to think) Unconditioned StimulusUnconditioned Response
Next… You find a neutral stimulus – Something that by itself elicits no response – You present the stimulus with the UCS many times Unconditioned StimulusUnconditioned ResponseNeutral Stimulus
Next… You find a neutral stimulus – Something that by itself elicits no response – You present the stimulus with the UCS many times Unconditioned StimulusUnconditioned ResponseNeutral Stimulus
Next… You find a neutral stimulus – Something that by itself elicits no response – You present the stimulus with the UCS many times Unconditioned StimulusUnconditioned ResponseNeutral Stimulus
Eventually… Acquisition occurs – The body begins to link together the neutral stimulus with the UCS
Which Means… The “do nothing” neutral stimulus is then learned, making it the conditioned stimulus (CS) The learned response to a previously neutral stimulus becomes the conditioned response (CR)
Math?! UCS = UCR Not Learned NS + UCS = UCR CS = CR Learned! ______ __________
Is Classical Conditioning Permanent? We know learning exists because the CS is linked to the UCS. – Called acquisition Does not last forever. – The moment the CS is no longer associated with the UCS, we have extinction.
Generalization vs. Discrimination Something is so similar to the CS that you get a CR Something is too different from the CS so you do not get a CR
Spontaneous Recovery Sometimes, after extinction, the CR still randomly appears after the CS is presented.
How to Train Your Rat?
My Turn! I’ll need a volunteer. One who does not get angry easily…
Classical Conditioning in Pop Culture See if you can identify the UCS, UR, CS, CR
Classical Conditioning & Humans John Watson brought classical conditioning to psychology with his Little Albert experiment. Extremely unethical
Learned Taste Aversions When it comes to food being paired with sickness, the conditioning is incredibly strong Even when food and sickness are hours apart