1. Unit 4: Memory & Learning
4.5 Classical Conditioning

2. What is Learning?
Learning: (relatively) permanent change in behavior due to experience
Associative learning: learning that certain events occur together
2 types – classical conditioning & operant conditioning

3. Ivan Pavlov Originally a medical researcher
Made his discovery about learning while researching digestive systems
Realized dogs began to salivate when they saw/smelled food
Began to pair the food with a neutral stimulus (bell)
Wanted to see if the dogs would link the neutral stimulus to the food over time and get the same response (salivate)

4. Conditioning
Trial
Salivation
Classical Conditioning: learning where a neutral stimulus is paired with an unconditioned stimulus (US) and elicits a conditioned response (CR)
Test
Trial
Salivation

5. Unconditioned Response (UR): a response produced by a natural stimulus
Unconditioned Stimulus (US): a stimulus that has the ability to produce a specific response before conditioning begins
Pavlov example: the food
Unconditioned Response (UR): a response produced by a natural stimulus
Pavlov example: salivating at the food
Conditioned Stimulus (CS): an initially neutral stimulus (NS) that comes to produce a new response because it is associated with the US
During this stage acquisition (initial stage of learning, neutral stimulus becomes associated w/ US) occurs
Pavlov example: the bell
Conditioned Response (CR): the response produced by the CS
Pavlov example: salivating when hearing the bell

6. US UR CS CR Let’s practice! Jim offering a mint to Dwight
Dwight reaching his hand out
Sound of computer restarting
Dwight reaching his hand out

7. a. Extinction
After conditioning has taken place, repeatedly presenting the CS (bell) w/o the US (meat) will make the CR (salivating) weaker & eventually make it disappear.

8. b. Reconditioning
relearning of a conditioned response after extinction with only 1 or 2 more pairings (CS with US).
Extinct
Response
1 or 2
CS-US
pairings
Conditioned

9. c. Spontaneous Recovery
Following extinction, the CR reappears at reduced strength if the CS is presented again after a rest period.
Extinct
Response
Time
- days-
Conditioned

10. d. Stimulus Generalization
After a CR has been trained to a CS, that same CR will tend to occur to similar stimuli w/o further training. The greater the similarity, the stronger the response will be.
- Can lead to phobias
e. Discrimination
Act of responding differently to stimuli that are not similar
US: dog bite (pain from bite)
UR: fear – trying to escape
CS: sight of that dog
CR: fear of dog
Generalization: fear of all dogs
Discrimination: doesn’t fear stuffed animal dogs

11. f. Conditions in Classical Conditioning
Timing - closer in time = more effective
Predictability - pairing of US & CS is consistent
Signal Strength - Strength of CS is strong
Attention - the amount of attention that is directed at the CS