Classical Conditioning

Learning

A relatively enduring or permanent change in behavior that results from previous experience with certain stimuli and responses.

Classical conditioning

Ivan Povlov

Extinction

a conditioned stimulus is repeatedly presented without the unconditioned stimulus and as a result the conditioned stimulus tend to no longer elicit the conditioned response.

Cognitive perspective

an organism learn a predictable relationship between two stimuli such that the occurrence of one stimulus(neutral stimulus) predicts the occurrence of another (unconditioned stimulus). in other words classical conditioning occurs because the organism learns what to expect.

unconditioned response

an unlearned, innate involuntary physiological reflex that is elicited by the unconditioned stimulus.

Neutral Stimulus

causes a sensory response such as being seen, heard, or smelled, but does not produce the reflex of being tested.

conditioned response

elicited by the conditioned stimulus, similar to but not identified in size, amount, to the unconditioned response.

conditioned stimulus

formerly neutral stimulus that has acquired the ability to elicit a response that was previously elicited by the unconditioned stimulus.

Behavior

includes both unobservable mental events and observable responses.

Stimulus substitution

neural bond or association forms in the brain between the neutral stimulus and unconditioned stimulus. After repeated trials, the neutral stimulus becomes the conditioned stimulus and acts like a substitute for the unconditioned stimulus. Thereafter, the conditioned stimulus elicits a conditioned response that is similar to that of the unconditioned stimulus.

Contiguity theory

occurs because two stimuli(neutral stimulus and unconditioned stimulus) are paired close together in time (are contiguous). As a result of this contiguous pairing, the neutral stimulus becomes the conditioned stimulus, which elicits the conditioned response.

generalization

the tendency for a stimulus that is similar to the original conditioned stimulus to elicit a response that is similar to the conditioned response.

Spontaneous Recovery

the tendency for the conditioned response to reappear after being extinguished even though there have been no further conditioning trials.

unconditioned stimulus

triggers or elicits a psychological reflex such as salivation or an eye blink.

Discrimination

when a organism learns to make a particular response to some stimuli but not to other.