Basic Learning Concepts and Classical Conditioning

In his experiments, Pavlov found that spontaneous recovery often occurred after a conditioned response was extinguished if:

after a few hours without the CS or the US, the tone was presented again.

Five-year-old Destiny is frightened by the noise thunder makes. Thus, when Destiny sees lightning, she often cries in anticipation of the thunder. This is an example of:

classical conditioning.

Lightning is associated with thunder because it precedes it. Thus, when a person sees lightning, that person anticipates hearing thunder soon afterward. This is an example of:

classical conditioning.

Pavlov's dog stopped salivating to the bell when the food was no longer paired with the bell. This is called:

extinction.

In his experiments, Pavlov found that _____ often occurred after a conditioned response was extinguished if, after a few hours without the CS or the US, the tone was presented again.

spontaneous recovery

This is the reappearance, after a pause, of an extinguished conditioned response.

spontaneous recovery

In classical conditioning a person learns to associate two _____.

stimuli

_____ is being able to learn new behaviors that help an organism cope with new or changing circumstances.

Adaptability

_____ is the ability to learn new behaviors that help a person to cope with new or changing circumstances.

Adaptability

_____ is the process of learning associations.

Conditioning

_____ is the view that psychology should be an objective science that studies only observable behavior.

Behaviorism

Conditioning seldom occurs when a(n) _____ comes after a(n) _____.

CS; US

_____ is the ability to differentiate between the conditioned stimulus (CS) and other stimuli that have not been associated with the unconditioned stimulus (US).

Discrimination

_____ is the ability to differentiate between the conditioned stimulus (CS) and similar stimuli that have not been associated with the unconditioned stimulus (US).

Discrimination

"Give me a dozen healthy infants, well formed, and my own specified world to bring them up in and I'll guarantee to take any one at random and train him to become any type of specialist I might select, doctor, lawyer, artist, merchant-chief, and, yes, even beggar-man and thief, regardless of his talents, penchants, tendencies, abilities, vocations, and race of his ancestors." Which psychologist made this statement?

John B. Watson

_____ said, "Give me a dozen healthy infants, well formed, and my own specified world to bring them up in and I'll guarantee to take any one at random and train him to become any type of specialist I might select, doctor, lawyer, artist, merchant-chief, and, yes, even beggar-man and thief, regardless of his talents, penchants, tendencies, abilities, vocations, and race of his ancestors."

John B. Watson

_____ is a relatively permanent behavior change due to experience.

Learning

_____ is the reappearance, after a pause, of an extinguished conditioned response.

Spontaneous recovery

What happened after "Little Albert" was classically conditioned to fear a tame white rat?

Stimulus generalization occurred; Albert responded with fear to other furry animals and fuzzy objects.

Conditioning seldom occurs when a CS comes after a(n) _____.

US

Your psychology assignment is to observe and list any behaviors of your relatives that indicate learning. Which of these should be included on your list?

Your little brother whines whenever he wants something.

In Watson and Rayner's experiment with Little Albert the unconditioned stimulus (US) used to produce fear was:

a loud noise.

In Watson and Rayner's experiment with Little Albert the neutral stimulus, that after conditioning became the conditioned stimulus, was:

a white rat.

In Watson and Rayner's experiment with Little Albert, the conditioned stimulus (CS) used to produce fear was:

a white rat.

Classical and operant conditioning involves learning through _____, whereas observational learning involves learning through imitation.

association

Conditioning is the process of learning _____.

associations

Every time Maureen opens the cabinet where she stores her dog's treats, her dog begins to bark in anticipation. This is an example of _____ learning.

associative

Through direct experience with animals, we anticipate that dogs will bark and that birds will chirp. This best illustrates:

associative learning.

Loretta had cancer and had to undergo numerous bouts of chemotherapy. The chemotherapy always made her nauseous. As she underwent a year of treatment, just entering the waiting room made her nauseous. The _____ is the unconditioned stimulus.

chemotherapy

People and animals learn the association between two stimuli through _____ conditioning.

classical

While 5-year-old Lolita was looking at one of the balloons her mother set out for her birthday, Lolita's brother Jorgan took a pin and popped the balloon, causing Lolita to flinch and blink. Later during the party, when Lolita's mother approached her with a balloon, she blinked and flinched. This is an example of _____ conditioning.

classical

People and animals learn the association between two stimuli through _____. People and animals learn the association between a behavior and a consequence through _____.

classical conditioning; operant conditioning

In their dismissal of "mentalistic" concepts such as consciousness, Pavlov and Watson underestimated the importance of _____ processes and biological constraints on an organism's learning capacity.

cognitive

In classical conditioning, an originally irrelevant stimulus, which after association with an unconditioned stimulus comes to trigger a conditioned response, is called a(n):

conditioned stimulus (CS).

Edelia had cancer and had to undergo numerous bouts of chemotherapy. The chemotherapy always made her nauseous. As she underwent a year of treatment, just entering the waiting room made her nauseous. The waiting room became the:

conditioned stimulus.

In psychology, _____ refers to learning associations between environmental events and behavioral responses.

conditioning

In operant conditioning a person learns to associate a response and its _____.

consequence

In Watson and Rayner's experiment with Little Albert the _____ was the unconditioned response (UR).

fear of a loud noise

In Watson and Rayner's experiment with Little Albert, the _____ was the conditioned response (CR).

fear of the white rat

After Watson classically conditioned "Little Albert" to fear a tame white rat, _____ occurred, which caused Albert to respond fearfully to other furry animals and fuzzy objects.

generalization

Walter was bitten by a dog when he was 5 years old. Today, he is fearful of all dogs. His reaction best illustrates:

generalization.

Classical and operant conditioning involves learning through association, whereas observational learning involves learning through _____.

imitation

Observational learning involves learning through _____.

imitation

In psychology, the term "conditioning" refers to:

learning associations between events and behavioral responses.

Conditioning is the process of:

learning associations.

In Watson and Rayner's experiment with Little Albert the unconditioned stimulus (US) used to produce fear was a(n) _____.

loud noise

Watson and Rayner taught "Little Albert" to fear white rats by repeatedly pairing a _____ with the presentation of a white rat.

loud noise

In Pavlov's classical conditioning experiment with dogs, the tone was the _____ stimulus.

neutral

In Watson and Rayner's experiment with Little Albert, the _____ , that after conditioning became the conditioned stimulus, was a white rat.

neutral stimulus

In Watson and Rayner's experiment with Little Albert, the _____ was a white rat, which after conditioning, became the conditioned stimulus.

neutral stimulus

In classical conditioning the _____ elicits no response prior to conditioning. After conditioning, it will become the conditioned stimulus.

neutral stimulus

In classical conditioning, the _____ elicits no response prior to conditioning. After conditioning, it will become the conditioned stimulus.

neutral stimulus (NS)

Both Watson and Pavlov believed that psychology should study only _____ and observable psychological phenomena.

objective

One of Pavlov's major contributions to the field of psychology was to show how psychology could be based on _____ methods.

objective

Both Watson and Pavlov believed that psychology should study only _____ and _____ psychological phenomenon.

objective; observable

Both Watson and Pavlov believed that psychology should study only objective and _____ psychological phenomena.

observable

John B. Watson believed that psychology should be the science of _____ behavior.

observable

John B. Watson believed that psychology should be the science of:

observable behavior.

Animals and humans learn about the consequences of behavior through _____ conditioning.

operant

People and animals learn about the consequences of behavior through _____ conditioning.

operant

Zach wants to train his dog to sit and lay down on command. Zach should use _____ conditioning to train his dog.

operant

Animals and humans learn about the consequences of behavior through:

operant conditioning.

Macy gave her dog a treat each time she came to Macy when she called her name. Soon the dog came every time Macy called the dog's name. This is an example of:

operant conditioning.

People and animals learn about the consequences of behavior through:

operant conditioning.

Watson and Rayner taught "Little Albert" to fear white rats by:

repeatedly pairing a loud noise with the presentation of a white rat.

What phenomenon was Pavlov focusing on when he began his studies on what eventually became known as classical conditioning?

the digestive system

In classical conditioning, a person learns _____, while in operant conditioning, a person learns _____.

to associate two stimuli and thus to anticipate events; to associate a response (behavior) and its consequence

Most learning involves the process of association. With classical conditioning, an organism comes to associate:

two stimuli.

In Watson and Rayner's experiment with Little Albert, the fear of a loud noise was the _____.

unconditioned response

In classical conditioning, this is the unlearned, naturally occurring reaction to the unconditioned stimulus (US), such as salivation when food is in the mouth.

unconditioned response (UR)

Conditioning seldom occurs when a(n) _____ repeatedly comes before a neutral stimulus (NS).

unconditioned stimulus

Researchers conditioned a flatworm to contract when exposed to light by repeatedly pairing the light with an electric shock. The electric shock is a(n) _____.

unconditioned stimulus

In classical conditioning, something that unconditionally, naturally, and automatically triggers a response is called a(n):

unconditioned stimulus (US).

Conditioning seldom occurs when a(n) _____ repeatedly comes before a(n) _____.

unconditioned stimulus (US); neutral stimulus (NS)

Nate had cancer as a child and had to undergo numerous bouts of chemotherapy. The chemotherapy always made him nauseous. As he underwent a year of treatment, just walking into the waiting room made him nauseous. The chemotherapy is the:

unconditioned stimulus.

In Watson and Rayner's experiment with Little Albert the neutral stimulus, that after conditioning became the conditioned stimulus, was a(n) _____.

white rat