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Intro to Psychology
Table of Contents
Unit 6 Overview: Learning
6.1 What Is Learning?
6.2 Classical Conditioning
6.3 Operant Conditioning
6.4 Observational Learning (Modeling)

Classical conditioning is a fundamental learning process where neutral stimuli become associated with biologically significant events. Through repeated pairings, these once-neutral cues can trigger learned responses, shaping behavior in both humans and animals.

From taste aversions to advertising tactics, classical conditioning principles are at work in our daily lives. Understanding this process helps explain how we form associations, develop habits, and even acquire fears or phobias.

Classical Conditioning

Key components of classical conditioning

  • Classical conditioning learning process involves associating neutral stimulus with biologically potent stimulus
    • Neutral stimulus (NS) initially does not elicit response (tone)
    • Unconditioned stimulus (US) naturally elicits response without prior learning (food)
    • Unconditioned response (UR) unlearned, natural response to unconditioned stimulus (salivation)
    • Conditioned stimulus (CS) previously neutral stimulus that, after repeated pairing with US, elicits learned response (tone)
    • Conditioned response (CR) learned response to conditioned stimulus, similar to unconditioned response (salivation)

Process of acquisition and extinction

  1. Before conditioning NS does not elicit response, US naturally elicits UR
  2. During conditioning NS repeatedly paired with US
  3. After conditioning NS (now CS) elicits CR, similar to UR
  • Acquisition initial stage of learning in classical conditioning, association between CS and US formed
    • Occurs through repeated pairings of CS and US (tone and food)
    • Strength of CR increases with each pairing
  • Extinction gradual weakening and disappearance of CR when CS repeatedly presented without US
    • Occurs when CS no longer predicts US (tone without food)
    • CR diminishes over time with repeated exposure to CS alone
  • Spontaneous recovery reappearance of previously extinguished CR after period of rest or non-exposure to CS
    • Demonstrates original learning (CS-US association) not completely erased during extinction
    • Recovered CR usually weaker than original CR, can be re-extinguished more quickly

Advanced Conditioning Concepts

  • Generalization: tendency to respond to stimuli similar to the CS, even if they weren't directly conditioned
  • Discrimination: ability to distinguish between CS and similar stimuli, responding only to the specific CS
  • Higher-order conditioning: using an established CS to condition a new stimulus
  • Latent inhibition: pre-exposure to a stimulus without consequences can slow down later conditioning
  • Blocking: presence of a previously conditioned stimulus can prevent conditioning to a new stimulus

Real-world applications of conditioning

  • Taste aversions developing strong dislike for food after becoming ill from consuming it
    • Food (CS) associated with illness (US), leading to aversion (CR) to food (spoiled milk)
  • Advertising pairing product (CS) with positive stimuli, such as attractive models or pleasant music (US), creates positive associations and feelings (CR) towards product (perfume)
  • Phobias irrational fears that can develop through classical conditioning
    • Neutral stimulus (dog) paired with frightening event (being bitten), leading to fear response (CR) to stimulus (CS)
  • Drug tolerance and withdrawal physiological responses to drugs can be classically conditioned
    • Body's compensatory response (CR) to drug (US) elicited by environmental cues (CS) associated with drug use, contributing to tolerance and withdrawal symptoms (heroin addiction)
  • Pavlovian conditioning: term derived from Ivan Pavlov's pioneering work on classical conditioning with dogs

Key Terms to Review (19)

Ivan Pavlov: Ivan Pavlov was a renowned Russian physiologist best known for his pioneering work on classical conditioning. His research on the conditioned reflex laid the foundation for our understanding of how learning occurs through the association of stimuli, a concept that is central to the field of psychology.
Classical Conditioning: Classical conditioning is a type of learning in which a neutral stimulus is paired with an innate or naturally occurring stimulus, eventually leading the neutral stimulus to elicit a similar response on its own. This process was famously demonstrated by Ivan Pavlov's experiments with dogs and their salivary responses.
Withdrawal: Withdrawal refers to the physical and psychological symptoms that occur when an individual discontinues or reduces the use of a substance they have become dependent on. This term is particularly relevant in the context of substance use and abuse, classical conditioning, and substance-related and addictive disorders.
Extinction: Extinction is the process by which a previously learned behavior is gradually reduced and eventually eliminated, often as a result of the absence of reinforcement. This term is particularly relevant in the context of classical conditioning, operant conditioning, and learning approaches in psychology.
Spontaneous Recovery: Spontaneous recovery is the reappearance of a previously extinguished conditioned response after a period of time has passed. It is a phenomenon observed in both classical and operant conditioning, where the learned association between a stimulus and a response can be temporarily lost but then reestablished without further training.
Blocking: Blocking is a phenomenon in classical conditioning where the presentation of one conditioned stimulus (CS) prevents the acquisition of a second CS-unconditioned stimulus (US) association. In other words, if an organism has already learned to respond to one CS, the addition of a new CS will not result in that new CS eliciting a conditioned response.
Discrimination: Discrimination refers to the act of making unjustified distinctions between people or groups, often based on their race, gender, age, religion, sexual orientation, or other personal characteristics. It involves treating individuals or groups differently, usually in a negative or prejudiced manner, without a legitimate reason.
Unconditioned Response: The unconditioned response is an automatic, unlearned reaction that occurs in response to a specific stimulus, typically a biological or innate trigger. It is a natural, involuntary response that happens without any prior learning or conditioning.
Drug Tolerance: Drug tolerance refers to the phenomenon where an individual requires higher doses of a drug to achieve the same effect over time. This occurs as the body adapts to the presence of the drug, often through physiological changes that reduce the drug's effectiveness.
Conditioned Stimulus: A conditioned stimulus is an initially neutral stimulus that, through repeated pairing with an unconditioned stimulus, comes to evoke a conditioned response. It is a key concept in the process of classical conditioning, where an organism learns to associate two stimuli and responds to the originally neutral stimulus as if it were the original, biologically significant stimulus.
Phobias: Phobias are persistent, irrational fears of specific objects, activities, or situations that lead to avoidance behavior. They are a type of anxiety disorder that can develop through classical conditioning, where a neutral stimulus becomes associated with a fear response.
Conditioned Response: A conditioned response is a learned response that occurs as a result of classical conditioning. It is an automatic, involuntary reaction that is triggered by a previously neutral stimulus that has been paired with an unconditioned stimulus, causing the individual to respond in a specific way.
Taste Aversions: Taste aversions refer to the phenomenon where an individual develops a strong dislike or avoidance of a particular food or taste after experiencing nausea or illness associated with consuming that food. This is a type of classical conditioning, where the body learns to associate a specific taste with a negative outcome, leading to a conditioned response of avoiding that taste in the future.
Higher-Order Conditioning: Higher-order conditioning is a type of classical conditioning in which a neutral stimulus is paired with a previously conditioned stimulus, resulting in the neutral stimulus also eliciting the conditioned response. It demonstrates the ability of the brain to form complex associations beyond the initial stimulus-response pairing.
Unconditioned Stimulus: The unconditioned stimulus (UCS) is an event or stimulus that naturally and automatically triggers a response without any prior learning or conditioning. It is a stimulus that elicits an unconditioned response (UCR) in an organism, such as the salivation response in Pavlov's classic dog experiment.
Acquisition: Acquisition refers to the initial learning or development of a new behavior or response through a conditioning process. It is the stage in which an individual first learns to associate a stimulus with a particular response, leading to the establishment of a conditioned response.
Latent Inhibition: Latent inhibition is a phenomenon in classical conditioning where prior exposure to a neutral stimulus reduces the later conditioning of that stimulus. It refers to the decreased responsiveness to a stimulus that has previously been experienced without consequence.
Neutral Stimulus: A neutral stimulus is an environmental event or object that does not naturally or inherently trigger a response in an organism. It is a stimulus that has no particular meaning or significance to the individual until it becomes associated with another stimulus that does evoke a response.
Generalization: Generalization is the tendency to respond similarly to stimuli that are similar but not identical to the original conditioned stimulus. It is a fundamental concept in the field of learning, particularly in the context of classical and operant conditioning, as well as learning approaches.