PSYC1004 Study Guide - Final Guide: Classical Conditioning, Little Albert Experiment, Operant Conditioning
Learning
• There are 2 types of associative learning:
Classical Conditioning (Pavlovian conditioning)
• A type of learning in which a neural stimulus acquires the ability to evoke a response that was originally
evoked by another stimulus.
• Unconditioned stimulus (UCS): Food + Conditioned Stimulus (CS): Bell/stone = Unconditioned Response
(UCR) & Conditioned Response (CR): Salivation
• This was a startling discovery because what they found was that a purely physiological reflex - salivating
when eating - a necessary physiological response to aid digestion, could be produced in response to
practically anything.
• What Pavlov demonstrated was a simple fundamental rule of learning.
• It is believed that most phobias are a result of some type of classical conditioning.
• Eg: Unconditioned stimulus: Dark/loud noise/something scary + Conditioned stimulus: Spider = UCR +
CR: Fear
• Eg: UCS: Morphine + CS: Little white pill = UCR & CR: Pain relief
• Can use this type of learning to help change behaviour.
• The most powerful conditioning occurs when the conditioned response occurs during and before the
unconditioned stimulus response.
• Stimuli that are unusual, novel or unusually intense are more likely to become a CS.
Extinction in Classical Conditioning:
• The gradual weakening and disappearance of a conditioned response.
• Extinction occurs when a CR is weakened by the presentation of the CS without the UCS.
Spontaneous Recovery in Classical Conditioning:
• Reappearance of an extinguished response after a period of non-exposure to the CS.
Stimulus Generalisation and Discrimination in Classical Conditioning:
• Generally, the more similar a new stimulus is to the old stimulus, the more likely generalisation will
occur.
• Generalisation is adaptive, however, it is also necessary to learn that different stimuli often result in
very different consequences. This is discrimination.
• Eg: Little Albert - became frightened of the rat since it was associated with a loud noise. He then
became scared of all fluffy things by generalising his fear.
Operant Conditioning:
• In classical conditioning, the individual learns to associate a physical response with a stimulus, but the
association is almost reflexive.
• Much learning does not happen this way, and is a result of an animal choosing to change a behaviour as
a result of the subsequent consequences. This is operant conditioning.
• In operant conditioning, the animal "operates" on the environment, rather than simply responding to
stimuli.
• Learning occurs because the animal comes to recognise the consequences of behaviour and the
behaviour is modified as a result of those consequences.
• "Consequences" can result in an increase in behaviour if the consequence is a reward or a decrease in
behaviour if the consequence is a punishment.
Acquisition and Shaping in Operant Conditioning:
• Shaping is a procedure in which reinforces such a food gradually guide an animal's behaviour toward a
desired behaviour.
• In shaping, the learner acquires more complex behaviours through the gradual, orderly reinforcement
of smaller component responses.
• Eg: Dog hits a button → gets a treat (shapes their behaviour).
• As with classical conditioning, operations such as extinction, generalisation and discrimination still
apply. However, because of the impression of personal control the associated behaviours are slightly
different.
• Eg: In operant conditioning, extinction involves an initial increase in the target behaviour before it
eventually stops.
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Document Summary
It is believed that most phobias are a result of some type of classical conditioning. Eg: unconditioned stimulus: dark/loud noise/something scary + conditioned stimulus: spider = ucr + Eg: ucs: morphine + cs: little white pill = ucr & cr: pain relief. Can use this type of learning to help change behaviour. The most powerful conditioning occurs when the conditioned response occurs during and before the unconditioned stimulus response. Stimuli that are unusual, novel or unusually intense are more likely to become a cs. The gradual weakening and disappearance of a conditioned response. Extinction occurs when a cr is weakened by the presentation of the cs without the ucs. Spontaneous recovery in classical conditioning: reappearance of an extinguished response after a period of non-exposure to the cs. Eg: little albert - became frightened of the rat since it was associated with a loud noise. He then became scared of all fluffy things by generalising his fear.
