PSYC85H3 Chapter Notes - Chapter 9: Reinforcement, Walden Two, Jacques Loeb
Document Summary
Originally set out to become a priest, but became interested in physiology. Believed that the best way to approach psychological questions is through physiology. Sechenov who believed that mental life should be understood in physiological terms. Noticed that while observing the action of salivary, saliva would only be secreted in presence of food. Distinguished between unconditioned re exes and conditioned re exes. Unconditioned re ex: a response is unconditioned if the same response always occurs in the presence of the same stimulus (e. g. food is an unconditioned stimulus and salivation is an unconditioned response) Conditioned re exes: occur only under certain conditions (e. g. a tone signaling food creating salivation. The tone is the conditioned stimulus and the salivation is the conditioned response) Conditioned responses are usually smaller in magnitude than unconditioned ones. Extinction of a conditioned response: if the conditioned stimulus is repeatedly presented by itself without the unconditioned stimulus, then the conditioned response will cease.
