PS261 Chapter Notes - Chapter 10: Classical Conditioning
Document Summary
Goal is to demonstrate the operation of classical conditioning and instrumental conditioning when they"re not intermixed. First condition fear to a cs with pure classical conditioning, then periodically expose participants to fear eliciting cs and allow them to perform an instrumental response to turn it off (no shocks are scheduled) Shows the termination of a conditioned aversive stimulus is an effective reinforcer for instrumental behaviour. Represents transition from a passive fear reduction to an active coping strategy that helps to overcome fear and anxiety attendant to trauma. Independent measurement of fear during acquisition of avoidance behaviour: Based on assumption that if fear motivates avoidance responding and if fear reduction is reinforcing, then the conditioning of fear and the conditioning of instrumental avoidance behaviour go hand in hand. However, conditioned fear and avoidance responding tend to be correlated only early in training and after that avoidance responding may persist without much fear being exhibited when cs occurs.
