Learning and Classical ConditioningLearning and Classical Conditioning

How Do We Learn?How Do We Learn?

LearningLearning is defined as a relatively is defined as a relatively permanent change in an organism’s permanent change in an organism’s behavior due to experience (nurture).behavior due to experience (nurture).

Most learning is Most learning is associative learning:associative learning: learning that certain events occur learning that certain events occur together. together.

There are 3 main types of Learning:There are 3 main types of Learning:1. Classical Conditioning 1. Classical Conditioning 2. Operant Conditioning2. Operant Conditioning3. Observational Learning3. Observational Learning

Unit 5: LearningAssociative learning*: learning that two events are linked together. Both classical

and operant conditioning are types of associative learning.

All Living Animals Learn All Living Animals Learn Through AssociationThrough Association

Classical Conditioning Classical Conditioning

Terms you must understand:Terms you must understand:

1.1. UnconditionedUnconditioned means it is unlearned and comes means it is unlearned and comes naturally/reflexively. naturally/reflexively. Ex:Ex: salivating when presented salivating when presented with foodwith food

2.2. ConditionedConditioned means it is learned and the response does means it is learned and the response does not come naturally. not come naturally. Ex:Ex: getting up when school bell ring getting up when school bell ring

3.3. Response:Response: is an external behavior like salivating that is an external behavior like salivating that occurs because of a stimulusoccurs because of a stimulus

4.4. Stimulus:Stimulus: external thing, like a bell or food, that may external thing, like a bell or food, that may cause a response (behavior)cause a response (behavior)

Father of Classical Conditioning is Father of Classical Conditioning is Ivan PavlovIvan Pavlov

• Russian physician/ Russian physician/ neurophysiologistneurophysiologist

• Was studying digestive Was studying digestive enzymes in dogs when he enzymes in dogs when he accidentallyaccidentally realized the realized the importance of associative importance of associative learning which would learning which would consume his research for consume his research for rest of his life. rest of his life.

Dog in Pavlov’s Apparatus (clip)(clip)

Classical ConditioningClassical Conditioning (Pavlovian Conditioning) (Pavlovian Conditioning)

• Classical ConditioningClassical Conditioning is a type of learning in is a type of learning in which a neutral stimulus (i.e. a sound) causes a which a neutral stimulus (i.e. a sound) causes a conditioned response when that stimulus is paired conditioned response when that stimulus is paired with an unconditioned stimulus that causes an with an unconditioned stimulus that causes an unconditioned response. unconditioned response.

• Begins with a reflex which is unconditioned Begins with a reflex which is unconditioned (unlearned) (unlearned)

• A neutral stimulus is paired with a stimulus that A neutral stimulus is paired with a stimulus that evokes the reflex.evokes the reflex.

• Eventually the neutral stimulus alone will come to Eventually the neutral stimulus alone will come to evoke the reflex. evoke the reflex.

Components of Classical Components of Classical ConditioningConditioning

Unconditioned Stimulus (UCS)Unconditioned Stimulus (UCS)effective stimulus that unconditionally-effective stimulus that unconditionally-automatically and naturally- triggers a automatically and naturally- triggers a responseresponseex. foodex. food

Unconditioned Response (UCR)Unconditioned Response (UCR)unlearned, naturally occurring automatic unlearned, naturally occurring automatic response to the unconditioned stimulusresponse to the unconditioned stimulusEx. salivation (when food is in the mouth)

Components of Classical Components of Classical ConditioningConditioning

Conditioned Stimulus (CS)Conditioned Stimulus (CS)previously neutral stimulus that, after previously neutral stimulus that, after association with an unconditioned stimulus, association with an unconditioned stimulus, comes to trigger a conditioned response comes to trigger a conditioned response Ex. Tone or bellEx. Tone or bell

Conditioned Response (CR)Conditioned Response (CR)learned response to a previously neutral learned response to a previously neutral conditioned stimulus ex. Salivation (when conditioned stimulus ex. Salivation (when the tone or bell is heard)the tone or bell is heard)

Pavlov’s Classic Experiment

Can I Get A Volunteer to Be Can I Get A Volunteer to Be Conditioned? Conditioned?

What's the Point?What's the Point?

Classical conditioning helps people and animals to:

• adapt to their environment• avoid poisonous foods.• deal with dangerous situations

Pavlov's Dog in the Office

Pavlov’s Dog – the Office

UCS (unconditioned stimulus)

UCR (unconditioned response)

CS (conditioned stimulus)

CR (conditioned response)

offer of mint

put hand out

“da-duh”

put hand out

NS (neutral stimulus): “da-duh”

ExtinctionExtinction

Extinction:Extinction: the diminishing of a conditioned the diminishing of a conditioned response. response. How would you make extinction occur?How would you make extinction occur?

If the conditioned stimulus occurs repeatedly If the conditioned stimulus occurs repeatedly without the unconditioned stimulus, eventually without the unconditioned stimulus, eventually the conditioned response will cease. the conditioned response will cease.

ex. If Pavlov kept making the tone (CS) without ex. If Pavlov kept making the tone (CS) without offering the food (US), the salivation (CR) would offering the food (US), the salivation (CR) would eventually stop. eventually stop.

Generalization vs. Discrimination

•Generalization: tendency for a stimuli similar to CS to evoke CR. Ex: doesn’t have to be same tone to make dog’s salivate…they generalize. It could be bell or something else similar to the CS

•Discrimination: the ability to distinguish between a CS and other similar stimuli . Ex: dogs wouldn’t salivate to a whistle since it was too different from the tone.

Lets Read About Little Albert!

• John Watson conducted the Little Albert study in 1920 in which he attempted to modify the behavior of a 9 month old infant. Started with white rat which infant originally did not fear.

• After experiment, Little Albert feared white rats, rabbits, Santa Claus, cotton wool, etc.

Identify Components of theLittle Albert Study

• Unconditioned Stimulus (UCS):

• Unconditioned Response: (UCR):

• Conditioned Stimulus (CS):

• Conditioned Response (CR):

• Generalization:

loud noise

fear/anxiety

fear/anxiety

white rat

Other furry animals

Garcia’s Taste Aversion Studies

• Set up experiment with rats. Exposed them to sights, sounds, and tastes (CS) and later also gave them radiation or drugs that led to nausea and vomiting (UCR).

• Even if sickened hours later, rats avoided the particular flavor of water but did NOT develop aversions to the sights or sounds.

• Taste Aversion became known as the “Garcia Effect.”

Importance of Taste Aversion Studies

• Shows that nature prepares the members of each species to learn those things crucial to their survival.

• One pairing (unlike many pairings for a typical classical conditioning experiment) is typically all that is necessary to bring about the CR.

Some Real World Applications of Classical Conditioning

• Crack cocaine users feel craving when they encounter cues associated with highs (people, places, etc). So drug and rehab counselors advice them to steer clear of these places and people…make new friends, move.

• Pairing alcohol with a drug that induces vomiting is sometimes successful in getting alcoholics to stop drinking.

Country Time Salivation Activity

Counterconditioning

• Getting rid of a fear by associating it with something pleasant.

Ex.: Eliminate a fear of mice by exposing the subject to mice while providing a pleasant stimulus like cookies or candy.