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Chapter 6: Classical Conditioning Handout

GOAL: The goal is to help students remember the terms used in classical conditioning,
understand the process of learning via classical conditioning, and apply the terms and
process to a new situation.
MATERIALS:
A volunteer
A poncho
A spray bottle filled with water
The list of words used to condition the student:
cup, can, lime, CAN, dish, girl, chalk, can, dish, CAN, key, screen, ran, CAN, desk,
CAN, knob, bag, tape, CAN, dish, clip, CAN, air, ban, cheese, CAN, door, can, box,
dish, hair, CAN, ring, nail, CAN, boat, cap, dish, CAN, crane, wheel, fire, CAN, take,
call, brick, pair, CAN, spin, chair, CAN, camp, CAN, dish, CAN, bridge, scale, can, fan,
board, CAN, cool, three, horn, disk, CAN, can, cast, test, pen, dime, CAN, dish, van, can,
card, stand, meat, pad, can, dish, set, can, tree, ice, plum, can, cost, bird, glass, can, light,
can, sword, juice, can, dish, rock, smoke, grease, dish, keep, kid, tan, dice, hole, set, dish,
eye, friend, wax, bill, bulb, dish, class, mine, mark, work, can, dish, can, bus, dish, phone,
can, smart, first, can, crack, feet, can, tub, bowl, can, van, day, can, rake, dish, CAN,
bluff, risk, CAN, salt, dish, CAN, ball, stack, CAN, rain, hat food, can, van, disk, tree,
can
DEMO EXPLANATION:
A volunteer comes to the front of the room and puts on a poncho.
The teacher sprays the volunteer with the spray bottle in order to demonstrate the
UCS and UCR.
The teacher than begins reading the word list. Every time the word CAN is in all
upper-case letters, the teacher sprays the student with the spray bottle.
Eventually, CAN will be in all lower-case letters. The teacher will therefore stop
spraying the student when that word is read. The student will still wince at the
word, thereby demonstrating the CS and CR.
CAN will continue to be in all lower-case letters, and the volunteer will stop
flinching, thereby demonstrating extinction.
Toward the end of the list, CAN will reappear in all upper-case letters, and the
teacher will again start spraying the student when the word is read.
MODIFICATIONS: If you would like everyone in your class to experience classical
conditioning first hand, you may try the Red Squares demonstration that is found in the
IIG. This only involves a PowerPoint presentation and will let students become
classically conditioned from their seats.

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ASSESSMENTS:
During the demonstration, have students fill out the attached handout either
individually, in pairs, or in small groups. Then discuss their answers as a class to
make sure they met the goals of the demonstration.
Instead of or in conjunction with the handout, you may want to use the attached
iClicker questions.
Discussion questions are another good form of assessing your students
understanding. Attached are a few examples of some questions.

Chapter 6: Classical Conditioning In-Class Activity

In class we will do a demonstration on classical conditioning. Then you will turn to your
neighbor and try to figure out all of the parts of the demonstration to explain why the
volunteer learned to respond the way he/she did. Please label the chart below by
following the information that you have in your notes. The goal is to help you understand
the process of learning via classical conditioning, remember the terms used, and apply
them to a new situation.

STIMULUS

RESPONSE

1) Before Conditioning Has Occurred

2) During Conditioning

+
3) After Conditioning Has Occurred

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Now please answer the following questions:
1) What are the critical defining characteristics of any UCS and UCR? Explain in terms
of the UCS and UCR in this example.

2) What is the critical defining characteristic of any CS and CR? Explain in terms of the
CS and CR in this example.

3) Did the volunteer wince at any of the other words? If so, which ones and why do you
think that happened? What is the technical name for this phenomenon?

4) What happened to the volunteers response over time? Why do you think this
happened? What is the technical name for this phenomenon?

5) What would happen if in two days, I showed the volunteer the CS (even without any
more pairings with the UCS)? Why do you think this would happen? What is the
technical name for this phenomenon?

6) What would happen if I presented the volunteer with the UCS way before or way after
the CS (instead of with it)? Why do you think this would happen? What is the technical
name for this phenomenon?

Chapter 6: Classical Conditioning In-Class Activity iClicker Questions

What was the UCS?
A. The spray bottle
B. The spraying water
C. The word CAN
D. Wincing at the word CAN
What was the UCR?
A. The spray bottle
B. The spraying water
C. The word CAN
D. Wincing at the word CAN
What was the NS?
A. The spray bottle
B. The spraying water
C. The word CAN
D. Wincing at the word CAN
What was the CS?
A. The spray bottle
B. The spraying water
C. The word CAN
D. Wincing at the word CAN
What was the CR?
A. The spray bottle
B. The spraying water
C. The word CAN
D. Wincing at the word CAN

Chapter 6: Classical Conditioning In-Class Activity iClicker Questions

1) How does classical conditioning differ from operant conditioning?
2) How could this demonstration illustrate spontaneous recovery and reconditioning?
3) What are some challenges to try to classically condition someone?
4) Please come up with your own examples of classical conditioning. (In this case, the
student could share his/her example with a small group or the whole class; members of
the group or class would then have to identify the UCS, UCR, NS, CS, and CR. Or, you
could have the student identify these components by him/herself.)