01/03/2019

Classical Conditioning: Basic Principles # Acquisition

Acquisition Acquisition phase

Learning Theories • When the previously neutral

stimulus (NS) becomes
• The initial period in the
learning process when learning
associated with the takes palace
unconditioned stimulus (UCS)
Lecture 17 and comes to evoke a response
when presented
• At this point, the UCS becomes
the conditioned stimulus (CS)

Acquisition & Temporal Arrangement

Classical Conditioning: Basic Principles #Extinction
Forward Occurs when the NS appears just before and during the
conditioning presentation of UCS
The process through which a CS gradually loses the
Delayed Involves a delay between the presentation of the NS and the ability to elicit/evoke CR when it is no longer
conditioning arrival of the UCS
followed by the unconditioned stimulus
Trace Relies on the animal's memory - it is when the presentation of
conditioning the NS ceases before the arrival of the UCS •Reconditioning: Rapid recovery of a CR to a CS-UCS
pairing following extinction
Simultaneous Occurs when CS and UCS begin and end at the same time
conditioning •Spontaneous recovery: Reappearance of a weakened CR
to a CS after an interval of time following extinction
Backward Involves the presentation of the NS after the UCS and usually
conditioning results in no learning at all!

Classical Conditioning: Basic Principles # Applications

Discrimination & Generalization
Stimulus Discrimination
• The process by which
organisms learn to respond
to certain stimuli but not to
others
Stimulus Generalization
• The tendency of stimuli
similar to a conditioned
stimulus to evoke conditioned
responses
• The greater the similarity
between two stimuli the
greater the likelihood
stimulus generalization will
occur
Behaviour therapy
Systematic desensitization
Aversion therapy
• Involves associating such stimuli and behaviour with a
very unpleasant unconditioned stimulus (Ex. Alcohol
rehabilitation)
Flooding
• Also known as implosion therapy, works by exposing the
patient directly to their worst fears

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Application: Systematic Desensitization: The Experiment

Case of Little Peter (1924)
• Peter was a 2 year old little
boy from a charitable
institution
• He showed an extreme fear
of animals (ex. Frogs, rats,
rabbits)
• The reason was unknown
• Otherwise, he was well-
adjusted
Jones and Watson put a rabbit in a cage in front of Peter while he
ate his lunch
In a series of 17 steps, the rabbit had been brought a little closer
each day, then let free in the room
After 40 sessions, Peter ate his lunch with one hand and stroked
the rabbit with another
He even took the rabbit on his lap
Mary Cover Jones (1897 –1987)

How could the basic classical conditioning Fear of Dentist

procedure help to explain someone’s fear of
the dentist? • Drill hitting a nerve (UCS) Pain/fear (UCR)
• Sound of drill (CS) + Drill hitting a nerve (UCS) Pain/fear
(UCR)
• Sound of drill (CS) Fear (CR)

Operant Conditioning B F Skinner (1904-1990)

• American psychologist
• Harvard University
• Influenced by Edward
Thorndike’s experiments with
cats (Trial and Error learning)
• Developed Skinner- box
• Used pigeons and rats

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What is Operant Conditioning?

Instrumental conditioning

It is a form of learning in which the consequences of a behaviour

produce changes in the probability of the occurrence of the
behaviour
Response is instrumental in receiving rewards or escaping
punishment

4 Processes determine the probability of the

occurrence of certain behaviour Reinforcement
• Reinforcement
• The application / removal of a
Strengthen/Increase Weaken/Decease the stimulus to increase the
the Rate of behaviour Rate of behaviour strength of a specific behaviour
• Reinforcement always produces a
• Reinforcement • Punishment
result that is agreeable to the
• Positive reinforcers • Positive subject
• Negative reinforcers • Negative

Positive Reinforcers
Premack principle
Positive reinforcers: Stimuli that strengthen response that
precedes them A more preferred
activity can be used to
reinforce a less
Positive Reinforcers is Context Specific preferred activity

• Food can be a positive reinforcer when you are hungry

“If you study, I will let
you play”
A positive reinforcer for one person may fail to elicit similar
response in others

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Negative Reinforcement & Negative Reinforcers Examples

• Stimuli that strengthen responses that permit the organism to avoid
or escape from their presence
• When a person's behaviour causes something to be taken away,
which produces an agreeable result
• The agreeable result encourages them to repeat the same behaviour
over and over
• Negative reinforcement is all about subtraction
• Negative reinforcers: Intense heat, Extreme cold, Electric shock,
cancelling class test etc.
• Example # 1
• “There would be no homework tomorrow, if you listen to the
lecture and if you don’t make any noise”
• Negative reinforcement, because it is removing something that
the students don't want and also, it will encourage them to
repeat same behaviour in future
• Example # 2
• Rewarding with chocolates for performing well
• Positive reinforcement, because it is giving them something
they do want