Learning theories

Question 1

What is an unconditioned stimulus?

Answer 1

An unconditioned stimulus is a stimulus that produces a response without any learning taking place

Question 2

What is an unconditioned response?

Answer 2

An unconditioned response is an unlearned response to an unconditional stimulus

Question 3

What is a neutral stimulus?

Answer 3

A stimulus that doesn’t produce the target response. It becomes the conditioned stimulus after being paired with the unconditioned stimulus.

Question 4

What is a conditioned stimulus?

Answer 4

A stimulus that only produces the target response after it has been paired with the unconditioned stimulus

Question 5

What is a conditioned response?

Answer 5

The response elicited by the conditioned stimulus i.e. a new association has been learned so that the neutral stimulus/ conditioned stimulus produces the unconditioned response which is now called the conditioned response.

Question 6

What is extinction?

Answer 6

When the conditioned stimulus (CS) and the unconditioned stimulus (UCS) have not been paired for a while and the CS ceases to elicit the conditioned response (CR)

Question 7

What is Spontaneous recovery?

Answer 7

An extinct response activates again so that the conditioned stimulus once again elicits the conditioned response

Question 8

What is stimulus generalisation?

Answer 8

When an individual who has acquired a conditioned response to one stimulus begins to respond to similar stimuli in the same way.