7.1 Classical Conditioning

Question 1

Pavlov and his dogs

Answer 1

Accidental observation, was initially looking at salivary glands and digestion

Observed that dogs salivate before meat powder presented from:

• Feeding device noises
• Feeder person
• Anything that consistently precedes feeding

Dogs were learning patterns from the environment and predicted what happened

Question 2

Classical conditioning

Answer 2

Involves number of phase
- Before, during, and after

Based on Behaviourist approach: Stimulus -> Response

Before:
Neutral stimulus: Whistle
Unconditioned stim: Food
Unconditioned Response: Drool

After:
Condition stim: Whistle
Conditioned Response: Drool

During:
Keep repeating combination of condition stim, and unconditioned stim

This is involuntary learning through association
Temporal patterns
Condition stim predict unconditioned stim

Multiple temporal protocols used during training:

• Same time for CS and US
• Delayed US
• Trace US (small gap between either stimulus)

Evolutionary Benefits:

• Postive cues for food for example
• Negative cues from bad smells

Question 3

Acquisition - Learning curve

Answer 3

Pavlov did quantitative study: Amount of saliva produced = strength of response.
Strength of response proportional to strength of association

Leaning: Association between 2 stimuli

Learning curve graph:
Steep Initially (learning fast)
Up to maximum
In between, there is a gradual slowdown in learning speed
So looks like a log graph

Question 4

Extinction - Unlearning

Answer 4

Two condition phases:
Acquisition - Establish the association CS -> US
Extinction -Undoes the association CS != US

Repeated trials: CS without US
Whistle -> No food -> Salivates
Whistle -> No food -> Salivates less
Whistle -> No food -> Salivates less and less
Eventually, it disappear completely

Graph looks like negative log graph