b6.3

Question 1

1. What is conditioning?

Answer 1

-when a reflex response to a new stimulus can be learned by introducing the secondary (new) stimulus in association with the primary stimulus

Question 2

2. What are two examples of conditioning?

Answer 2

• Pavlov’s dogs

- conditioned reflexes to increase chance of survival (etc. not eating poisonous insects)

Question 3

2. How is conditioning showed by the example of Pavlov’s dogs?

Answer 3

-dogs salivate as a simple reflex to primary stimulus of food
-he rang bell before giving them food
=dogs salivated to secondary stimulus of bell (conditioned reflex that has no direct connection to stimulus)

Question 4

2. How is conditioning showed by the example of increasing chance of survival?

Answer 4

• brightly coloured insects= poisonous= make predators ill/ bad taste primary stimulus
• bird associated bright colours (secondary stimulus) with poisonous insects, so doesn’t eat then= better chance of survival

Question 5

3. In a conditioned reflex what connection does the final response (e.g. salivation) have to the secondary stimulus (e.g. ringing of a bell)?

Answer 5

-no direct connection

Question 6

4. What are conditioned reflexes a form of?

Answer 6

-simple learning that can increase an animal’s chance of survival

Question 7

5. How can reflexes be modified?

Answer 7

-in some circumstances the brain can modify a reflex response via a neuron to the motor neuron of the reflex arc, for example keeping hold of a hot object