Classical conditioning Flashcards
An automatic response established by training (learning) to a once neutral stimulus—the conditional stimulus (CS).
Conditional Response (CR)
A previously neutral stimulus that, after becoming associated with the unconditional stimulus (US), now triggers a conditional response (CR).
Conditional Stimulus (CS)
Trials on which the CS and US are presented together. These trials create an association between the two stimuli. Also known as training trails.
Conditioning Trials
The extent to which the CS and US occur together in time and space.
Contiguity
A term used to describe the association between the CS and US, because the presence of the CS reliably predicts the presence of the US.
Contingency
An increase in responding that follows a change in n a previously habituated stimulus.
Dishabituation
The decreased effectiveness of a drug over the course of repeated administration.
Drug Tolerance
When the presence of the CS predicts the presence of the US.
Excitatory Conditioning
When the CS no longer elicits the CR. Occurs when the CS is repeatedly presented alone.
Extinction
The CS is repeatedly presented alone to extinguish the CS–US association. Not to be confused with tests trials, where the CS is presented alone to test whether an association has been learned.
Extinction Trial
A decrease in response to a stimulus when it is repeatedly presented without consequence.
Habituation
A neutral stimulus is paired with a CS to produce the same CR as the CS.
Higher-Order Conditioning
Maintaining the body’s internal equilibrium.
Homeostasis
The presence of the CS predicts the absence of the US.
Inhibitory Conditioning
Mechanisms of behaviour that undergo relatively enduring change based on experience.
Learning
An automatic shift of attention toward a stimulus.
Orienting Response
The reintroduction of conditioning trials after extinction has occurred. Reacquisition is faster than acquisition, indicating that some of the original learning is retained following extinction.
Reacquisition
An increase in response to a stimulus as it is repeatedly presented. Often adaptive, because it prompts you to engage in behaviours appropriate to escaping a potentially harmful stimulus.
Sensitization
The re-emergence of a previously extinguished CS after a temporal delay.
Spontaneous Recovery
An organism’s ability to fine-tune its responding such that a CR occurs in response to one CS, but not to other similar stimuli. Typically occurs through discrimination training.
Stimulus Discrimination
The CR is elicited by a new stimulus that is similar to the original CS. The more similar the new stimulus is to the original CS, the greater the response. The strength of the CR follows a generalization gradient.
Stimulus Generalization
A trial where the CS is presented without the US. Used to test whether a CS– US association has been learned. Not to be confused with extinction trials, where the CS is repeatedly presented alone.
Test Trial
A biologically determined response that is evoked prior to any learning.
Unconditional Response (UR)
Any stimulus that evokes a UR.
Unconditional Stimulus (US)
