Classical Conditioning Flashcards
(24 cards)
Conditioned Response (CR)
An automatic response established by training (learning) to a once-neutral stimulus - the conditioned stimulus (CS)
Conditioned Stimulus (CS)
A previously neutral stimulus that, after becoming associated with the unconditioned stimulus (US), now triggers a conditional response (CR)
Conditioning Trials
Trials on which the CS and US are presented together. These trials create an association between the two stimuli. Also known as training trials
Contiguity
The extent to which the CS and US occur together in time and space
Contingency
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
Dishabituation
An increase in responding that follows a change in a previously habituated stimulus
Drug Tolerance
The decreased effectiveness of a drug over the course of repeated administration
Excitatory Conditioning
When the presence of the CS predicts the presence of the US
Extinction
When the CS no longer elicits the CR. Occurs when the CS is repeatedly presented alone
Extinction Trials
The CS is repeatedly presented along to extinguish the CS-US association. Not to be confused with test trials, where the CS is presented alone to test weather an association has been learned
Habituation
Decrease in behavioral responding to a repeated stimulus
Higher-Order Conditioning
A neutral stimulus is paired with a CS to produce the same CR as the CS
Homeostasis
Maintaining the body’s internal equilibrium (body’s normal state)
Inhibitory Conditioning
The presence of the CS predicts the absence of the US
Learning
Mechanisms of behaviour that undergo relatively enduring change based on experience
Orienting Response
An automatic shift of attention towards a stimulus
Reacquisition
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
Sensitization
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
Spontaneous Recovery
The re-emergence of a previously extinguished CS after a temporal delay
Stimulus Discrimination
An organism’s ability to fine-tune it’s responding such that a CR occurs in response to one CS, but not to other similar stimuli. Typically occurs through discrimination training
Stimulus Generalization
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
Test Trial
A trial where the CS is presented without the US. Used to test weather a CS-US association has been learned. Not to be confused with extinction trials, where the CS is repeatedly presented alone
Unconditioned Response (UR)
A biologically determined response that is evoked prior to any learning
Unconditioned Stimulus (US)
Any stimulus that evokes a UR
