Learning: Classic Conditioning

Question 1

Define classical conditioning?

Answer 1

Learning by association. It occurs when a neutral stimulus is repeatedly paired with an unconditioned stimulus. The neutral stimulus eventually produces the same response as the unconditioned stimulus.

Question 2

Define unconditioned stimulus?

Answer 2

A stimulus that produces a response without any learning taking place.

Question 3

Define unconditioned response

Answer 3

An unlearned response to an unconditioned stimulus.

Question 4

Define neutral stimulus

Answer 4

A stimulus that does not produce the target response. It becomes conditioned after being paired with the unconditioned stimulus.

Question 5

Define conditioned stimulus

Answer 5

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

Question 6

Define unconditioned stimulus

Answer 6

The response elicited by the CS.

Question 7

Define extinction

Answer 7

When the CS and UCS have not been paired for a while and CS ceases to elicit the CR.

Question 8

Define spontaneous recovery

Answer 8

An extinct response activates again but is slightly weaker than the original.

Question 9

Define stimulus generalisation.

Answer 9

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

Question 10

What is the equation of conditioning?

Answer 10

NS= no reaction
UCS=UCR

UCS+NS=CR
CS=CR

Question 11

Evaluate classic conditioning SE

Answer 11

PAVLOVS DOG
The dogs salivated to the food but when paired with a loud noise they also salivated at just the loud noise. The dogs were conditioned this increases credibility!

Question 12

Evaluate classic conditioning OE

Answer 12

ANIMAL STUDIES
Animal studies cannot be completely generalisable to humans as we have structurally different brains. Decreasing credibility!

Question 13

Evaluate classic conditioning DT

Answer 13

OPERANT CONDITIONING
we learn through behaviourism and the outcome of our actions. For example: Pavlovs dogs only salivated because they were rewarded with food.

Question 14

Evaluate classical conditioning A?

Answer 14

AVERSION THERAPY

Treatment of unwanted behaviour (sexual predator) by pairing sexual arousal with an uncomfortable stimulus like a shock.

Question 15

What was the aim of Pavlovs experiment?

Answer 15

Originally to learn about the salivation reflex however he noted that salivation in dogs only occurred in response to food or anything around the Tim they are about to be given food.

Question 16

What was the procedure of Pavlovs experiment?

Answer 16

Took place in a soundproof chamber.
At first measured salivation through cannula to find levels after NS
then he paired the NS (buzz) With UCS (food) around 20 times . Then he measured the CS and measure the saliva levels.

Question 17

What were Pavlovs findings?

Answer 17

An NS (buzzer) Did not illicit salivation response whereas the UCS caused immediate salvation. After pairing the NS and the UCS the NSA did illicit salivation. 
Extinction of salvation could be seen as the volume of saliva declined after repeated presentations of the condition stimulus without the unconditioned stimulus.

Question 18

What were the conclusions of Pavlov‘s findings?

Answer 18

A link in the brain is made between the unconditioned stimulus and a neutral stimulus that occurs just before the unconditioned stimulus. Pavlov called a signalisation which has survival value in preparing an organism for events.

Question 19

Evaluate Pavlovs experiment G

Answer 19

Negative because Generalising from humans to dogs is questionable. As we have different brain structures and humans could be seen as more complicated for example they aren’t searching for food all of the times as it’s not a strong motive for them.

Question 20

Evaluate Pavlovs experiment R

Answer 20

Positive as he used a standardised procedure and even got other researchers to observe the dogs which increases interrater reliability.

Question 21

Evaluate Pavlovs experiment A

Answer 21

Positive for treatments for unwanted behaviour. Can be applied to socially negative behaviour like paedophilia as sexual arousal can be paired with pain such as a shock when looking at a photo of a child.

Question 22

Evaluate Pavlovs experiment V

Answer 22

Positive as the experiment was carefully controlled. Making objective and scientifically credible as there were no other stimuli that were making the dog salivate.

Question 23

Evaluate the ethics of Pavlovs experiment

Answer 23

Negative as research should be humane and his dogs were kept sealed up in small rooms wearing harnesses However ethics guidelines didn’t exist in the early 20th century and his research could our way the discomfort experience by 35 dogs.

Question 24

 What was the aim of the Watson and Rayner study?

Answer 24

To demonstrate that simple emotional responses such as Fear can be acquired through classical conditioning.

Question 25

Describe the procedure of the Watson and Rayner study

Answer 25

Only one participant known as little Albert. At first Albert to baseline emotional responses to a range of objects were recorded. He showed no fear to any of the objects. How much response to a loud noise was tested by striking Hannah upon a steel bar. Then the conditioning began. 1. A white rat was presented 2. Rat and loud noise 3. Rat on own (and other objects) 4. New environment: rat (and objects) 5. One month later shown objects.

Question 26

What were the findings of Watson and Rayner study?

Answer 26

At baseline testing Albert displayed no fear in the objects but he did respond to the loud noise as he was startled and his lips trembled.

Question 27

What was the conclusion of Watson and Rayners study?

Answer 27

That it was relatively easy to condition an emotional response to a neutralstimulus

Question 28

Evaluate the generalisability of Watson and Rayner

Answer 28

As the study was done on a single child isn’t very representative as a defect in the child could’ve made it more likely to show fear reducing credibility.

Question 29

Evaluate the reliability of the Watson and Rayner study

Answer 29

They used a standardised procedure and documented and filmed the study meaning it could be replicated but it can’t due to bad ethics. Documentation also increases the interrater reliability as other psychologists can assess the data.

Question 30

Evaluate the application of Watson and Rayner’s study

Answer 30

Flooding By exposing a patient to the third stimuli letting them experience panic and where are they then realise that the stimulus isn’t as harmful as they think it is.

Question 31

Evaluate the ethics of Watson and Rayner

Answer 31

The ethics weren’t great as they caused Deliberate distress to an infant and continued even though the child was upset. They also didn’t extinguishers for possibly leaving him with long-term phobias ignores the principle of reducing harm.

Question 32

What were the aims of the capafons et al study

Answer 32

Capafons (cap) Aim to assess the effectiveness of systematic desensitisation in the treatment of the fear of flying.

Question 33

What was capafons et als procedure?

Answer 33

The participants were split into two groups the treatment group and the new treatment group. 41 adults with fear of flying took part in the treatment groups were matched for sex age and anxiety. Each participant in the treatment condition had 12 to 15 one hour treatment sessions. Each participant created their own desensitisation hierarchy. They were exposed to the experience by using their own imagination, videos of flight situations and real situations. Participants were taught breathing techniques muscle relaxation and visualisation techniques.

Question 34

How many participants were there in the capafons study?

Answer 34

41 adults with 24 females and 17 males. 

Question 35

What was the group designs for capafons et als study?

Answer 35

Independent group design

Question 36

How were the capafons et al groups Allocated?

Answer 36

They were matched based on sex age and anxiety levels.

Question 37

What were the findings of capafons et als study?

Answer 37

In the new treatment control group there were no significant differences in any of the measures of anxiety. However in the treatment group 90% of participants had a significant reduction in symptoms of anxiety

Question 38

What was the conclusion of capafons et al study?

Answer 38

These results indicate that systematic desensitisation is a highly effective treatment for fear of flying with a success rate of 90%.