Psych Chapter 7 - Chapter 7- Learning How do we learn?...

Chapter 7- Learning
How do we learn?
 Learning- a relatively permanent behavior change due to experience
 But How?
- Conditioning- the process of learning associations
Classical Conditioning
 Terminology
- Neutral Stimulus (NS)- a stimulus that elicits no response before
conditioning
- Unconditioned Stimulus (US)- the stimulus that elicits an
- automatic/natural response (before conditioning)
- Unconditioned
Response (UR)-

the automatic/natural response to a stimulus (before
conditioning)
- Conditioned Stimulus (CS)- The stimulus that is paired with the
US (has to come before US)
 Initially it does not elicit a response (NS)
 Following conditioning, it elicits a response (CS)
- Conditioned Response (CR)- the response to the CS
 Usually the same or very similar to the UR
 Major Phenomena
- Acquisition: The initial stage of learning when a neutral stimulus
is linked to an unconditioned stimulus so that the neutral
stimulus begins triggering the conditioned response
- Extinction: The diminished (weakened) responding that occurs
when the conditioned stimulus no longer signals an upcoming
unconditioned stimulus. Repeated presentation of the CS
without the US causes the CS to no longer elicit the CR.
- Spontaneous Recovery: the reappearance of a weakened
conditioned response after a pause.
- Generalization: the tendency once a response has been
conditions, for stimuli similar to the CS to elicit similar responses
CR
- Discrimination: The learned ability to discriminate between a
conditioned stimulus and stimuli that do not signal an
unconditioned stimulus
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 Extending Pavlov’s Understanding
Biological Predispositions
- John Garcia discovered that organisms are predisposed to learn
associations that help them adapt and survive. Contrary to what
many believed, some associations are learned more readily than
others.
 Applications of Classical Conditioning
- Former drug users often feel a craving when they are again in the
drug-using context- with people or in places they associated with
previous highs. Thus, drug counselors advise addicts to change
environment.
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