Overview
This lecture explains classical conditioning, a form of learning where a neutral stimulus becomes associated with an automatic biological response, using examples from both animal and human research.
Classical Conditioning Basics
- Classical conditioning is learning through association between a neutral stimulus and a biological response.
- Salivation is an automatic (unconditioned) response to food but can become triggered by sights, sounds, or thoughts related to food.
- Ivan Pavlov discovered classical conditioning when dogs began to salivate at stimuli associated with feeding, such as the sound of a bell.
Pavlov's Experiment
- Before conditioning: Food (unconditioned stimulus, US) causes salivation (unconditioned response, UR).
- During conditioning: A neutral stimulus (e.g., bell) is presented alongside food, creating an association.
- After conditioning: The neutral stimulus becomes a conditioned stimulus (CS), causing salivation (conditioned response, CR) even without food present.
Applications & Human Studies
- The "cupboard love" theory suggested babies attach to caregivers because they associate them with food and pleasure.
- Watson and Rayner's "Little Albert" experiment demonstrated that phobias in humans could be learned by associating a harmless object (rat) with a frightening noise.
- Classical conditioning can result in both beneficial and harmful learned behaviors.
Key Terms & Definitions
- Classical Conditioning — Learning process where a neutral stimulus becomes associated with a reflexive response.
- Unconditioned Stimulus (US) — A stimulus that naturally triggers a reflexive response.
- Unconditioned Response (UR) — An automatic reaction to an unconditioned stimulus.
- Conditioned Stimulus (CS) — A previously neutral stimulus that now elicits a response after association.
- Conditioned Response (CR) — A learned response to a conditioned stimulus.
- Pavlovian Conditioning — Another term for classical conditioning, named after Ivan Pavlov.
Action Items / Next Steps
- Review Pavlov’s dog experiment and the Little Albert study for details on classical conditioning.
- Prepare examples of classical conditioning from everyday life for discussion.