Classical Conditioning Basic form of learning Not the most sophisticated, but important Eysenck s patient Pavlov: His background and discovery Background info
Background info In any animal species, there are built-in innate (inborn) responses to particular stimuli Unlearned reflexes or emotional responses Examples: Food in mammal s mouth elicits salivation [describe demo with puff of air] Gust of wind directed at eye eyeblink Sudden loud noise startle response In infants, almost always evokes strong fear response, as well
To distinguish these innate stimulus-response connections from learned ones, Pavlov gave them special names: e.g. FOOD IN MOUTH SALIVATION Unconditioned Stimulus (UCS) Unconditioned Response (UCR) UNEXPECTED LOUD NOISE FEAR Unconditioned Stimulus (UCS) Unconditioned Response (UCR)
Most stimuli do not trigger off reflexive, or any predictable response e.g., dog s response to musical tone These are called Neutral Stimuli (NS) Pavlov believed that under certain circumstances, NS could acquire ability to reliably elicit a specific response Came about through process of learning set out to study became known as Classical Conditioning
Basic Classical Conditioning model Repeat several times RESULT: Conditioning has occurred
Bell (CS)
Real-life example [incident at International House cafeteria] UCS toxin in shrimp UCR regurgitation NS sight smell OF SHRIMP taste As result: Smell, sight (taste) of shrimp became CS CR Nausea
Important points 1) Conditioning occurred with just single pairing between UCS and NS Example of single-trial learning Often occurs when UCS is aversive = Painful, harmful, sickening Specialized brain mechanisms now known to be involved (incl. amygdala and hippocampus) in ensuring rapid learning occurs in threatening situations 2) CR lasted for years [discuss my behavior] : Conditioned Aversive Responses (another ex. = fear) are enduring
3) Conditioned response transferred to other similar stimuli e.g., oysters, lobster phenomenon = Generaliztion E.g. Pavlov s finding re conditioned salivation response
Generalization: Following conditioning, stimuli similar to CS will also elicit CR (although will be weaker) Adaptive value?: Ex. Of child burning himself on specific stove Final note (about the shrimp example): Is example of taste aversion conditioning Can occur even if long delay between UCS and UCR
Extinction What if CS repeatedly encountered without UCS ever recurring? E.g. Tone sounds Bonzo salivates (but no food follows) Tone sounds Bonzo salivates (no food) Tone sounds Bonzo salivates (no food)...4 th time, 5 th time, 6 th time, 7 th time??? In fact, CR will weaken and eventually cease = Extinction
The (in)famous case of little Albert Discuss John Watson Hypothesis re phobias The convenient subject- Little Albert Albert looking at white rat NS Sudden loud noise startle, fear UCS UCR Since rat (NS) present when noise (UCS) occurred Rat became CS ( fear = CR)
Furthermore, the fear generalized e.g., rabbit, other furry animals, Santa Claus beard http://www.encyclopedia.com/video/xt0ucxorpqe-john-watson-little-albert.aspx What happened to Albert s fear? Remained quite strong over next few weeks, although somewhat diminished Did NOT fully extinguish (as textbook suggests) Watson then lost contact with Albert Watson s prediction (1920): Would Watson have been successful in deconditioning the fear? Probably not Difficult problem Successful method not discovered until 1960s
Why are conditioned fears (and other conditioned aversive responses) resistant to extinction? -- Why do they last so long? Two main reasons: 1) Properties of nervous system: extinction is active process, involves inhibiting (suppressing) the learned response (we learn not to fear) In case of conditioned aversive responses, stronger signal required (than in case of other conditioned responses) - in effect, brain demands more evidence before it will override the response 2) We tend to avoid situations where we might encounter the feared stimulus by doing this, we don t meet conditions required for extinction to occur >>
Conditions under which extinction will occur The CS must be repeatedly encountered without the UCS recurring In effect, one is actively learning that the UCS-CS link no longer holds true But if you avoid CS, you do not have opportunity to learn this
Treatment of phobias Recall: For extinction of conditioned fear response to occur The CS must be repeatedly encountered without the UCS recurring Exposure therapies (based on classical conditioning) provide conditions under which extinction is likely to occur (gradual) exposure to feared object/situation Process = deconditioning
1. Flooding [characterize; enact balloon phobia case] Flooding = massive exposure to the feared CS
2. Systematic Desensitization Therapy More gradual, gentler goal is to minimize anxiety experienced by the client (patient) during the treatment 3 Steps 1. Develop hierarchy (rank-ordered list) of feared objects/situations (related to the central phobia
What is most terrifying thing? Cat on head Cat on lap...... Cat behind closed window Garfield cartoon Picture of cat.. Fur glove
2. Teach progressive relaxation therapy [describe] Purpose to give client means of inhibiting fear response during treatment Based on fundamental property of Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) Fear involves arousal of one of the main branches of the ANS = sympathetic nervous system ( fight-flight response) [snake phobia video clip]
The Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) 2 major branches: the Sympathetic and the Parasympathetic Parasympathetic involved largely in maintenance functions; e.g. digestion Sympathetic ~ fight or flight system Activated when we feel threatened Designed to mobilize the body and brain for rapid, energetic response to crisis (real or imagined) When afraid, sympathetic nervous system is aroused
Autonomic nervous system 2 branches Systems push in opposite directions (= antagonistic )
Activation of one tends to deactivate the other Arousal of the fight-flight system will deactivate the parasympathetic But the opposite can occur as well I.e., turn on parasympathetic and you inhibit sympathetic Recall: Sympathetic activity underlies fear response Activation of parasympathetic system can calm anxiety- this is exactly what deep muscular relaxation does
3. Proceed with the deconditioning. work through the list