Classical conditioning

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Classical conditioning

• Video clips
• http//www.psychexchange.co.uk/videos/view/20609/
  2 and a half men clip
• http//www.youtube.com/watch?vJA96Fba-WHk Big
  Bang theory clip positive reinforcement

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http//www.psychexchange.co.uk/_hotpotatoes/810264
4451233992961.htm pavlov cloze

• http//www.psychexchange.co.uk/videos/view/20088/
  recreation of Pavlovs dogs

http//www.psychexchange.co.uk/videos/view/20445/
boy and bbgun
http//www.psychexchange.co.uk/videos/view/20218/
basic CC
http//www.psychexchange.co.uk/videos/view/20132/
John Watson Little Albert
http//www.psychexchange.co.uk/_hotpotatoes/540835
4791237315696.htm match quiz Pavlov
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Atypical Behaviour Core Theory

• The Behaviourist Theory

What was the weirdest phobia you could find?
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BATs

• Outline the behaviourist theory of phobias (D)
• Explain how classical and operant conditioning
  can start and maintain a phobia (B)
• Homework
• 1. Describe Classical Conditioning in relation to
  a phobia of your choice. (5 marks)
• 2. Explain how the idea of Operant Conditioning
  can explain why the phobia continues and isnt
  extinguished. (3 marks)

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The Behaviourist Theory

• Behaviourists are Psychologists who believe that
  behaviours are LEARNED not NATURAL.
• They believe we learn to be PHOBIC.
• Many people can link their phobia to a bad
  experience
• Children often have similar phobias to parents

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Classical Conditioning

• Learning by Association people learn to
  associate a particular response with a particular
  stimulus.
• e.g. When asked a question (stimulus) in class
  you have learnt to automatically put your hand up
  (response)

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Classical Conditioning

• Behaviourists accept that some behaviours are
  not learnt, but INSTINCTIVE e.g. responses like
  vomiting, sexual arousal and anxiety
• They called these UNCONDITIONED RESPONSES (UCR)
• These responses are triggered by UNCONDITIONED
  STIMULI (UCS)
• Objects and events that naturally cause the
  reaction e.g. poison, stimulating genitals and a
  threat

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Classical Conditioning

• BUT sometimes these responses happen because of
  a NEUTRAL STIMULUS (NS) one that normally
  doesnt cause a reaction.
• e.g. NS burger. You may once have been sick
  after eating one.
• you then ASSOCIATE the burger(NS) with the
  response (vomiting)
• Next time you have a burger it makes you feel
  sick!! You have been Classically Conditioned

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Classical Conditioning

• The Neutral Stimulus (e.g. burger)is now known as
  a
• CONDITIONED STIMULUS (CS) because it triggers a
  learnt response
• The response itself doesnt change (i.e.
  vomiting), but as it is a response to a CS
• It is now known as a CONDITIONED RESPONSE (CR)

http//www.psychexchange.co.uk/videos/view/20445/
boy and bbgun see also African Land snails
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Over to you

• Do activities 5.4 and 5.5 p66-67 use the
  worksheet.
• http//www.psychexchange.co.uk/videos/view/20088/
  recreation of Pavlovs dogs
• Copy diagrams on p67 to illustrate Pavlovs
  experiment
• EXTENSION Activity 5.6 p67
• What does Stimulus Generalisation mean?

Breaktime!
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Classical Conditioning Pavlovs Experiment
UCS
UCR
SALIVATION
FOOD
NS
BELL
CS
CR
BELL
SALIVATION
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How can Classical Conditioning be used to explain
the start of Phobias?

• Phobias are the result of a negative experience
  with a feared object, context or activity
• Fear is the Unconditioned Response (UR)
• Feared object, action e.t.c is the US
• A NS can be associated with the feared
  action/object e.t.c
• Here is an example see p68

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Apiphobia a fear of bees
UCS (sting)
UCR FEAR

association
NS (bee)
CR FEAR
CS (bee)
This can happen after one bad experience ONE
TRIAL LEARNING
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How can Classical Conditioning be used to explain
how Phobias continue?

1. Stimulus generalisation associate CR with
   stimuli similar to the original stimulus (e.g.
   apiphobics may also fear wasps)
2. Extinction associations between stimulus and
   response gradually disappear but why dont
   people stop being phobic if they have not
   encountered the stimulus that causes their phobia
   for a while?

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How can Classical Conditioning be used to explain
how Phobias continue?

• 3. Operant Conditioning learning by
  consequences.
• If consequence of an action is rewarding we learn
  to do it again (positive reinforcement)
• If the consequence is negative we do not repeat
  the action (negative reinforcement - punishment)

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How can Classical Conditioning be used to explain
how Phobias continue?

• 3. Operant Conditioning ..
• A phobia is also about avoiding the object or
  situation (Stimulus)
• Avoidance feel relieved REWARDING keep
  avoiding the stimulus to get more relief
• Facing fear (e.g. bee) ANXIETY PUNISHING
  dont want to face fear again

• http//www.youtube.com/watch?vJA96Fba-WHk Big
  Bang theory clip positive reinforcement

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Behaviourist theory of phobias

• All behaviours, including phobias, are learnt.
• In other words, phobias are conditioned.
• Phobias start because of classical conditioning.
• Phobias are maintained (kept going) by operant
  conditioning.

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Over to you

• Copy the definition of Operant conditioning into
  your Glossary, plus extinction, stimulus
  generalisation and one trial learning
• Create a Classical Conditioning diagram like the
  one on p68 for a phobia other than Apiphobia
• Extension Storyboard or role play a situation
  when a phobia might ne started and maintained
  using the ideas of CC and Operant Conditioning

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Homework

• 1. Describe Classical Conditioning in relation to
  a phobia of your choice. (5 marks)
• 2. Explain how the idea of Operant Conditioning
  can explain why the phobia continues and isnt
  extinguished. (3 marks)