Lesson 7 - Further Implications for Classical Conditioning

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Presentation of Theoretical Construct

Reading: Chapter 6
  
 

Lecture Information: Further Implications for Classical Conditioning

Subsequent researchers in Classical Conditioning found that there were more than just conditioning phenomena happening when an association was established.  What they found was that there were three more modalities that were playing a part in the process as well.  The researchers observed the following phenomena:

  1. Generalization

    1. When a stimulus is similar enough to the Conditioned Stimulus (CS) that it causes a Conditioned Response (CR).

      1. Example: Two beakers clink together in the same lab as Pavlov's dogs and the dogs start to salivate again.

    2. In the classroom, a student who has severe test anxiety might also have the same reaction to worksheets in that they are similar enough in appearance that it causes the same panic-like reaction.

  2. Discrimination

    1. When a stimulus is different enough from the Conditioned Stimulus (CS) that it does not cause a Conditioned Response (CR).

      1. Example:  The keys jangling on the janitors belt does not cause Pavlov's dogs to salivate in the lab.

    2. In the classroom again, that same student with test-anxiety, from the above example, would look at a spelling bee and have no panic reaction at all.

  3. Extinction

    1. When the Conditioned Stimulus (CS) is presented without the Unconditioned Stimulus (US) the result over many repetitions is a gradual lessening of the conditioning.

      1. Example:  If Pavlov presents the bell to the dog over and over again without also presenting the meat at least occasionally, then the amount of saliva produced will diminish with every ringing of the bell until the bell no longer produces any saliva at all.

    2. In the classroom again, the student with test-anxiety can be very, very slowly reintroduced to tests in ways that do not produce the same panic reaction until the student is taking tests again with all of the other students.  This kind of extinction treatment could take months and should not be hurried for any reason. 


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