Classical conditioning

Video clipshttp://www.psychexchange.co.uk/videos/view/20609/

2 and a half men cliphttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JA96Fba-WHk Big Bang theory clip positive reinforcement

http://www.psychexchange.co.uk/_hotpotatoes/8102644451233992961.htm pavlov cloze

http://www.psychexchange.co.uk/videos/view/20088/ recreation of Pavlov’s dogshttp://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/5408354791237315696.htm match quiz Pavlov

Atypical Behaviour – Core Theory

The Behaviourist Theory

What was the weirdest phobia you could find?

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 isn’t extinguished. (3 marks)

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

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)

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

Classical Conditioning

BUT – sometimes these responses happen because of a NEUTRAL STIMULUS (NS) – one that normally doesn’t 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

Classical ConditioningThe Neutral Stimulus (e.g. burger)is now

known as aCONDITIONED STIMULUS (CS) because

it triggers a learnt responseThe response itself doesn’t change (i.e.

vomiting), but as it is a response to a CSIt is now known as a CONDITIONED

RESPONSE (CR)http://www.psychexchange.co.uk/videos/view/20445/ boy and bbgun see also African Land snails

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 Pavlov’s dogs

Copy diagrams on p67 to illustrate Pavlov’s experiment

EXTENSION – Activity 5.6 p67 What does Stimulus Generalisation

mean?Breaktime!

UCS UCR

NS

CS CR

FOODSALIVATION

BELL

BELL SALIVATION

Classical Conditioning – Pavlov’s Experiment

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.cHere is an example – see p68 …

UCS (sting) UCR

FEARNS (bee)

CS

(bee)

Apiphobia – a fear of bees

+

CR

FEAR

association

This can happen after one bad experience – ONE TRIAL LEARNING

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 don’t people stop being phobic if they have not encountered the stimulus that causes their phobia for a while?

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)

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 – don’t want to face fear again

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JA96Fba-WHk Big Bang theory clip positive reinforcement

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.

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

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 isn’t extinguished. (3 marks)