PSY 402Flavor Aversion LearningFactors Affecting ConditioningStimulus Presentation Paradigms3.8 Different ways to present CS and US in timeMassed vs Spaced Trials3.9 Trial spacing in Pavlovian conditioningImportance of NoveltyStimulus Intensity (Strength)Pseudo-conditioning3.10 Bernstein’s experiment on taste aversion learningAcquired Changes in ResponseSlide 13Slide 14Slide 15Slide 16Slide 17Slide 18Slide 19Slide 20Slide 21Conditioned InhibitionDetection of Conditioned Inhibition3.11 Hypothetical effects of an excitor alone, with an inhibitor, and with another excitor3.12 Hypothetical effects of pairing an inhibitor with a USProducing Conditioned InhibitionMore Inhibition ProceduresNecessary Conditions for Inhibition3.13 Rescorla’s experiments: CS-US contingency in conditioningBlocking and Unblocking3.14 (A) Design and; (B) Results of Kamin’s blocking experiment3.15 (A) Design and; (B) Results of Kamin’s unblocking experimentRelative Validity3.16 Design and results of the “relative validity” experiment3.17 Compounded CSs are probably always present during conditioningPSY 402Theories of LearningChapter 3 – Nuts and Bolts of Conditioning(Mechanisms of Classical Conditioning)Flavor Aversion LearningGarcia – rats will not drink water with saccharin if they get ill after drinking.Significant avoidance occurs after just one trial.Human food aversions are related to illness (89%).Even if illness occurs hours later it is linked to the previous meal.Not cognitive – you can know the food is not to blame and still feel an aversion to it.Factors Affecting ConditioningTiming – how closely in time are the CS and UCS, and which occurs first.Novelty of the CS and UCS.Intensity (strength) of the CS and UCS.Consistency of the pairing between the CS and UCS.If one or the other appears alone then conditioning is weakened.Stimulus Presentation ParadigmsDelayed conditioning – the CS onset precedes the UCS onset.Trace conditioning – the CS starts and ends before the UCS onset.Simultaneous conditioning – the CS and UCS occur together.Backward conditioning – the UCS starts and ends before the CS onset.These paradigms will be on the midterm3.8 Different ways to present CS and US in timeThis works bestThis doesn’t work at allThis isn’t as good as delayedThe longer the gap (trace interval) the worse this worksMassed vs Spaced TrialsBetter learning occurs when trials are spaced out over time (spaced), rather than bunched together (massed).Memory consolidation or rehearsal may be needed between trials.The ratio between the exposure to the CS and the time in-between is the important factor.If both are the same duration, learning is weaker.3.9 Trial spacing in Pavlovian conditioningThis doesn’t work as wellThis works bestImportance of NoveltyPreexposure to the CS (before it is paired with the UCS) reduces learning.Called latent inhibition because it inhibits learning of the CS-UCS association.The same thing happens with preexposure to the US (before it is paired with the CS).Called the US preexposure effectOther, more novel stimuli are more likely to become associated with the UCS.Stimulus Intensity (Strength)The stronger the US (UCS), the faster the learning and the stronger the association.The stronger the CS, the better the learning.Salience – how attention-getting the stimulus is in relation to other stimuli in the environment.The most salient CS becomes associated with the UCS.An overpowering CS may elicit a response of its own, preventing learning.Pseudo-conditioningResponses to the CS may occur due to the strength of the UCS, not learning.Once air has been puffed at the eye, blinking may occur in response to any stimulus that comes next, without any learning.Sensitization resulting from an intense UCS may cause the response to a CS to be increased, even when there is not greater learning.A control group lets you tell the difference.3.10 Bernstein’s experiment on taste aversion learningAcquired Changes in ResponseHabituation – response to a repeated stimulus decreases with non-threat experience.Sensitization – response to a variety of stimuli increases with a single threat experience.Examples:Ingestional neophobia, fear of new foodRats orient less toward light, startle decreasesChicks are less frightened by shadows flying overhead with repeated exposure.Factors Affecting ConditioningTiming – how closely in time are the CS and UCS, and which occurs first.Novelty of the CS and UCS.Intensity (strength) of the CS and UCS.Consistency of the pairing between the CS and UCS.If one or the other appears alone then conditioning is weakened.Stimulus Presentation ParadigmsDelayed conditioning – the CS onset precedes the UCS onset.Trace conditioning – the CS starts and ends before the UCS onset.Simultaneous conditioning – the CS and UCS occur together.Backward conditioning – the UCS starts and ends before the CS onset.These paradigms will be on the midterm3.8 Different ways to present CS and US in timeThis works bestThis doesn’t work at allThis isn’t as good as delayedThe longer the gap (trace interval) the worse this worksMassed vs Spaced TrialsBetter learning occurs when trials are spaced out over time (spaced), rather than bunched together (massed).Memory consolidation or rehearsal may be needed between trials.The ratio between the exposure to the CS and the time in-between is the important factor.If both are the same duration, learning is weaker.3.9 Trial spacing in Pavlovian conditioningThis doesn’t work as wellThis works bestImportance of NoveltyPreexposure to the CS (before it is paired with the UCS) reduces learning.Called latent inhibition because it inhibits learning of the CS-UCS association.The same thing happens with preexposure to the US (before it is paired with the CS).Called the US preexposure effectOther, more novel stimuli are more likely to become associated with the UCS.Stimulus Intensity (Strength)The stronger the US (UCS), the faster the learning and the stronger the association.The stronger the CS, the better the learning.Salience – how attention-getting the stimulus is in relation to other stimuli in the environment.The most salient CS becomes associated with the UCS.An overpowering CS may elicit a response of its own, preventing
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