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What does the patient learn?Tap a term: its definition, what you can do with it, and how often the exam asks it.
Definition: learning that links a stimulus to an automatic response.
You can: Tell classical conditioning from operant conditioning by whether the trigger comes before the response or the outcome comes after the action.
Definition: a learned response that spreads to similar stimuli.
You can: Tell stimulus generalisation from stimulus preparedness by whether an earlier learned fear exists.
Definition: an evolved readiness to fear certain things without a bad experience.
You can: Tell stimulus preparedness from stimulus generalisation by the absence of any bad experience.
Definition: rewarding steps ever closer to a brand-new behaviour.
You can: Tell shaping from chaining by whether the behaviour is brand new.
Definition: linking small existing steps so each finished step cues the next.
You can: Tell chaining from shaping by whether each step already exists and cues the next.
Definition: learning where a voluntary act becomes more or less likely from what follows the act.
You can: Tell operant conditioning from classical conditioning by whether the person chooses the action.
Each card is one term. The grey line is what the patient says, which is what the question stem gives.
Summary
Classical conditioning is learning that links a stimulus to an automatic, usually involuntary response.
is learning that links a stimulus to an automatic, usually involuntary response. The response may be an autonomic one such as salivating, nausea or fear. The unconditioned stimulus is the thing that already triggers a reaction on its own. The is the originally neutral thing that is repeatedly paired with the unconditioned stimulus. The conditioned response is the learned reaction to the paired signal.
A strong stimulus such as a panic attack can act as the unconditioned stimulus. Some conditioned stimuli are inhibitory and hold fear or anxiety at bay. Loss of that inhibition can let the anxiety response emerge. A dog bit Callum last spring. Callum says, "When I see a dog, my tummy goes tight." Candidates call Callum's fear operant because a reward seems involved. Look for what comes first.
Callum attends a child psychology clinic in Glasgow.
An automatic reaction that follows a stimulus is classical conditioning.
Mnemonic
Bell, then drool; press, then pellet. Cue: earns a point each time
Bell, then drool is classical conditioning: a stimulus comes first and an automatic reaction such as salivating follows. Press, then pellet is operant conditioning: a voluntary act comes first and the outcome follows it, as with a rat pressing a lever for food.
Analogy
Callum's fear system is a smoke alarm. Burning toast is the bite, and the siren is the fear. A toaster click once heard just before the burning later sets off the siren alone, like the dog.
Where the analogy breaks: an alarm has no memory, and Callum's fear grew from one real event.
5 more sections on Classical conditioning, operant conditioning, generalisation, shaping and chaining
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