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Classical Conditioning
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Category Psychology Notes

Chapter 4: p139
Focus Questions
What is classical conditioning and how did Pavlov study it?
Ivan Pavlov is the originator of what is now called classical conditioning, a form of
learning base primarily on stimuli that causes reflexes, such as salvation in
response to food.

What basic procedures are involved in classical conditioning?

In classical conditioning, the stimulus that naturally produces the reflex response is
the unconditional stimulus (UCS), which is repeatedly paired with an initially neutral
stimulus until the latter becomes the conditional stimulus (CS). What is learned in
classical conditioning is a CS-UCS association; the original reflex response is the
unconditional response (UCR), and the response produced by the CS is the
conditional response (CR).

Classical Conditioning: Definitions

the establishment of a relationship
Conditioning: between stimuli and responses, or
vice versa.
a relatively permanent change in
Learning: behavior potential as a result of
experience..

Reflex: a built-in or otherwise automatic

response to a specific stimulus.
The establishment of a
relationship between two stimuli,
Classical typically one that evokes a reflex
Conditioning: response and one that is initially
neutral with regard to this
response.
Unconditional Any stimulus that automatically
and reliably produces a particular
stimulus (UCS): response, such as a reflex.

Conditional An initially neutral stimulus that

comes to elicit a response similar
stimulus (CS): to that elicited by a UCS.
Unconditional The automatic response to an
response (UCR): unconditioned stimulus.
Conditional the learned response to a
response (CR): conditioned stimulus (CS).

Prof. T.R. Tharney: PSY101 Chapter 4: pp. 1

Crazy Joe’s Psych 101 Notes II
Classical Conditioning
Classical conditioning is a type of learning in which an animal’s natural response to
one object or sensory stimulus transfers to another stimulus. This illustration shows
how a dog can learn to salivate to the sound of a tuning fork, an experiment first
carried out in the early 1900s by Russian physiologist Ivan Pavlov. For conditioning
to occur, the pairing of the food with the tuning fork (step 3 in the illustration) must
be repeated many times, so that the dog eventually learns to associate the two
items.

Prof. T.R. Tharney: PSY101 Chapter 4: pp. 2

Crazy Joe’s Psych 101 Notes II
Chapter 4: Classical Conditioning Phenomena and
Applications: p142
Focus Questions
Why is timing of the CS and UCS important in classical conditioning?
Delayed conditioning is the most effective form of classical conditioning. Less
effective are simultaneous conditioning and trace conditioning. After
conditioning, extinction of the CR occurs when the UCS is discontinued.
Allowing time to pass and returning the subject to the apparatus is typically
accompanied by spontaneous recovery.

Timing is Everything
In trace
conditioning, the
CS precedes and
is terminated
before the onset
of the US. The
onset of the CS
and the US in
trace conditioning
is shown in figure
a. Only the onset
of stimuli
influence learning
in the present
model.
A less
effectiveversion of
classical
conditioning, in
which (CS), onset
and offset precede
(UCS), ), onset.
In delay
conditioning, the
CS is present
throughout the
presentation of
the US. In the
present model,
this situation is
handled
identically to trace
conditioning
The most
effective version
of classical

Prof. T.R. Tharney: PSY101 Chapter 4: pp. 3

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 conditioning, in
which (CS) onset
precedes (UCS),
and the offset of
both stimuli are
typically at the
same time.
In simultaneous
conditioning, the
CS and the US are
presented at the
same time. This
does not usually
result in any
learning.
A less effective
version of
classical
conditioning, in
which both (CS),
and (UCS), onset
and offset occur
at the same time.
Why is it important for the CS to “predict” the UCS?
The crucial factor in classical conditioning is the consistency with which the
CS predicts the occurrence of the UCS.

How do generalization and discrimination work?

Stimulus generalization occurs when a stimulus similar to the original CS also
produces CR.
Stimulus discrimination, its complement, occurs when dissimilar stimuli
produce lesser CR or none at all.
How does biological predisposition affect classical conditioning?
Biological predispositions are often apparent in classical conditioning.
Because of pre-wiring, some CS-UCS associations can be established much
more easily that others and some not at all.

Taste aversion experiments provide an example of how biological

predispositions affect conditioning. The learning of taste aversion is easy for
animals that naturally associate taste with food but difficult to impossible for
animals that use other cues, such as visual ones for food.

Prof. T.R. Tharney: PSY101 Chapter 4: pp. 4

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Experiments:
In the modern view, conditioning can be best explained by the development
of expectancies—that is, what animals and humans learn is the expectation
that a particular conditioned stimulus (CS) will be followed by an
unconditioned stimulus (UCS).

Classical conditioning by past events may account for many of the fears and
preferences displayed by human adults—and also for physical symptoms
such as unexplained headaches or nausea and the intense desire to return to
drug use that is some times displayed by former drug addicts.

• In Watson and Rayner’s “Little Albert” experiment, the loud sound was the
unconditioned stimulus (UCS), the rat was the conditioned stimulus (CS),
and a fear response was the (UCR), and the (CR).
• In the experiment on conditioned illness in rats, the insulin was the
unconditioned stimulus (UCS), the light and syringe were the conditioned
stimulus (CS), and the coma was the unconditioned response (UCR), and
conditioned response (CR).
• In the experiment on conditioning the immune system in rats, the drug
was the unconditioned stimulus (UCS), the novel taste was the
conditioned stimulus (CS), and production of the antibodies was the
unconditioned response (UCR), and conditioned response (CR).
• In the experiments on conditioning sexual behavior in rats, normal female
odors were the unconditioned stimulus (UCS), the lemon scent was the
conditioned stimulus (CS), and sexual arousal was the unconditioned
response (UCR), and conditioned response (CR).

Classical Conditioning Phenomena and

Applications: Definitions
The most effective version of
classical conditioning, in which
CONDITIONED STIMULUS (CS)
Delayed onset precedes
UNCONDITIONED STIMULUS
Conditioning (UCS), and the offset of both
stimuli are typically at the same
time.
A less effective version of
Simultaneou classical conditioning, in which
s both (CS), and (UCS), onset
and offset occur at the same
Conditioning time.
A less effectiveversion of
Trace classical conditioning, in which
(CS), onset and offset precede
Conditioning (UCS), ), onset.
Disappearance of the (CR),
Extinction upon discontinuance of the
(UCS).

Prof. T.R. Tharney: PSY101 Chapter 4: pp. 5

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 Reappearance of an
Spontaneous extinguished (CR), after the
Recovery passage of time.

Stimulus The tendency of a (CR) to occur

Generalizatio to CSs that are similar to the
original CS.
n
The tendency of a (CR) to be
Stimulus weaker or not occur to (CS)s
Discriminatio that are dissimilar to the
original (CS) or that have
n undergone extinction
What animals and humans learn
is the expectation that a
Expectancies particular conditioned stimulus
(CS) will be followed by an
unconditioned stimulus (UCS).

Prof. T.R. Tharney: PSY101 Chapter 4: pp. 6

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Ivan Petrovich Pavlov

Ivan Petrovich Pavlov

September 26, 1849 - February 27, 1936

September 26, 1849 - February 27, 1936

Classical Conditioning was advanced by a serendipitous finding of Ivan Pavlov. The
word serendipitous means accidental discovery. Pavlov, a Russian physiologist, was
studying digestion when he stumbled on the phenomenon that made him one of the
most famous psychologists in the twentieth century. Subsequently, Classical
Conditioning is sometimes called Pavlovian Conditioning because it was discovered
by Ivan Pavlov.
As a physiologist, it was Pavlov’s ambition to discover the neural mechanisms that
control glandular secretions during digestion. Pavlov used dogs as his subjects as he
exposed the dogs' salivary glands and measured the amount of salivation.

Pavlov's Apparatus: Harness and fistula (mouth tube) help keep dog in a consistent
position
and gather uncontaminated saliva samples. They do not cause the dog discomfort.
(Carlson, 1997)

Pavlov's strategy was to study salivary processes in individual dogs over many test
sessions. During each session, he placed dry food powder inside the dog's mouth
and then collected the saliva. All went well until the dogs became experienced
subjects. After several testing sessions, the dogs began salivating before being fed,
usually as soon as they saw the laboratory assistant enter the room with the food
powder. What Pavlov discovered was a form of learning in which one stimulus

Prof. T.R. Tharney: PSY101 Chapter 4: pp. 7

Crazy Joe’s Psych 101 Notes II
predicts the occurrence of another. In this case, the appearance of the laboratory
assistant predicted the appearance of food (Carlson, 1997).
Pavlov designed experiments to discover exactly why the dogs were salivating
before being given the opportunity to eat. He suspected that salivation might be
triggered by stimuli that were initially unrelated to eating. Somehow, these
previously neutral stimuli came to control what is normally a natural reflexive
behavior. After all, dogs do not naturally salivate when they see laboratory
assistants (Carlson, 1997).
In order to understand what was controlling this unexpected behavior of salivating
when the laboratory assistants were seen, Pavlov placed an inexperienced (naive)
dog in a harness and occasionally gave it small amounts of food powder. Just prior
to placing the food powder in the dog's mouth, Pavlov sounded a bell, a buzzer, or
some other auditory stimulus (Carlson, 1997).
At first, the dog showed only a startle response to the sound. The dog salivated only
when the food powder was placed in the dog's mouth. After only a dozen or so
pairings of the bell and food powder, the dog began to salivate when the bell rang
(Carlson, 1997).
Placing the food powder in the dog's mouth was no longer necessary to elicit
salivation. When learning took place, the sound by itself was sufficient to elicit
salivation. Pavlov, therefore, showed that a neutral stimulus (bell sound) can elicit a
response similar to the original reflex (salivation) when the previously neutral
stimulus (bell sound) predicts the occurrence of a significant stimulus (food powder)
(Carlson, 1997).
Consequently, learning occurred in that there was a CHANGE in behavior due to an
association between two stimuli – the Conditioned Stimulus and the Unconditioned
Stimulus. This association between the Conditioned Stimulus and the Unconditioned
Stimulus is why Classical Conditioning is also called Associative Learning.

Prof. T.R. Tharney: PSY101 Chapter 4: pp. 8

Crazy Joe’s Psych 101 Notes II
 Terms Specific to Classical Conditioning
1. Elicit
2. Unconditioned Stimulus
3. Unconditioned Response
4. Conditioned Stimulus
5. Conditioned Response
Elicit: Elicit means to produce, cause or evoke a response.
Unconditioned Stimulus (UCS): The prefix "un" means not; conditioned means
learned; stimulus means person, place, object, event, or physical energy;
therefore, an unconditioned stimulus is any stimulus which does not require
learning in order to elicit or cause a behavior.
Unconditioned Response (UCR): An unconditioned response is the response that
is automatically elicited, produced, caused or evoked by the Unconditioned
Stimulus (UCS). No learning takes place when the UCS is presented. The UCR
may be a reflex produced by the UCS. Reflexes are simple, unlearned,
involuntary responses.
Conditioned Stimulus (CS): A conditioned stimulus is initially neutral. Initially, the
conditioned stimulus is not capable of eliciting, producing, causing, or
evoking a conditioned response. After learning takes place, the CS elicits the
conditioned response (CR).
Conditioned Response (CR): A conditioned response (CR) is a response that is
learned. The learning takes place because the UCS and the CS are associated
together. Later, the CS comes to take on a similar capability of eliciting the
CR which is similar to the UCR.
Explaining the words "conditioned" and conditional" In the Russian language,
Pavlov used the adjective "uslovna" which is more properly translated
"conditional" and not "conditioned". However, with the English translation,
the use of the terms conditioned stimulus and conditioned response has
become accepted.

Prof. T.R. Tharney: PSY101 Chapter 4: pp. 9

Crazy Joe’s Psych 101 Notes II
 CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
Phase l: Before
Conditioning (Before
Learning)
Before conditioning, two
distinctly unrelated stimuli
are selected. Pavlov
discovered that the meat
powder was the stimulus
that naturally
produced/elicited or caused
the salivation. Therefore,
Pavlov referred to the meat
powder as the
Unconditioned Stimulus
(UCS). When presented
alone, the meat powder
produced, elicited, and
caused the Unconditioned
Response (UCR). The natural
salivation produced when
the food powder was placed
in the dog's mouth was the
Unconditioned Response.
The UCR is any response
that is naturally caused and
Initially, the bell as a neutral
does not require learning.
stimulus (NS).
During this phase, Pavlov
Meat is an unconditional
was faced with
stimulus (US).
demonstrating that the
Conditioned Stimulus (the
bell tone) did not initially
elicit a Conditioned
Response prior to learning or
before being associated with
the UCS. Therefore, Pavlov
presented the Conditioned
Stimulus (bell tone) alone
and the dog did not salivate.
At this point, the bell tone is
actually a Neutral Stimulus
(NS) which becomes the
conditioned stimulus (CS).

Phase II: Conditioning

Phase (Learning
Phase)
Next, Pavlov paired the
Unconditioned Stimulus and
the Conditioned Stimulus
(CS). During the
Conditioning Phase, the CS
(the bell tone) and the UCS
(the meat powder) were
presented together several
Meat and bell presented
times before the CS reliably
together
elicited the CR.
(CS + US)

Prof. T.R. Tharney: PSY101 Chapter 4: pp. 10

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Bell (CS) alone elicits salivation
(CR).
Bell presented without meat
many times.
Bell elicits no salivation.
Crazy Joe’s Psych 101 Notes II
Phase III: After
Conditioning Phase
To determine if conditioning
(learning) occurred, Pavlov
presented the Conditioned
Stimulus alone and the dog
salivated. This CHANGE in
behavior towards the bell
tone meant learning
occurred. Initially, the dog
did not salivate to the bell
tone. After learning
occurred, the dog salivated
when the bell tone was
presented.
When Classical Conditioning
occurs, the CS elicits the CR,
subsequently the CS
predicts the occurrence of
the UCS.
Phase IV: Extinction
Phase
Pavlov observed that a
previously learned response
(CR) was eliminated by
repeatedly presenting the
CS without presenting the
UCS. When extinction
occurred, the CS was no
longer capable of producing
the CR (salivation).
Zimbardo and Gerrig (1999)
explained that extinction
happens when the CS no
longer predicts the UCS.
Here Today, Gone Tomorrow,
Back Again!
After the CS (bell tone) has
been presented several
times without any food
forthcoming, the dog's
salivation response
extinguished and the dog
stopped salivating to the CS
(bell tone) alone. However, if
the CS is not presented for a
period of time and then is
presented, the previously
learned conditioned
response of salivation on
hearing the tone alone will
return. The dog is displaying
spontaneous recovery of the
response but may not
salivate as much as it did
when it was first classically
conditioned to the CS (bell
tone).
A feature of the Extinction
Phase is Spontaneous
Recovery which means that
the Conditioned Response
reappeared after the
Conditioned Response had
been previously eliminated.
Kosslyn and Rosenberg
(2003) explained that when
a Conditioned Response has
been extinguished, the
Conditioned Stimulus will
again elicit the Conditioned
Prof. T.R. Tharney: PSY101 Chapter 4: pp. 11
 Response, although
sometimes not as strongly
as before extinction.

Prof. T.R. Tharney: PSY101 Chapter 4: pp. 12

Crazy Joe’s Psych 101 Notes II