Now, complete the following: Think of a classically conditioned response you have experienced and describe the process of learning this response (what was the process you went through in becoming classically conditioned in this response). Be sure to identify the following: Address the following questions: Write a 2–3-page paper in Word format. Apply APA standards to citation of sources. Be sure to also include a title page and a reference page
Classical conditioning is a type of learning in which an organism learns to associate a neutral stimulus with a stimulus that already elicits a certain response. This type of conditioning was first studied and described by Ivan Pavlov, a Russian physiologist, who is well-known for his pioneering work on the digestive system of dogs.
One classically conditioned response that I have experienced is the feeling of hunger whenever I smell freshly baked bread. The process of learning this response began with repeated pairings of the smell of bread with the act of eating food. Initially, the smell of bread was a neutral stimulus that did not elicit any particular response. However, over time, as I consumed food while being exposed to the smell, a learned association between the smell and the consumption of food developed.
In this case, the unconditioned stimulus (UCS) was the act of eating food, which naturally and automatically elicits the unconditioned response (UCR) of hunger. The smell of bread, initially a neutral stimulus (NS), was paired with the UCS repeatedly. As a result, the smell of bread became a conditioned stimulus (CS) that evoked a conditioned response (CR) of hunger in anticipation of food.
The process of learning this classically conditioned response involved several stages. Firstly, there was an initial stage known as acquisition, during which the pairing of the NS (smell of bread) with the UCS (eating food) took place. The more frequently and consistently the two stimuli were paired, the stronger the association between them became. This stage is crucial for the learning process to occur, as it establishes the connection between the CS and the UCS.
Secondly, there was the stage of extinction, which involves the gradual weakening and eventual disappearance of the conditioned response. If the UCS (eating food) is no longer consistently paired with the CS (smell of bread), the association between them weakens and the conditioned response (hunger) decreases over time. For example, if I stop eating bread for a long period of time, the smell of bread may no longer elicit hunger as the association weakens.
Another important aspect of classical conditioning is generalization and discrimination. During the process of learning, the response to the CS (smell of bread) may generalize to similar stimuli. This means that other food-related smells, such as the aroma of freshly baked pastries, may also elicit the conditioned response of hunger. On the other hand, through discrimination, an organism can learn to differentiate between similar stimuli and respond only to the specific CS. For example, being able to distinguish the smell of bread from the smell of cookies or cake and respond only to the smell of bread.
Classical conditioning can also be influenced by factors such as timing and contingency. Timing refers to the temporal relationship between the presentation of the CS and UCS. For effective learning, it is important for the CS to precede the UCS. The closer the two stimuli are in time, the stronger the association that can be formed. Contingency refers to the predictability of the UCS based on the presence of the CS. If the UCS consistently follows the CS, a stronger association is likely to be formed.
In conclusion, the process of becoming classically conditioned in response to the smell of freshly baked bread involved repeated pairings of the neutral stimulus (NS) with the unconditioned stimulus (UCS). Over time, the NS became a conditioned stimulus (CS) that elicited a conditioned response (CR) of hunger. This process involved stages of acquisition, extinction, generalization, discrimination, and was influenced by factors such as timing and contingency. By understanding the principles of classical conditioning, we can gain insights into how associations are formed between stimuli and responses, and how learning processes shape our behaviors.
