Classical Conditioning
Chloe Ramirez
8 min read
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Study Guide Overview
This study guide covers classical conditioning, focusing on its core concepts, applications, and relevance to the AP Psychology exam. Key terms include unconditioned stimulus (UCS), unconditioned response (UCR), neutral stimulus (NS), conditioned stimulus (CS), and conditioned response (CR). It also explores related concepts like acquisition, extinction, spontaneous recovery, stimulus discrimination, stimulus generalization, higher-order conditioning, taste aversion, and habituation. The guide provides practice questions and emphasizes the importance of understanding these concepts for both multiple-choice and free-response questions.
#AP Psychology Study Guide: Classical Conditioning ðŸ§
Welcome to your ultimate guide for mastering classical conditioning! This is designed to be your go-to resource the night before the exam. Let's make sure you're feeling confident and ready to ace it!
Classical conditioning is a cornerstone of the AP Psychology exam. Expect to see it in both multiple-choice and free-response questions. Understanding the core concepts and their applications is crucial.
#Classical Conditioning: The Basics
Classical conditioning is all about learning through association. Think of it as your brain connecting the dots between two things that happen together. Here's a breakdown:
#Evolution of Behavioral Perspective
- Behaviorism Focus: Early psychologists focused on observable behaviors rather than internal mental processes. They believed learning happens through conditioning.
- Conditioning Theories: Classical conditioning, pioneered by Pavlov, was a key theory that shaped this perspective. It's all about how we learn to associate things.
#Association of Stimuli
- Learning Associations: Classical conditioning involves learning to associate one stimulus with another, which then triggers a specific response. It's about building connections in your brain.
- Acquisition: The process of learning these associations is called acquisition. It's the initial stage where the connection is formed.
#Steps in Associative Learning
- Unconditioned Stimulus (UCS): A stimulus that naturally triggers a response (e.g., food causing salivation). Think: Unlearned and Unintentional.
- Unconditioned Response (UCR): The natural response to the UCS (e.g., salivation in response to food). Think: Unlearned and Unintentional.
- Neutral Stimulus (NS): A stimulus that initially does not trigger a response (e.g., a bell). Think: No effect initially.
- Conditioned Stimulus (CS): The previously neutral stimulus that, after pairing with the UCS, now triggers a response (e.g., the bell after being paired with food). Think: Connected to the response.
- Conditioned Response (CR): The learned response to the CS (e.g., salivation in response to the bell). Think: Connected to the stimulus.
Mnemonic: Remember UCS and UCR are unlearned and CS and CR are learned.
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