Conditioning & Motivation

Vincent Etter
Classical Conditioning
 The type of learning in which a stimulus acquires the capacity to
evoke the response initially evoked by another stimulus.
 Classical Conditioning

Pavlov (1927)
Pavlov was interested in how creatures made associations between
events. He produced salivation from dogs as a response to the
sound of a bell.
Before conditioning (Part 1)

food Reflex: salivation

Neutral Stimulus: bell

No response

During conditioning (Part 2)

bell sounded
0.5 - 1 sec before salivation
food

Evidence of conditioning (Part 3)

Rings bell
(conditioned salivation
stimulus)
Classical Conditioning Terminology(1/2)

• 1.) Unconditioned Stimulus (US)- The stimulus that

evokes a natural response.

• 2.) Unconditioned Response (UR)- The natural reaction

to the unconditioned stimulus.
Classical Conditioning Terminology(2/2)
• 3.) Conditioned Stimulus (CS)- Previously neutral
stimulus that, through conditioning, evokes conditioned
response.

• 4.) Conditioned Response (CR)- Learned reaction to

conditioned stimulus that occurs because of previous
conditioning
 Classical Conditioning Procedures
1. Trace Conditioning
The CS and US do not overlap. CS US
Discrete event is presented, then the US occurs. Shorter the interval the Time
better, but as you can tell, this approach is not very effective. Trace Conditioning

2. Delay Conditioning
The CS is presented before the US and it (CS) stays on until the US is CS US
presented.
This is generally the best, especially when the delay is short. Time
Delay Conditioning

3. Simultaneous Conditioning CS
The CS and US are presented and terminated at the same time.
CS and US presented together. Not very good. US
Time
Simultaneous Conditioning

4. Backward Conditioning
Backward conditioning occurs when a CS immediately follows a US. CS
US
US occurs before CS.
Time
Backward Conditioning
 Extinction

Repeatedly presenting the CS without the US leads to extinction of

the response.

Stimulus Generalisation
Stimulus can be varied and still elicit the response.

Significance of Stimulus
If highly significant for safety of individual - very long time to
extinguish.

Second Order Conditioning

Occurs when a CS is paired with a NS
Operant Conditioning
• A form of learning in which the probability of a
behavioral response is changed by its
consequences…that is, by the stimuli that follows the
response.
 Operant Conditioning
Skinner (1938)
Skinner was interested in how the
consequences of a behaviour affected its
repetition
Operant - small action which can have an effect on the
surrounding environment.

A reinforcer will increase the probability that the operant

behaviour will recur.

Primary reinforcement
Using a reward which satisfies a primary need
such as food or sex.

Secondary reinforcement
Using a reward that doesn’t satisfy a primary need e.g. money.
Token Economy Programme (Ayllon and Azrin, 1968)
 Positive Reinforcement
getting a reward such as food or praise

Negative Reinforcement
avoiding something unpleasant such as pain

Both types of reinforcers INCREASE certain behaviours.

Punishment
getting something unpleasant such as a smack

Cost Response
removing something pleasant such as a fine

These REDUCE or suppress behaviour.

Shaping
Reward each successive approximation until the desired behaviour is
demonstrated.

Discriminative Stimulus
Amount of change a stimulus can undergo and still elicit the response.

Learned Helplessness
Control is important in conditioning.
 Continuous Reinforcement (CRF)
• A reinforcer follows every response.
• Best used for shaping or maintaining difficult behavior.
 Reinforcement Schedules
Partial Reinforcement
FR
1. Fixed-Interval Schedules (FI) 3. Fixed-Ratio Schedules (FR)
A single response after the passage Reinforcement occurs after a fixed VR
of a fixed period of time yields number of responses.
reinforcement. FI
Number
2. Variable-Interval Schedules (VI) 4. Variable-Ratio Schedules (VR) of VI
A single response after a varied Number of responses required for responses
passage of time. reinforcement vary from trial to trial.
Time