What is Classical Conditioning? How We Learn

In this video, we discuss a second form of learning: classical conditioning. We also learn about the history of how classical conditioning was discovered by Ivan Pavlov.

Classical Conditioning: A form of associative learning in which the stimulus or experience occurs before the behavior and then gets paired or associated with the behavior.

Unconditioned Stimulus (UCS): Stimulus that elicits an automatic (unlearned) response.

Unconditioned Response (UCR): Automatic (unlearned) response to a non-neutral stimulus.

Conditioned Stimulus (CS): Previously neutral stimulus that comes to elicit a response due to association with UCS.

Conditioned Response (CR): Response to a previously neutral stimulus due to a learned association.

Acquisition: Gradually learning—or acquiring—the CR (caused by repeated pairing of CS + UCS).

Extinction: The CR decreases in magnitude and eventually disappears (caused by presenting CS alone without UCS).

Spontaneous Recovery: A seemingly extinct CR reappears (caused by presenting the CS again).

Renewal Effect: We extinguish a CR in a setting different from the one in which the animal acquired it; when we return to the original setting, the CR returns.

Stimulus Generalization: CSs that are similar (but not identical) to the original CS elicit a CR.

Stimulus Discrimination: Opposite of stimulus generalization; exhibiting a less pronounced CR in response to CSs that differ from the original CS.