Key Terms in Classical Conditioning

 

Neutral Stimulus (NS): A stimulus that, prior to conditioning, produces no relevant response in the organism. Through pairing, it becomes the Conditioned Stimulus.

 

Example: The sound of a bell before any training.

 

Unconditioned Stimulus (UCS): A trigger that automatically and naturally causes an unlearned reflex response without any prior training.

 

Example: The meat powder/food presented to the dog.

 

Unconditioned Response (UCR): The automatic, unlearned physiological reflex elicited by an Unconditioned Stimulus.

 

Example: Salivating naturally in response to tasting food.

 

Association: The mental connection formed between two events occurring close together in time, which results in learning.

 

Example: Linking the sound of the bell directly with the arrival of food.

 

Conditioned Stimulus (CS): A previously neutral stimulus that, after repeated pairing with an Unconditioned Stimulus, comes to trigger a learned response.

 

Example: The sound of the bell after learning has taken place.

 

Conditioned Response (CR): The learned reaction to a Conditioned Stimulus that occurs after conditioning has taken place.

 

Example: Salivating at the sound of the bell alone.

 

Quick Reference Guide

Rule of Thumb:

 

Unconditioned = Unlearned (Natural, automatic reflexes present from birth).

 

Conditioned = Learned (Acquired through experience and association).

 

Stage Stimulus  Response

Before Learning Neutral Stimulus (NS) (Bell)  No response (or simple orienting)

Before Learning Unconditioned Stimulus (UCS) (Food) Unconditioned Response (UCR) (Salivation)

During Learning  NS (Bell) + UCS (Food) paired Unconditioned Response (UCR) (Salivation)

After Learning  Conditioned Stimulus (CS) (Bell)    Conditioned Response (CR) (Salivation)