Conditioned Stimulus

Definition

A conditioned stimulus is an initially neutral stimulus that, through repeated pairing with an unconditioned stimulus, comes to evoke a conditioned response. It is a key concept in the process of classical conditioning, where an organism learns to associate two stimuli and responds to the originally neutral stimulus as if it were the original, biologically significant stimulus.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. The conditioned stimulus is initially a neutral stimulus that does not naturally evoke the desired response, but through repeated pairing with the unconditioned stimulus, it comes to elicit the conditioned response.
2. In classical conditioning, the conditioned stimulus is presented before the unconditioned stimulus, allowing the organism to learn the association between the two.
3. The strength of the conditioned response depends on the number of times the conditioned and unconditioned stimuli are paired, as well as the timing and intensity of the stimuli.
4. Conditioned stimuli can be a wide range of sensory inputs, including sounds, sights, smells, and tactile sensations, as long as they are consistently paired with the unconditioned stimulus.
5. The process of extinction, where the conditioned stimulus is presented without the unconditioned stimulus, can cause the conditioned response to diminish over time.

Review Questions

• Explain the role of the conditioned stimulus in the process of classical conditioning.
  • In classical conditioning, the conditioned stimulus is a neutral stimulus that, through repeated pairing with the unconditioned stimulus, comes to evoke a conditioned response. The conditioned stimulus is initially unrelated to the unconditioned stimulus, but after multiple pairings, the organism learns to associate the two stimuli, and the conditioned stimulus alone can trigger the desired response, even in the absence of the unconditioned stimulus. This learning process is the foundation of classical conditioning and allows organisms to adapt to their environment by anticipating biologically significant events.
• Describe how the strength of the conditioned response can be influenced by the characteristics of the conditioned stimulus.
  • The strength of the conditioned response can be affected by various characteristics of the conditioned stimulus, such as the number of pairings with the unconditioned stimulus, the timing of the stimulus presentation, and the intensity or salience of the conditioned stimulus. Generally, more frequent pairings, closer temporal proximity between the conditioned and unconditioned stimuli, and more intense or salient conditioned stimuli will result in a stronger conditioned response. These factors influence the strength of the association formed between the conditioned and unconditioned stimuli, which in turn determines the robustness of the learned response.
• Analyze how the process of extinction can impact the conditioned response to a previously established conditioned stimulus.
  • The process of extinction, where the conditioned stimulus is presented without the unconditioned stimulus, can cause the conditioned response to diminish over time. When the conditioned stimulus is no longer paired with the unconditioned stimulus, the organism learns that the association is no longer valid, and the conditioned response gradually weakens. This is an important process that allows organisms to adapt to changing environmental conditions and update their learned associations. The rate and extent of extinction can be influenced by factors such as the number of original pairings, the strength of the conditioned response, and the salience of the conditioned stimulus. Understanding the role of extinction in classical conditioning is crucial for explaining how organisms can unlearn previously established associations.

Related terms

Unconditioned Stimulus:

An unconditioned stimulus is a stimulus that naturally and automatically triggers a response without any prior learning or conditioning.

Conditioned Response:

A conditioned response is the learned, automatic response that occurs after the conditioned stimulus is presented, as a result of the pairing of the conditioned and unconditioned stimuli.

Classical Conditioning:

Classical conditioning is a type of learning where an organism comes to associate two stimuli and responds to the originally neutral stimulus as if it were the original, biologically significant stimulus.