Question

Extinction occurs when _____ a. the conditioned stimulus is presented repeatedly without being paired with an unconditioned stimulus b. the unconditioned stimulus is presented repeatedly without being paired with a conditioned stimulus c. the neutral stimulus is presented repeatedly without being paired with an unconditioned stimulus d. the neutral stimulus is presented repeatedly without being paired with a conditioned stimulus.

Short answer

The correct answer is: a. the conditioned stimulus is presented repeatedly without being paired with an unconditioned stimulus.

Step-by-step solution

- Understand Terminology

Review the relevant terminology. In classical conditioning, an unconditioned stimulus is something that naturally triggers a response. A conditioned stimulus, on the other hand, is initially neutral before conditioning, but becomes associated with the unconditioned stimulus and eventually triggers the same response.

- Analyze Options

Evaluate each of the options given in the problem. Extinction in classical conditioning refers to the gradual weakening of a conditioned response that results in the behavior decreasing or disappearing.

- Select Correct Option

Given the understanding of the terms, extinction occurs when the conditioned stimulus is presented repeatedly without being paired with an unconditioned stimulus. This is because without the pairing, the conditioned stimulus will lose its ability to elicit the response.

Key concepts

Conditioned Stimulus

In the realm of learning psychology, a conditioned stimulus (CS) plays a central role. It originates as a neutral stimulus, which means it does not provoke any particular response by itself. Through a process known as classical conditioning, this once neutral stimulus becomes a conditioned one when it is repeatedly paired with an unconditioned stimulus (US), which naturally elicits a response.

For example, if every time a dog hears a bell ring (neutral stimulus), it is given food (unconditioned stimulus), the bell sound eventually becomes a conditioned stimulus. The dog will start to salivate when it hears the bell, expecting food, even if no food is presented. This learned response is a fascinating demonstration of how associations are formed in the brain through classical conditioning.

Unconditioned Stimulus

In contrast to the conditioned stimulus, the unconditioned stimulus (US) is an element in behavioral psychology that automatically triggers a natural, reflexive response without prior learning. This unlearned response is termed an unconditioned response (UR).

Let's take the example of smelling your favorite food, which may lead to an immediate sensation of hunger or even mouth watering. This food is an unconditioned stimulus, as it naturally triggers the unconditioned response of hunger or salivation without any conditioning needed. The US is pivotal to classical conditioning since it is the element that the conditioned stimulus gets associated with to produce learning.

Learning Psychology

The fascinating field of learning psychology explores how individuals acquire new knowledge, skills, behaviors, or attitudes. This area of psychology focuses on learning processes throughout the human life span, spanning various learning types such as observational learning, associative learning, and reinforcement.

Classical conditioning is a fundamental concept within learning psychology, offering insights into how associations between stimuli and responses are formed. Understanding the mechanisms behind classical conditioning prepares us to interpret a range of behaviors and even informs therapeutic practices, such as counterconditioning in the treatment of phobias.

Behavioral Psychology

Delving deeper into the sciences of the mind, behavioral psychology, also known as behaviorism, asserts that all behaviors are acquired through conditioning. Central figures like John B. Watson and B.F. Skinner contributed significantly to this field, promoting the idea that our responses to environmental stimuli shape our actions.

Behaviorists emphasize observable behavior over internal events like thinking and emotion, which are harder to measure. Two main types of conditioning are pivotal in behavioral psychology: classical conditioning, where an association between two stimuli is learned, and operant conditioning, where behavior is strengthened or weakened by its consequences, such as rewards or punishments.