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AP Psychology Flashcards: Classical Conditioning

Study Classical Conditioning in AP Psychology with focused flashcards that help you recognize the idea, recall the key rule, and apply it in practice-style prompts.

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What this deck covers

This deck focuses on Classical Conditioning, giving you a quick way to review the definitions, rules, and examples that matter most for AP Psychology.

How to use these flashcards

Work through these flashcards in short sessions. Try to answer each prompt before flipping the card, then revisit any cards you miss until the explanation feels automatic.

AP Psychology Flashcards: Classical Conditioning

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QUESTION

What is spontaneous recovery?

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ANSWER

The reappearance of a CR after a pause, following extinction. Shows that extinguished responses are not permanently erased from memory.

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All flashcards

Flashcard 1: What is spontaneous recovery?

Answer: The reappearance of a CR after a pause, following extinction. Shows that extinguished responses are not permanently erased from memory.

Flashcard 2: What is the role of cognitive processes in classical conditioning?

Answer: Cognitive processes influence how associations are formed and interpreted. Expectations and attention affect how associations are formed and maintained.

Flashcard 3: What does extinction mean in classical conditioning?

Answer: The diminishing of a conditioned response when the CS is no longer paired with the US. Without reinforcement, the learned association weakens over time.

Flashcard 4: How can classical conditioning be used in therapy?

Answer: It can be used to extinguish phobias through systematic desensitization. Gradual exposure to feared stimuli can reduce conditioned fear responses.

Flashcard 5: In classical conditioning, what is the term for a stimulus that initially does not elicit the UR?

Answer: Neutral stimulus. It has no initial effect on behavior before conditioning begins.

Flashcard 6: What is the definition of classical conditioning?

Answer: A learning process that involves associations between stimuli. This forms the foundation of Pavlovian learning theory.

Flashcard 7: What role does biological predisposition play in classical conditioning?

Answer: Organisms are more easily conditioned to associate stimuli that are biologically relevant. Evolution favors associations that promote survival and reproduction.

Flashcard 8: Which phenomenon occurs when a CR is elicited by a new stimulus that resembles the CS?

Answer: Stimulus generalization. The CR extends to stimuli that share features with the original CS.

Flashcard 9: What happens to the CR when the CS is repeatedly presented without the US?

Answer: The CR gradually diminishes, leading to extinction. The CS-US association weakens without reinforcement from the US.

Flashcard 10: How does the Garcia effect demonstrate biological constraints on conditioning?

Answer: It shows that some associations are learned more readily than others due to survival value. It demonstrates biological preparedness for survival-relevant associations.

Flashcard 11: What is latent inhibition in classical conditioning?

Answer: The phenomenon where prior exposure to a CS without the US makes later conditioning harder. Familiarity with the CS reduces its effectiveness in future conditioning.

Flashcard 12: What is the role of contingency in classical conditioning?

Answer: Contingency refers to the predictability of the CS-US relationship affecting learning strength. Strong CS-US relationships produce more robust conditioned responses.

Flashcard 13: What is the role of surprise in the Rescorla-Wagner model?

Answer: Learning occurs when the US is surprising or unexpected, altering predictions. Unexpected events drive learning by updating predictive associations.

Flashcard 14: What is the difference between excitatory and inhibitory conditioning?

Answer: Excitatory strengthens a CR, while inhibitory weakens or inhibits it. Excitatory increases response probability; inhibitory decreases it.

Flashcard 15: How does the concept of blocking demonstrate limits in classical conditioning?

Answer: A new CS paired with an established CS does not elicit a CR if it provides no new information. Redundant cues that don't add predictive value aren't learned.

Flashcard 16: What is the definition of classical conditioning?

Answer: A learning process that involves associations between stimuli. This forms the foundation of Pavlovian learning theory.

Flashcard 17: What is the role of temporal contiguity in classical conditioning?

Answer: Temporal contiguity refers to the closeness in time of the CS and US presentation. Closer timing between CS and US produces stronger conditioning effects.

Flashcard 18: Explain how a conditioned emotional response is formed.

Answer: An emotional reaction, such as fear, is conditioned to a previously neutral stimulus. Neutral stimuli become triggers for emotional states through repeated pairing.

Flashcard 19: What is the difference between excitatory and inhibitory conditioning?

Answer: Excitatory strengthens a CR, while inhibitory weakens or inhibits it. Excitatory increases response probability; inhibitory decreases it.

Flashcard 20: How does the concept of blocking demonstrate limits in classical conditioning?

Answer: A new CS paired with an established CS does not elicit a CR if it provides no new information. Redundant cues that don't add predictive value aren't learned.

Flashcard 21: What is the role of surprise in the Rescorla-Wagner model?

Answer: Learning occurs when the US is surprising or unexpected, altering predictions. Unexpected events drive learning by updating predictive associations.

Flashcard 22: How can classical conditioning be used in therapy?

Answer: It can be used to extinguish phobias through systematic desensitization. Gradual exposure to feared stimuli can reduce conditioned fear responses.

Flashcard 23: What is the role of contingency in classical conditioning?

Answer: Contingency refers to the predictability of the CS-US relationship affecting learning strength. Strong CS-US relationships produce more robust conditioned responses.

Flashcard 24: What is latent inhibition in classical conditioning?

Answer: The phenomenon where prior exposure to a CS without the US makes later conditioning harder. Familiarity with the CS reduces its effectiveness in future conditioning.

Flashcard 25: How does the Rescorla-Wagner model explain classical conditioning?

Answer: It suggests that conditioning depends on the predictive value of the CS. Learning occurs when events violate expectations about stimulus relationships.

Flashcard 26: Describe how conditioned taste aversion challenges the idea of equipotentiality.

Answer: It shows certain stimuli are more easily associated with others based on biological relevance. It shows that some stimulus combinations are biologically favored over others.

Flashcard 27: What is the term for the initial stage of learning in classical conditioning?

Answer: Acquisition. This is when the CS-US association is first established.

Flashcard 28: In classical conditioning, what is the term for a stimulus that initially does not elicit the UR?

Answer: Neutral stimulus. It has no initial effect on behavior before conditioning begins.

Flashcard 29: What is spontaneous recovery?

Answer: The reappearance of a CR after a pause, following extinction. Shows that extinguished responses are not permanently erased from memory.

Flashcard 30: What is the main difference between first-order and higher-order conditioning?

Answer: First-order involves a direct CS-US pairing; higher-order involves a CS-CS pairing. Higher-order uses an established CS rather than the original US.