PSYC 342 Quiz 3

The blocking effect refers to a phenomenon in associative learning where the presence of an already established conditioned stimulus (CS) blocks the acquisition of a new association between a different CS and an unconditioned stimulus (US). This suggests that CS-US pairings alone are insufficient for associative learning, as the presence of a previously learned association can prevent the formation of a new one.

The rat's slower learning to develop a CR to the red light is due to the latent-inhibition effect. This effect occurs when prior exposure to the CS (red light) without the US (food delivery) inhibits the formation of an association between the CS and the US. In this case, the rat's initial 20 exposures to the red light cue without food delivery may have led to a reduced ability to form an association between the red light and the food, resulting in slower learning.

Higher-order conditioning demonstrates that after training, a conditioned stimulus (CS) can function as an unconditioned stimulus (US). In higher-order conditioning, a neutral stimulus is paired with an already established CS, which creates a new association. As a result, the previously neutral stimulus becomes a CS and can elicit a conditioned response (CR) on its own. This shows that a CS can acquire the ability to elicit a response similar to a US through conditioning.

Preexposure to the CS or the US refers to the exposure of the conditioned stimulus (CS) or the unconditioned stimulus (US) before the actual associative learning takes place. In this case, the correct answer states that preexposure retards later associative learning. This means that when the CS or the US is presented before the actual learning occurs, it hinders or slows down the process of forming associations between the CS and the US. Therefore, preexposure to the CS or the US has a negative impact on later associative learning.

In classical conditioning, the conditioned stimulus (CS) is a neutral stimulus that becomes associated with an unconditioned stimulus (US) through repeated pairings. In this case, live rats are used as the CS and paired with a food-US. The correct answer states that the shape of the conditioned response (CR) can be determined by the CS. This means that the rats being conditioned will exhibit a specific response (CR) based on the presence or characteristics of the live rats (CS). The other options are incorrect because they suggest that the shape of the CR can be determined by the UR (unconditioned response), the US (unconditioned stimulus), or can be independent of other stimuli, which is not supported by the given information.

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The study found that cues associated with heroin use had little effect, meaning they did not significantly impact heart rate or mood. On the other hand, cues associated with cocaine use elicited heart rate increases and negative changes in mood. This suggests that individuals who use cocaine may experience physiological and emotional arousal when exposed to cues related to their drug use.

When two stimuli that individually predict the presentation of a food pellet are presented together and followed by a food pellet, the associative value of both stimuli decreases. This suggests that the presence of both stimuli together reduces their individual predictive power for the food pellet.

According to the Rescorla-Wagner model, extinction is the process of undoing a conditioned association. In classical conditioning, extinction occurs when a previously conditioned stimulus (CS) is presented without the unconditioned stimulus (US), leading to a decrease or elimination of the conditioned response (CR). This process is believed to involve new learning that inhibits the original association between the CS and the US. Therefore, the correct answer is "undoing a conditioned association."

According to the information provided on page 113 in the Domjan text, the research suggests that the US plays a significant role in determining various aspects of the conditioned response (CR), including specific movements of the mouth and tongue. This implies that the US is not only responsible for determining whether the CR is an approach or avoidance response, or whether it is vigorous or weak, but also has an influence on other specific aspects of the CR.