Classical conditioning: The role of stress and extinction.
Look at this picture below.
image1: lemon image was generated by microsoft AI
Did the image of a lemon make you salivate?
This phenomenon is called classical conditioning. That, a core principle in psychology, was first identified by the Russian scientist Ivan Pavlov.
image2: Ivan Pavlov Adopted from wikipedia[1]
His pioneering research, which won him a Nobel Prize, demonstrated that if an irrelevant stimulus is paired repeatedly with a naturally occurring one, the irrelevant stimulus eventually causes the same response as the natural one. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ivan_Pavlov[1])This type of learning, also called respondent conditioning, includes the following key concepts:
Term definitions:
The Unconditioned Stimulus (UCS) is a stimulus that causes a reaction automatically without any special learning. The Unconditioned Response (UCR) is the automatic reaction to the UCS. Initially, the Neutral Stimulus (NS) does not trigger a significant response. However, after multiple pairings with the UCS, the NS transforms into the Conditioned Stimulus (CS) and evokes a learned reaction. The Conditioned Response (CR) is the result of the response to the CS.
Classical conditioning consists of 3 phases. it is before conditioning phase, conditioning phase and after conditioning phase.
For example:
image3: classical conditioning adopted from simply psycology [2]
First, before the conditioning phase, experimenter checked The food (UCS) makes Pavlov’s dog Salivation(UCR). Next, conditioning phase, experimenter presents the dog with food (UCS) and the sound of bell (NS) at the same time. Then the dog salivates because of UCS. Finally, The dog could salivate (CR) when experimenter present the sound of bell (CS) (https://www.simplypsychology.org/classical-conditioning.html[2])
Extinction is the process where a conditioned response diminishes when the conditioned stimulus is no longer associated with the unconditioned stimulus.
Classical conditioning is highly relevant for treating phobias and behavioral disorders, though it has its limitations. Not all behaviors or types of learning are fully explained by classical conditioning.(https://www.verywellhealth.com/classical-conditioning-5218361[3])
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How does the stress affect classical conditioning?
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Do you ever feel overwhelmed with studying or exams, experiencing stress because there's too much to do? How does this stress affect classical conditioning? Many people may assume that stress hampers learning, but research presents intriguing findings. I’m particularly interested in how stress, often viewed as negative for learning, may actually improve classical conditioning, as suggested by some research.
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image 4:Changes in response over time. adopted from Tracy, J., Craig, W., et al. (1992)[3]
Tracy, J., Craig, W., et al. (1992)[3] explores how stress affects classical conditioning in rats, particularly whether stress can accelerate or enhance the conditioning process. The experiment involved exposing rats to stress before they underwent classical conditioning trials, where a NS was repeatedly paired with an US, such as food or a mild electric shock. The objective was to determine if stress improved the speed or strength with which the rats learned to associate the two stimuli. The results showed that the stressed rats learned faster and exhibited stronger conditioned responses compared to the non-stressed group. This finding suggests that stress can facilitate classical conditioning by enhancing associative learning.
The study challenges the conventional belief that stress is solely detrimental, indicating that it can, in some cases, improve learning by affecting brain mechanisms involved in learning and memory, leading to quicker acquisition of conditioned responses.
How do conditioned responses disappear?
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As I mentioned before, People experience the phenomenon of extinction over time. How do conditioned responses disappear? What biological processes are involved in extinction? Let's explore how environmental changes, especially through the extinction process, affect the fading of learned responses. These areas of focus will deepen our understanding of both the adaptive and maladaptive aspects of classical conditioning.
image 5:Percentage of extinction per session.adopted from Thompson, R. F., & Steinmetz, J. E. (2004)[5]
Thompson, R. F., & Steinmetz, J. E. (2004) [5]examines how the brain manages the extinction of a classically conditioned eye-blink response in rabbits. In the experiment, rabbits were conditioned to blink when they heard a tone (NS) that was paired with an air puff (US). Eventually, the rabbits learned to blink at the sound of the tone alone. To study extinction, the tone was presented without the air puff, leading to a gradual decrease in the eye-blink response. The analysis was then carried out using agonists(Muscimol) that partially inhibit brain function. The results revealed that extinction involves active learning and specific changes in the brain, particularly in the cerebellum and hippocampus.
These findings suggest that extinction is not merely the fading of the conditioned response but rather the acquisition of new information that interferes with the original learned behavior. The study concludes that extinction is an active process driven by new neural changes, highlighting the complexity of classical conditioning and its interaction with other learning mechanisms.
Key Takeaways
These studies provide valuable insights into the mechanisms behind classical conditioning. The first study shows that stress, which is often seen as harmful, can actually enhance learning in classical conditioning. This opens up new possibilities for understanding how stress can be used to improve learning and memory. The second study focuses on extinction, showing that it is an active learning process involving specific brain areas, like the cerebellum and hippocampus. This gives a deeper understanding of how conditioned responses are both learned and unlearned.
Final Thoughts
Classical conditioning is a fundamental learning process that can be influenced by various factors, including stress. While stress is often thought to be a negative influence, it can enhance classical conditioning in some situations. Additionally, extinction is not just a passive process of forgetting; it involves active learning and brain changes. Together, these studies offer a more detailed understanding of the nature of learning and the different factors that can affect it.
references: other
[1] Wikipedia. (n.d.). Ivan Pavlov. In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved September 11, 2024, from
[2]McLeod, S. (2024). Classical Conditioning: How It Works With Examples. In Simply Psychology. Retrieved September 11, 2024, from https://www.simplypsychology.org/classical-conditioning.html
[3]Bottaro, A. (2023). 6 Examples of Classical Conditioning. In Verywell Health. Retrieved September 11, 2024, from https://www.verywellhealth.com/classical-conditioning-5218361
References from Scientific Journals
[4]Tracy, J., Craig, W., et al. (1992). Stress-Induced Facilitation of Classical Conditioning. Science, New Series, 257(5069), 537-539. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Craig-Weiss/publication/21519822_Stress-Induced_Facilitation_of_Classical_Conditioning/links/02e7e539891748196e000000/Stress-Induced-Facilitation-of-Classical-Conditioning.pdf
[5]Thompson, R. F., & Steinmetz, J. E. (2004). Brain mechanisms of extinction of the classically conditioned eyeblink response. Learning & Memory, 11(5), 517-524. https://learnmem.cshlp.org/content/11/5/517.full.pdf