Chapter 6: Learning

Classical conditioning: learning based on associations.
     Before conditioning:
          Unconditioned Response (UR) is the reflexive, involuntary behavior of interest.
          Unconditioned Stimulus (US) is the event that naturally provokes the UR.
          Neutral Stimulus (NS) is any other even that does NOT naturally provoke the UR.

     Conditioning:
          NS and US consistently presented together many times.
          NS has to PREDICT the US.

     After conditioning:
          Response occurs as soon as NS is presented, even without the US.
          The NS is now called the Conditioned Stimulus (CS) and the UR the Conditioned Response (CR).

     If the CS is presented several times without the US, its predictive power is decreased, leading to a weaker CR and finally extinction.
     After a while not presenting the CS anymore, it first presentation will lead to spontaneous recovery.

     Familiar stimuli do not become conditioned easily.
     We are genetically programmed to associate certain stimuli together.