> At 12:42 PM -0400 7/29/01, K. Kleissler wrote:
> >I need some help in analyzing a situation as to operant vs. classical
> >conditioning. The scenario is this: <snip>
Paul Brandon replied:
>
> For this to be classically conditioned behavior, the conditioned response
> would have to be similar to (but more stereotyped than) the original
> response.
I have to query this. There's no requirement that the response
have any particular form to be considered a CR. But it is an
interesting question to ask what that form is likely to be. I
don't think similarity to the UR is the most promising choice.
Instead, the CR usually (always?) has the form of a preparatory
response. The CS says: "Here it comes!". The CR responds: "OK,
I'm getting ready for it!".
An old demonstration of this is to place someone's hand, palm
down on a shock pad, and condition a finger withdrawal response
to a tone. After training, the subject is asked to turn his hand
over. When the tone is sounded, the response is still a
withdrawal, even though the actual finger movement is now a
flexion rather than a contraction of the finger. Similarly, I
believe that the conditioned response to an insulin injection is
hyperglycemia, the opposite to the effect of the insulin itself,
but certainly preparatory for it.
Kohn and Kalat (1992) have an amusing and instructive
demonstration of this. They show that the CR to a threatened
balloon-popping is not the flinch/jump evoked by the pop itself,
but instead a preparatory tensing of the muscles.
Kohn, A, & Kalat, J. (1992). Preparing for an important event:
demonstrating the modern view of classical conditioning.
Teaching of Psychology, 19, 100--
Some other irrelevant news I'm gonna slip in here:
1) I watched the instalment of "The Hunt" on fingerprinting and
ballistics in crime detection on A & E as I mentioned in a
previous post (series is Thursdays, 10:00 pm in the US and
Canada). I thought it was pretty interesting. I'm looking forward
to the August 2 one apparently on sensory deprivation. One of my
suggestions to the BBC researcher was to look someone up who had
been a subject in the original study. I hope they show an
interview with him (although his opinion that it was "pleasant"
is probably not what they were looking for).
2) If you want to see what Bishop's campus looks like, go see the
new release "Lost and Delirious", where we stand in for an
all-girl's school with big student problems ("A thoughtful and
compassionate story of a young girl"--Hollywood Reporter).
Starring Piper Perabo, limited distribution, mixed reviews.
-Stephen
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Stephen Black, Ph.D. tel: (819) 822-9600 ext 2470
Department of Psychology fax: (819) 822-9661
Bishop's University e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Lennoxville, QC
J1M 1Z7
Canada Department web page at http://www.ubishops.ca/ccc/div/soc/psy
Check out TIPS listserv for teachers of psychology at:
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