For this assignment, choose ONE of two options: classically condition the pupil of the eye to dilate to the ringing of a bell OR the mouth to salivate to the sound of the word Pavlov. You can perform either of these procedures on yourself, but feel free to try classically conditioning a family member of friends, as well. After completing the activity, respond to the questions.
If you do not have access to the materials required for Options A or B, please contact your Open Learning Faculty Member for an alternate activity.
Option A: Your task is to classically condition the pupil of your eye to dilate to the sound of a bell. You will need a bell, a hand mirror, and a room that will be completely dark when the lights are off. This activity is taken from Hock (2013).
Procedure: You will conduct a number of trials in which the bell is paired with being in the dark. To accomplish this, go into a room that will be completely dark when you turn off the light. Ring the bell, and then turn off the light. It's important to ring the bell first. Do not let the bell ring at any other time. Wait in the darkness for about fifteen seconds and then turn the light on. Wait another fifteen seconds and then repeat the bell, turn off the light and wait for fifteen seconds. Repeat the trial ten to twenty times. Then, look in the mirror, do not turn off the light, and ring the bell. If you are successful, your pupils will dilate to the bell alone, with no change in the level of darkness in the room.
After you have successfully classically conditioned the eye to dilate, it's time to extinguish the response. Now you will repeatedly present the conditioned stimulus without the unconditioned stimulus. Record your results.
Note that you could try to produce spontaneous recovery by repeating a test trial the next day (optional). You could also try to produce stimulus generalization by using similar conditioned stimuli such as a different-sounding bell.
Questions:
Identify the unconditioned stimulus, unconditioned response, conditioned stimulus and conditioned response in the activity.
Report how many trials it took, first for classical conditioning to occur, and then for extinction to occur.
Report any difficulties you encountered.
Describe how you could use higher-order conditioning to condition the pupil to dilate to a new stimulus.
Option B: Your task is to classically condition either yourself or your volunteer to salivate to the word Pavlov. You will need some lemonade powder or something similar. This activity is taken from Cogan and Cogan (1984).
Procedure: Say the word "Pavlov" and then dip a clean moistened fingertip into the lemonade powder and taste it. There should be just a few seconds between saying Pavlov and tasting the lemonade powder. Repeat this ten to twenty times. Then, say Pavlov but do not taste the powder. Did you salivate when the word Pavlov was spoken? If not, try repeating the trials a few more times. Record your results.
After you have successfully classically conditioned yourself, it's time to extinguish the response. Now, you will repeatedly present the conditioned stimulus without the unconditioned stimulus: say Pavlov several times without tasting the powder until you consistently do NOT salivate to the word Pavlov!. Record your results.
Note that you could try to produce spontaneous recovery by repeating a test trial the next day (optional).
Questions:
Identify the unconditioned stimulus, unconditioned response, conditioned stimulus, and conditioned response in the activity.
Report how many trials it took for classical conditioning to occur in the first place, and then for extinction to occur.
Report any difficulties you encountered.
Describe how you could use higher-order conditioning to condition salivation to a new stimulus.