Learning in which stimuli associated with a conditioned stimulus also elicit conditioned responses

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  • Published: July 1999

Psychopharmacology volume 145pages 105–112 (1999)Cite this article

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Abstract

Rationale: A neutral stimulus repeatedly paired with administration of a drug may elicit a conditioned response. This process, termed pharmacological classical conditioning, may be important in the understanding of placebo effects. Objective: The unconditioned response to caffeine is increased physiological and psychological arousal. The present study investigated whether stimuli associated with the use of caffeine, i.e. the smell and taste of coffee, elicited a conditioned increase in arousal. It was also investigated whether conditioned arousal modulated the unconditioned arousal induced by caffeine. Methods: Twenty subjects who drank at least two cups of coffee per day were exposed to four conditions in a within-subjects design, where the subjects received coffee or orange juice crossed with placebo or 2 mg/kg caffeine. Dependent variables were skin conductance responses and startle reflexes to 85 dB noise bursts, skin conductance levels, blood pressure, heart rate, and subjective measures of arousal. Results: Both caffeine (caffeinated juice) and caffeine-associated stimuli (decaffeinated coffee) increased subjective and physiological arousal. When caffeine and caffeine-associated stimuli were presented together (caffeinated coffee), a non-significant tendency towards an additive effect of the conditioned arousal on the unconditioned arousal to caffeine was seen in some dependent variables. Conclusions: Presentation of caffeine-associated stimuli to caffeine-users elicited conditioned responses similar to the unconditioned drug response. Thus, presentation of caffeine-associated stimuli could be used as an experimental model of placebo effects.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, SVT-Fak., Norwegian University of Science and Technology, N-7491 Trondheim, Norway e-mail: , Fax: +47-7359-920, , , , , , NO

    M. A. Flaten

  2. Department of Psychology, Wake Forest University, Box 7778, Reynolda Station, Winston-Salem, NC 27109, USA, , , , , , US

    Terry D. Blumenthal

Authors

  1. M. A. Flaten

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  2. Terry D. Blumenthal

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Received: 23 November 1998/Final version: 16 February 1999

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Flaten, M., Blumenthal, T. Caffeine-associated stimuli elicit conditioned responses: an experimental model of the placebo effect. Psychopharmacology 145, 105–112 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1007/s002130051038

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  • Issue Date: July 1999

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s002130051038

  • Key words Placebo response
  • Conditioned response
  • Arousal
  • Caffeine
  • Startle
  • Skin conductance response

Inevitable, involuntary response to stimuli.

An inborn pattern of behavior elicited by environmental stimuli. Also known as a fixed action pattern.

A relatively permanent change in behavior or the capacity for behavior due to experience.

The formation of associations or connections among stimuli and behaviors.

A type of learning in which associations are formed between two stimuli that occur sequentially in time.

A type of learning in which associations are formed between behaviors and their outcomes.

Learning that involves changes in the magnitude of responses to a stimulus.

A simple form of learning in which reactions to repeated stimuli that are unchanging and harmless decrease.

An increased reaction to many stimuli following exposure to one very strong stimulus.

Learning that occurs when an organism watches the actions of another. Also known as social learning or modeling.

An environmental event whose significance is learned through classical conditioning.

unconditioned stimuls (UCS) 

A stimulus that elicits a response without any prior experience.

Conditioned Responses (Crs) 

A response learned through classical conditioning.

UnconditionedResponses (UCR's) 

A response to an unconditioned stimulus that requires no previous experience.

The development of a learned response.

During extinction training, the reappearance of conditioned responses after periods of rest.

A feature of classical conditioning in which a conditioned stimulus actually predicts the nonoccurrence of an unconditioned stimulus.

The tendency to respond to stimuli that are similar to an original conditioned stimulus.

A learned ability to distinguish between stimuli.

Learning in which stimuli associated with a conditioned stimulus also elicit conditioned responding.

The slower learning that occurs when a conditioned stimulus is already familiar compared to when the conditioned stimulus is unfamiliar.

systematic desensitization 

A type of counterconditioning in which people relax while being exposed to stimuli that elicit fear.

A reinforcer that gains value from being associated with other things that are valued. Also known as a secondary reinforcer.

A method for increasing behaviors that allow an organism to escape or avoid an unpleasant consequence.

A consequence that eliminates or reduces the frequency of a behavior.

A consequence that eliminates or reduces the frequency of a behavior by applying an aversive stimulus.

A method for reducing behavior by removing something desirable whenever the target behavior occurs.

The reinforcement of a desired behavior on some occasions but not others.

fixed ration (fr) schedule 

A schedule of reinforcement in which reinforcement occurs following a set number of behaviors.

variable ratio (VR) schedules 

A schedule of reinforcement in which reinforcement occurs following some variable number of behaviors.

Fixed interval (FI) schedule 

A schedule of reinforcement in which the first response following a specified interval will be reinforced.

variable interval (VI) schedule 

A schedule of reinforcement in which the first response following a varying period of time is reinforced.

Partial reinforcement effect in extinction 

The more rapid extinction observed following continuous reinforcement than following partial reinforcement.

method of successive approximations 

A method for increasing the frequency of behaviors that never or rarely occur.

Learning that occurs in the absence of reinforcement.

An application of operant conditioning in which tokens that can be exchanged for other reinforcers are used to increase the frequency of desirable behaviors.

The copying of behavior that is unlikely to occur naturally and spontaneously.

What type of learning is involved when there is conditioned stimulus and conditioned response?

Classical conditioning (also known as Pavlovian or respondent conditioning) is learning through association and was discovered by Pavlov, a Russian physiologist. In simple terms, two stimuli are linked together to produce a new learned response in a person or animal.

What is the learned response to a conditioned stimulus?

After such a temporal pairing has occurred repeatedly, the conditioned stimulus itself produces a response. This learned response is known as the conditioned response (CR) and it can occur even in the absence of the unconditioned stimulus.

What is conditioned stimulus called?

The conditioned stimulus is also known as classical conditioning or Pavlovian conditioning, named for the Russian scientist Ivan Pavlov who discovered the phenomenon during his experiments with dogs.

What type of conditioning is learning through an association between two stimuli known as?

Classical conditioning involves forming an association between two stimuli, resulting in a learned response. 4 There are three basic phases of this process.