Study Guide for Higher-Order Conditioning: Key Concepts and Examples

📚 Quick Study Guide: Higher-Order Conditioning

• 💡 Definition: Higher-Order Conditioning (HOC) is a form of classical conditioning where a previously conditioned stimulus (CS1) is used to condition a new neutral stimulus (NS) without the presence of the original unconditioned stimulus (US).
• 🔗 Process: It involves pairing a neutral stimulus (NS2) with an already established conditioned stimulus (CS1) to create a new conditioned stimulus (CS2).
• 🧠 Key Terms:
  • ✨ First-Order Conditioning: NS (e.g., bell) + US (e.g., food) $\rightarrow$ UR (salivation). NS becomes CS1 (bell) $\rightarrow$ CR (salivation).
  • 🔄 Second-Order Conditioning: NS2 (e.g., light) + CS1 (bell) $\rightarrow$ CR (salivation). NS2 becomes CS2 (light) $\rightarrow$ CR (salivation).
  • 🚫 Crucial Note: The original US (food) is NOT present in the second-order conditioning phase.
• 📉 Strength & Durability: Conditioned responses established through HOC are typically weaker and more susceptible to extinction than those formed through first-order conditioning.
• ⏳ Extinction Implications: If the CS1 is repeatedly presented without the US, its ability to elicit the CR will diminish. Consequently, the CS2's ability to elicit the CR will also diminish.
• 🌍 Real-World Applications: Think of advertising (associating a product with a celebrity who is already linked to positive feelings) or the development of certain phobias (fear of a place associated with a feared object).

✅ Practice Quiz

1. Which of the following best defines higher-order conditioning?
   A. Conditioning a new response to an unconditioned stimulus.
   B. Using an unconditioned stimulus to strengthen a conditioned response.
   C. Pairing a neutral stimulus with an already established conditioned stimulus to create a new conditioned response.
   D. The process of extinguishing a conditioned response through repeated exposure.
2. In a classic experiment, a dog is conditioned to salivate at the sound of a bell (CS1). Later, a light (NS2) is repeatedly paired with the bell (CS1) until the dog salivates at the sight of the light alone. What does the light represent in this second phase?
   A. The unconditioned stimulus (US)
   B. The unconditioned response (UR)
   C. The conditioned stimulus (CS2)
   D. The conditioned response (CR)
3. What is a key difference between first-order and second-order conditioning?
   A. First-order conditioning involves an unconditioned stimulus, while second-order conditioning typically does not.
   B. Second-order conditioning results in a stronger conditioned response than first-order conditioning.
   C. First-order conditioning uses two neutral stimuli, while second-order conditioning uses only one.
   D. Second-order conditioning is less prone to extinction than first-order conditioning.
4. Which factor primarily contributes to the weaker conditioned response typically observed in higher-order conditioning compared to first-order conditioning?
   A. The intensity of the unconditioned stimulus used in the initial conditioning.
   B. The number of pairings between the CS1 and US during first-order conditioning.
   C. The absence of the original unconditioned stimulus (US) during the second conditioning phase.
   D. The initial salience of the neutral stimulus chosen for the second-order conditioning.
5. A child learns to fear the sound of a flushing toilet (CS1) after it was paired with a loud, startling noise (US). Later, the child develops a fear of the bathroom door (NS2) after it is repeatedly associated with the sound of the flushing toilet (CS1). If the flushing toilet sound (CS1) is now repeatedly presented without the loud startling noise (US), what is most likely to happen to the fear of the bathroom door (CS2)?
   A. It will become stronger due to reinforcement.
   B. It will remain unchanged as it's a separate association.
   C. It will also diminish or extinguish.
   D. It will transform into a different type of fear.
6. Which of these scenarios is a clear example of higher-order conditioning?
   A. A dog salivates when it hears a bell because the bell was previously paired with food.
   B. A person avoids a certain type of food after experiencing food poisoning from it.
   C. A brand of coffee becomes popular because it is advertised by a celebrity whom people admire.
   D. A student studies harder for an exam after receiving a good grade on a previous one.
7. Responses established through higher-order conditioning are generally characterized by being:
   A. More resistant to extinction than first-order conditioned responses.
   B. Stronger and more immediate than first-order conditioned responses.
   C. Weaker and more easily extinguished than first-order conditioned responses.
   D. Completely independent of the original first-order conditioning.