PS261 Lecture Notes - Lecture 5: Classical Conditioning, Exposure Therapy, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder
Document Summary
Events in the world tend to follow each other. Animals learn to predict immediate future use contingencies, are not perfect. Not able to continue to behave under old contingencies. Extinction: old contingencies need to be unlearnt. Ptsd results from exposure to unavoidable stressful (life threatening) situations. Can be seen in soldiers that have returned from war since war is a very stressful situation that cannot be avoided. Consists of exposing the patient to feared stimulus or situation but in a safe environment in order to help them get rid of the fear. Extinction: which is when the stimulus is not associated with bad things happening and so the effect the stimulus gradually decreases or disappears. Does not always work well due various reasons. Phase 2: extinction takes place (cs no us) Increase variability of responses (discrimination of correct contingency) = 0: v = (0 v, v. The equation represents the error of association.
