Habituation and Sensitization
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Psychology I: Foundations
Summary
This lesson introduces the foundational concepts of non-associative learning, specifically focusing on habituation and sensitization, setting the stage for a deeper exploration into associative learning, including classical and operant conditioning.
- Non-associative learning involves changes in response strength to a stimulus over time, without associating the stimulus with a new stimulus.
- Habituation is described as a decrease in response intensity over time to a constant stimulus, exemplified by adapting to the smell of popcorn in a movie theater.
- Sensitization is the increase in response intensity over time, often seen in individuals with trauma experiencing heightened startle responses.
- Associative learning, to be covered in subsequent lessons, involves learning through the pairing of two stimuli, leading to a change in behavior.
- The lesson clarifies the distinction between non-associative and associative learning, emphasizing the physiological basis of the former and the behavioral change focus of the latter.
Chapters
00:00
Introduction to Non-Associative Learning
01:11
Understanding Habituation
02:09
Exploring Sensitization
03:48
Preview of Associative Learning