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Conditioned Reflex for Dummies

noun


What does Conditioned Reflex really mean?

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Conditioned Reflex is a term used to describe a type of learning that happens when we associate two things together in our minds. Let me break it down for you in a simple and engaging way.

Imagine you have a cute little kitten named Whiskers. Whenever you see Whiskers, you feel happy and want to cuddle and pet her. Now, let's say every time you open a can of cat food, you make a specific sound, like shaking the can. Whiskers quickly learns that the sound of the can means it's time for yummy food. So every time she hears that sound, she comes running, eager to eat.

In this scenario, the sound of the can opening is the conditioned stimulus. It's a neutral thing that doesn't naturally make Whiskers hungry. But because it's consistently paired with the delicious food, Whiskers starts to associate the sound with the food. Over time, she develops a conditioned reflex, where the sound alone makes her feel hungry and triggers her to come running.

Similarly, conditioned reflex applies to humans too! Think about Pavlov's famous experiment with dogs. Pavlov would ring a bell before feeding the dogs. Eventually, the dogs started to salivate just from hearing the bell, even when there was no food present. Their reflex of salivating was conditioned, meaning it became an automatic response to the bell due to the repeated pairing with food.

Now, it's important to understand that a conditioned reflex is different from a regular reflex. A regular reflex is something our body does automatically, like when we touch a hot surface and quickly pull our hand away. But a conditioned reflex is something we learn through repeated associations. It's like training our brain to respond in a certain way.

So, in simple terms, when we talk about a conditioned reflex, we're talking about learning to associate two things together, where one thing triggers a specific response or behavior. It's like creating a connection in our minds that makes us react in a certain way.

Revised and Fact checked by Emma Williams on 2023-10-28 06:42:01

Conditioned Reflex In a sentece

Learn how to use Conditioned Reflex inside a sentece

  • When you hear your favorite song on the radio and automatically start to sing along because you have heard it so many times before, that is a conditioned reflex.
  • If you always flinch when you hear a loud noise because you have been frightened by it in the past, that is a conditioned reflex.
  • When you start feeling hungry every time you smell your favorite food cooking, that is a conditioned reflex.
  • If you feel a sense of fear or anxiety when you enter a dark room because you have had a scary experience in the past, that is a conditioned reflex.
  • When your mouth waters when you see a picture of your favorite dessert because you have associated the image with the taste and enjoyment, that is a conditioned reflex.

Conditioned Reflex Synonyms

Words that can be interchanged for the original word in the same context.

Conditioned Reflex Hypernyms

Words that are more generic than the original word.

Conditioned Reflex Hyponyms

Words that are more specific than the original word.