Formation of conditioned reflexes. Conditioned reflex - what is it and can it be developed
It would seem, what is easier? The kid broke his father's smartphone - they scolded him. Looked at him, but did not take, praised.
But there are many things in this classic method that make it ineffective and even harmful.
If more than a second has passed between an act and a punishment or praise, or some event has occurred, then the behavior does not become fixed. In other words, if a toddler broke a smartphone and sat down to play in a corner with soldiers, and you scolded him, then after 20 sessions of such “training” he will continue to break your things, but he will stop playing with soldiers.
The exception is when the child is in a sensory poor environment: there are no sounds, no new objects. Then the reflex is fixed, even if the censure or encouragement is several minutes away from the act.
When developing a conditioned reflex, there should not be needs competing with the stimulus. For example, you teach a child to wave a pen when dad leaves the house. You wave your hand, say “bye-bye” for him and at the same time kiss or give a piece of delicious cookies. The kid will quickly master everything if he likes that you kiss him, or he loves cookies.
But if at this time he is full and very thirsty or hears the sound of his favorite cartoon beginning, then neither a kiss nor a cookie will reinforce the waving of the pen. On the contrary, they will become a punishment. The baby will be naughty whenever he is asked to say goodbye to dad.
It would be right in this case to give the baby juice or let him watch a cartoon right after saying goodbye to dad.
What a decent!
The development of a complex of conditioned reflexes - a dynamic stereotype - allows a child to be taught to observe the daily routine and serve himself. Why is it needed?
If you are ready every time you need to make a bed, wash your hands or put things in their place, read fascinating lectures to your son or daughter about the benefits of order and cleanliness, come up with fairy tales, quizzes and contests on these topics, then you do not need dynamic stereotypes. But it is much easier for parents and children to live in those families where hygiene procedures and putting things in order are done automatically and do not require either emotional or volitional efforts, when the hands themselves do what is supposed to.
As soon as the child leaves the toilet or returns to the street, immediately take him to the bathroom and wash his hands. Gradually, let's do some steps (wet, lather, rinse, shake off, wipe) on our own. And so on until he masters the entire set of actions called "washing hands."
Is the baby awake? Immediately you need to take off your pajamas and put on what is cooked candles. Then shake off the sheet together, smooth out the duvet, cover everything with a blanket and arrange the pillows nicely.
Did the child take off his blouse? Let's take it to the closet together. Played with puzzles? Put it in a box and put it on a shelf. Did you eat candy? Where should the wrapper be taken? Spend a month on this. But then it will be easy for you too, baby!
Dynamic stereotypes are learned faster if you reinforce the correct chain of actions with praise, play, a glass of juice and condemn wrong actions or their absence.
Difficult but possible
Has the baby already formed an incorrect dynamic stereotype? Is he used to waking up playing on the computer and walking around in pajamas until dinner? Retraining will be more difficult than teaching correct behavior from scratch. But it's worth a try.
Do not break the whole stereotype at once: it will be difficult for both the pupil and the teacher. Just keep the unwanted steps to a minimum. Let's say let the child turn on the computer when he wakes up, but immediately after that he needs to take off his pajamas, put on home clothes and make the bed.
Gradually squeeze as many desirable actions as possible between unwanted actions!
The undesirable will not go anywhere, but it will be reduced in time and will be useful - it will serve as a reinforcement for learning the correct stereotype. Or maybe it will disappear on its own over time.
Potty training by ... reflex
Do you practice early planting? If you want the child to learn from infancy that it is necessary to defecate in the pot, then do not hold it over the bath or basin. Or rather, hold it, but put the pot inside and hold the little one so that the sides of the pot touch the priests. Then a double reflex is formed: you want to go to the toilet, you need to put your ass on the potty and then do your business. When he learns to walk and sit down, he will do so.
The kid already knows how to do all this, but just ignores the pot? In the morning, let him drink apple juice. Note how much time passed before he wet his pants. Give a salad of beets and prunes seasoned with vegetable oil to eat. How long did it take before he got his panties dirty?..
The next day, give the crumbs apple juice and beetroot salad again. About the time he started doing his business yesterday, put him on the potty. Just 15 minutes early just in case. Let him sit. You be there, talk, you can read a book (children's, aloud). When your smart girl does her business in a pot, praise, give something tasty. The training will last 1-3 weeks. Is your child confident in going to the potty? Reinforce with praise and yummy only every second or third successful entry. Stop the promotion after a week.
But remember that in an unfamiliar environment, skills learned through a conditioned reflex work worse. On a visit to the clinic, put on a diaper at first!
A conditioned reflex is produced only when the brain is in working condition. Is the baby retarded (sleepy, ill, depressed)? The formation of reflexes will not happen!
Often I invite my listeners to participate in the following experiment: And now, gentlemen, I want everyone to close their eyes. Excellent. Now try to mentally imagine a lemon and at the same time quietly pronounce the word "lemon". Now open your eyes. Wonderful! Who among you hasn't drooled? Hands up. Several hands go up.
The reflex, the body's immediate reaction to a stimulus, such as jerking your hand away from a bare wire, is different from involuntary salivation when you see a lemon or hear its name. The first reaction is innate (unconditional). It does not depend on individual life experience. In the second case, a person would not salivate if he had never tasted a lemon.
The process, as a result of which there is a stable ability to produce an automatic or reflex reaction, is called the development of a conditioned reflex.
How is a conditioned reflex developed?
Ways of formation of conditioned reflexes are diverse. If your parents were too suspicious and cautious, then the frequency of your cases of feigning illness and missing school increased after each successful episode. In this case, we observe the process of receiving rewards in the form of absenteeism from school and the manifestation of parental care in response to the deliberate imitation of the disease. This is also an example of the formation of a conditioned reflex, which is called the process of developing an operant conditioned reflex.
It often happens that no theory is consistent with the facts, and multiple causes are identified for the same diseases. It happens that a cold wanders around, but some people get sick, while others do not. Why is this happening? One explanation is that stress or a depressed emotional state weakens the body's immune system, reducing its resistance to viruses and bacteria.
The idea that there is a direct causal relationship between emotional state and illness is not new at all. But for a long time the question of what is considered a cause and what is an effect has been debated. For example, back in the 1890s, W. F. Evans wrote in Mental Medicine:
Many physicians with vast experience feel helpless because of their inability to discover the mental causes of disease. They do not have the opportunity to read the book of the history of the heart. It is in this book, day after day, hour after hour, that all suffering, and all misfortunes, and all internal conflicts, and all fears, and all joys, and all the hopes of a person would be reflected. It is in this book that one could find the true cause of those horrendous organic changes that constitute pathology.
Pavlov preferred a purely physiological explanation, which had a huge impact on modern medicine:
My attitude to psychiatric material, however, is very different from the common opinion of specialists ... I have always insisted on the existence of a purely physiological basis and constantly interpreted the mental activity of patients in precise physiological terms.
Conditioned reflex
First of all, you need to know that some skull injuries lead to memory impairment within certain limits. For example, as a result of an accident, a person may lose his auditory memory (cannot remember a musical motive or song), while his visual or tactile memory remains unchanged.
At one time, the assumption arose, and later confirmed, that some parts of the brain control auditory memory, others - visual, etc. Later, it was possible to localize exactly the parts of the brain that correspond to all types of activity (intellectual, motor, etc.).
The diagram that accompanies this lesson shows the main areas of the brain (see above).
With regard to memory, it can be argued that the emergence of memories is due to the establishment of connections in the corresponding zone.
So, memories of any picture are functionally expressed by certain joints of neurons in the occipital zone.
In addition, connections between zones may also arise - this explains the phenomenon of a conditioned reflex.
What is a conditioned reflex?
The Russian scientist Pavlov proved that the brain, like the whole body, has reflexes.
You know what an unconditioned reflex is: inadvertently you touch a hot plate - instantly, against your will, your hand withdraws.
Thus, reflexes are a motor response to sensory stimulation. The sensation of a prick provokes movement of the pricked part of the body. These reflexes are explained by direct connections through nerve fibers between brain areas and muscles.
Pavlov proved the existence of not these natural reflexes, but those acquired as a result of a habit (habit). He conducted, in particular, such an experiment: a fistula was strengthened in the dog's mouth, measuring the amount of saliva secreted by the glands.
Then every day he carried out the following sequence of actions: he gave a whistle - and after a few seconds he put a plate with a piece of meat in front of the dog, which caused the animal to salivate. After 15 days of repeating such an experience, Pavlov blew a whistle, but did not put meat. At the same time, as before, he noted the secretion of saliva in the dog.
In this case, the sound of the whistle was called the "conditioning stimulus" and the secretion of saliva the "conditioned reflex." This is an acquired reflex, not an innate one.
Pavlov continued the experiments and found that conditioned reflexes can be very easily developed in humans.
A simple example of a conditioned reflex in a person: a bright lamp is lit in front of the eyes - and at the same time they tickle the heel with a feather. The leg moves away. After a certain number of repetitions, a bright light provokes the movement of the leg until the tickling of the heel begins.
The conditioned reflex also explains the secretion of saliva and gastric juice when smelling the smell of delicious food.
If every day a bell notifies you of a laid table, this bell will automatically make you feel hungry over time.
Let us now consider an example of the application of a conditioned reflex in the area of interest to us: if you are studying a language, then try to study the language every day at the same time, in the same place and in the same position (sitting in an armchair, leaning on a chair, etc. .). By doing this regularly, you create a conditioned reflex, the effect of which will be the state of the brain that is most conducive to learning language. Your attention will be more focused, your memorization effort will be minimal, your memorization will be more solid.
We will return to the use of the conditioned reflex in the following lessons. And you will understand the full significance of the "conditioning" of the brain for its effective work in various circumstances.
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Basic conditions for the formation of conditioned reflexes
.Conditioned reflexes are well formed only under certain conditions. The most important of them are:
1) A repeated combination of the action of a previously indifferent conditioned stimulus with the action of a reinforcing unconditioned or previously well-developed conditioned stimulus;
2) Some precedence in time of the action of an indifferent agent to the action of a reinforcing stimulus;
3) Cheerful state of the body;
4) Lack of other types of vigorous activity;
5) A sufficient degree of excitability of an unconditioned or well-fixed conditioned reinforcing stimulus;
6) Above-threshold intensity of the conditioned stimulus.
Conditioned reflexes are formed only if there is sufficient excitability of the centers of these reinforcing reflexes. For example, in the development of food conditioned reflexes in dogs, experiments are carried out under conditions of high excitability of the food center (the animal is in a hungry state).
The emergence and consolidation of the conditioned reflex connection occurs at a certain level of excitation of the nerve centers. In this regard, the strength of the conditional signal should be sufficient - above the threshold, but not excessive. To weak stimuli, conditioned reflexes are not developed at all or are formed slowly and are characterized by instability. Excessively strong stimuli cause the development of protective (transcendental) inhibition in nerve cells, which also makes it difficult or eliminates the possibility of the formation of conditioned reflexes.
Method for developing conditioned reflexes
.The method of developing conditioned reflexes is a system of combinations and exercises in a certain mode of work, taking into account the individual characteristics of the dog.
When training service dogs, the technique for developing conditioned reflexes is somewhat different from the Pavlovian technique.
Firstly, ready-made behavioral reactions of varying complexity are used to develop conditioned reflexes.
Secondly, the development of conditioned reflexes is complicated by the creation of various conditions and a large variety of stimuli used in order to form stable dynamic skills in a dog.
Thirdly, the need for quick formation of skills and the reliability of their manifestation obliges to include additional factors of activation and stimulation, called reinforcements.
The components and main provisions of the methodology for developing conditioned reflexes in the training of service dogs are:
1. Determination and practical application of the optimal system of combinations of conditioned and unconditioned stimuli in the development of the initial conditioned reflex;
2. Definition and practical application of a rational system of exercises for the formation of a skill;
3. The choice and skillful application of various methods of reinforcing combinations of a conditioned stimulus with an unconditioned stimulus and the resulting conditioned reflexes;
4. Determining the mode of work in terms of time and strength of the work load in order to develop a working condition for the dog that corresponds to the working mode when using the dog in the service.
The methodology for developing conditioned reflexes in dog training provides for the obligatory fulfillment of the conditions necessary for the formation of a conditioned reflex: determining a system of combinations, exercises, methods of reinforcement, work and rest regimes in three stages, control over the formation of an initial conditioned reflex and the correct formation of a skill.
When developing conditioned reflexes, the interrelationships of conditioned reflexes in complex skills and the features of their formation under the influence of stimuli from the environment are taken into account.
Stages of formation of a conditioned reflex and the formation of a skill .
The conditioned reflex is not formed immediately, but gradually in stages. For the formation of a conditioned reflex, a certain number of combinations and time are required.
There are three stages in the formation of a conditioned reflex :
1. The first stage of generalization, or generalized response.
At the very beginning of combinations, while a neural connection is established in the cerebral cortex between two centers of excitation, the conditioned reflex is not independently reproduced.
The appearance of the first reactions to a conditioned stimulus is the beginning of the formation of a conditioned reflex. At first, the resulting conditioned reflex as a result of irradiation of excitation manifests itself in a generalized way both to the conditioned signal and to all stimuli similar to it.
At this stage, the conditioned reflex is easily inhibited, inaccurate responses to the trainer's command or gesture are noted, and may not appear at all when conditions or circumstances change.
2. The second stage of concentration, or specialization of the conditioned reflex.
With further repeated repetition of combinations of stimuli, the irradiation of excitation is limited to inhibition, and the excitatory process begins to concentrate in one nerve center. The more the conditioned reflex is fixed, the less the phenomenon of generalization will be, and the conditioned reflex will become specialized to a specific conditioned stimulus.
At this stage, the conditioned reflex begins to manifest itself automatically in the form of a precise and specific response to the trainer's command or gesture and does not manifest itself in response to other stimuli similar to the conditioned one. When conditions and circumstances change, the conditioned reflex is not inhibited.
3. The third stage of stabilization of the conditioned reflex, or the formation of a skill.
A skill is formed by repeated repetition of a conditioned reflex in an environment of varying complexity. The automatic manifestation of a reflex to a conditioned stimulus no longer requires constant reinforcement of its unconditioned stimulus.
At this stage, the conditioned reflex turns into a habit and becomes stereotyped. He actively manifests himself in response to the command or gesture of the trainer in an environment of any complexity.
Information source http://dogs-planet.ru/
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Reflexes play a big role in the life of any creature. Their great importance is not accidental, because it is the nervous system that plays a leading role in the perception of the world around us. With its help, the individual can both admire and defend himself from the external environment. Human reflexes become indispensable precisely for the implementation of such protection. As an example, we can recall pulling the hand away from hot surfaces.
What is a reflex?
The reflex is the main reaction of the body to the environment. Its implementation is impossible without the participation of the nervous system. Thus, there is a behavioral response in response to any type of stimulus that affects the nerve endings.
The path along which impulses from irritation pass and the response to it is called a reflex arc. The simplest such formation should consist of at least two such paths. One of them is sensitive, and the second is motor. Thus, withdrawal of the hand from the hot is realized: first, the stimulus is felt, and then movement occurs. These morphological interconnected formations ensure the perception, transmission and processing of signals by the body.
Any impact on the body will be carefully analyzed by the latter and transformed into a nerve impulse. After that, it will be sent to the central nervous system and will transmit the necessary information about all the changes to the entire body. It is worth noting that this whole complex process takes only a fraction of a second.
Why do humans need reflexes?
Thanks to reflexes, the exact orientation of any organism in time and space, finding food and avoiding danger is ensured.
Thus, the value of the reflex comes down to ensuring the following tasks:
- Interaction of all internal organs and systems as a whole;
- Coordinated work of organs different in function;
- Ensuring the body's response to the action of the external environment;
- Functioning of the cerebral cortex.
What are reflexes
There are so many reactions of the body that it became necessary to classify them. Consider what kind of reflexes a person has.
First of all, they can be divided according to their importance for the conservation of a biological species into:
- Defensive;
- Sexual;
- Approximate.
Also, reflexes can enhance or, conversely, inhibit the activity of the effector. As a striking example, we can mention that the sympathetic nervous system speeds up the heartbeat, and the vagus nerve slows it down.
Kinds
Any living organism reacts to stimuli in many ways. In this regard, in science, it became necessary to distinguish the types of human reflexes. Basically, it is customary to divide them into two large groups according to the type of education: conditional and unconditional.
Unconditioned reflexes are inherent in all living organisms from birth, that is, they do not need to be studied or made efforts to apply. Most often, when the unconditioned reflex is triggered, it seems that the action happened by itself. Sucking, protective, sexual and other reflexes can be distinguished as an example of such reactions. Their goal is to ensure the survival of the organism for procreation and adapt to environmental conditions.
The appearance of such stereotyped reactions is associated with the evolutionary development of species of living beings. The reaction of the body with an unconditional response is carried out at the level of the spinal and lower structures of the brain.
Usually, unconditioned reflexes are so stable that they do not change and do not disappear in a person throughout life. In addition, they are specific to one biological species.
Conditioned reflexes are developed by a living organism for some time. In other words, this is an adaptive behavior in order to adapt to the repeated influence of a stimulus. Naturally, this type of reflex reaction will be absent in a newborn.
Also, conditioned reflexes are able to fade away if they have not been reinforced by the action of a stimulus for some time. There are such types of conditioned reflex reactions:
- Natural. They are developed to stimuli on the basis of an unconditioned reflex. Thus, a person knows how this or that product smells. Even if the food is odorless, the reflex will create a false sense of it;
- Artificial. A kind of conditioned reflex, which consists in a response to a stimulus that, under normal conditions, is not combined with an unconditioned reflex. It may be light at the time of feeding;
- Exteroceptive. Provide adaptation of the body to stimuli from the external environment;
- Interoceptive. Provide adaptation to chemical and physical stimuli to ensure the functioning of internal organs.
How are conditioned reflexes formed?
In order to form a conditioned reflex response, you need to go through several steps:
- The presence of two types of stimuli and the appearance of the conditional before the unconditional;
- Multiple alternation of stimuli among themselves;
- At the same time, the unconditional stimulus must always remain stronger;
- At the time of the development of a new reaction of the body, there should be no third-party stimuli;
- All this is realized under the condition that the nervous system has no pathologies and functions normally.
What is the difference between an unconditioned reflex and an instinct
The concepts of instinct and unconditioned reflex are very similar. They are embedded in every living being and do not require special study. However, their fundamental difference is that instinct is a sensual manifestation of a living being. This can be expressed in the commission of more or less meaningful actions. For example, mating games of a male to attract a female. Thus, there is no unambiguous guarantee that the instinct will manifest itself.
It is impossible to avoid the appearance of an unconditioned response of the body to a stimulus. Such examples of human reflexes can be taken from physiology: it is impossible to resist the twitching of the leg when hitting the knee or not pulling the hand away from a hot object.
What pathologies and disorders can be
Despite the fact that unconditioned reflexes are reliable and stable, they can be disturbed in the direction of a decrease or loss, increase, change in response to a stimulus.
The loss of the body's reflex response can occur due to damage to the pathway along which the signal passes. Most often this is due to some kind of injury to the nervous system.
Violation of the central nervous system can lead to the formation of a perverted reaction of the body, or to the appearance of pathological reflexes. With the normal functioning of the body, it is impossible to provoke their appearance.
An increase in the strength of the reflex response to the stimulus may be associated with a violation of the inhibitory effect of the cerebral cortex. Thus, the impulse from a normal stimulus is perceived by the analyzer as too strong. At the same time, such a response of the body can be not only a manifestation of some kind of disturbance on the part of the nervous system, but can also be observed in persons with certain psychological characteristics of character, for example, in neurotics.