Assignment 4 has three parts.

Students are instructed to submit all parts of this assignment together as one file at the end of
Unit 4.

Part A: Classical Conditioning (9 marks total)

Introduction
Part A of Assignment 4 will give you a chance to try classical conditioning for yourself, either classically conditioning your pupil to
dilate at the sound of a bell or to condition yourself to salivate at the sound of a bell. These tasks might be easier with a helper so
feel free to ask a friend or family member to assist, although they can be done solo.

For a quick review of classical conditioning, you may find the following optional resource useful:

• Classical vs Operant Conditioning posted by Neural Academy (2019) on YouTube

CLASSICAL VS OPERANT CONDITIONING

Neural Academy. (2019, January 18). Classical vs operant conditioning [Video]. https://youtu.be/PRdCowYEtAg

Note
The two options for classical conditioning that we present below are minor, and the procedure will involve extinguishing the
response. These types of classically conditioned responses are easily acquired and extinguished in real life. As we encounter
conditions at the same time as we experience an unconditioned response, we can become classically conditioned. For example, if
you experience feelings of lust or attraction when presented with a beer commercial featuring beautiful actors, therapeutically your
feelings about that beer brand can become more positive because of the association with your positive feelings. These types of
associations are typically easily extinguished when the conditioned stimulus is repeatedly experienced without the unconditioned
stimulus, after classical conditioning.

For either option, you may submit your report in writing, by video, or in an audio file. Please check with your Open Learning
Faculty Member if you need help with this.
Option A
Your task is to classically condition the pupil of your eye to dilate to the sound of a bell. You will need a bell, a hand mirror, and a
room that will be completely dark when the lights are off. This activity is taken from Hock (2013).

Procedure
You will conduct a number of trials in which the bell is paired with being in the dark. To accomplish this, go into a room that will be
completely dark when you turn off the light. Ring the bell, and then turn off the light. It’s important to ring the bell first. Do not let
the bell ring at any other time. Wait in the darkness for about fifteen seconds, and then turn the light on. Wait another fifteen
seconds, and then repeat the bell, turn off the light, and wait for fifteen seconds. Repeat the trial ten to twenty times. Then, look in
the mirror, do not turn off the light, and ring the bell. If you are successful, your pupils will dilate to the bell alone, with no change in
the level of darkness in the room.

After you have successfully classically conditioned the eye to dilate, it’s time to extinguish the response. Now you will repeatedly
present the conditioned stimulus without the unconditioned stimulus. Record your results.

Summary
Address the following:

• Identify the unconditioned stimulus, unconditioned response, conditioned stimulus, and conditioned response in the activity.
• Report how many trials it took, first for classical conditioning to occur, and then for extinction to occur.
• Include pictures of your setup and a description of the progression of your procedure, testing, and data collection.
• Report any difficulties you encountered.
• Describe how you could use higher-order conditioning to condition the pupil to dilate to a new stimulus.

Option B
Your task is to classically condition either yourself to salivate to the word “Pavlov.” You will need some lemonade powder or
something similar. This activity is taken from Cogan and Cogan (1984).

Procedure
Say the word “Pavlov,” then dip a clean moistened fingertip into the lemonade powder, and taste it. There should be just a few
seconds between saying Pavlov and tasting the lemonade powder. Repeat this procedure ten to twenty times. Then, say Pavlov,
but do not taste the powder. Did you salivate when the word Pavlov was spoken? If not, try repeating the trials a few more times.
Record your results.

After you have successfully classically conditioned yourself, it’s time to extinguish the response. Now, you will repeatedly present
the conditioned stimulus without the unconditioned stimulus. To do this, say Pavlov several times without tasting the powder until
you consistently do not salivate to the word Pavlov. Record your results.

Summary
Address the following:

• Identify the unconditioned stimulus, unconditioned response, conditioned stimulus, and conditioned response in the activity.
• Report how many trials it took for classical conditioning to occur in the first place and then for extinction to occur.
• Include pictures of your setup and a description of the progression of your procedure, testing, and data collection.

Report any difficulties you encountered.

• Describe how you could use higher-order conditioning to condition salivation to a new stimulus.

References
Cogan, D., & Cogan, R. (1984). Classical salivary conditioning: An easy demonstration. Teaching of Psychology, 11(3), 170–171.
https://doi.org/10.1177/009862838401100312

Hock, R. R. (2013). Forty studies that changed psychology: Explorations into the history of psychological research (7th ed.).
Pearson.

Grading Rubric
Below is a set of guidelines to help you set goals for this assignment and interpret the grades you receive.

Exceeds Expectations Meets Expectations Does Not Meet Expectations

(3 marks) (2 marks) (1 mark)

Provides accurate and detailed Does not provide responses to all
Provides responses to all questions
Comprehensiveness responses to all questions questions posed and/or responses
posed but without a lot of detail
posed severely lacking in detail
Reflects adequate understanding of Reflects incomplete understanding of
Reflects complete and detailed
the processes of classical the processes of classical
Understanding understanding of the processes
conditioning with a few missing conditioning and/or with many
of classical conditioning
details missing details
No spelling or grammatical Minor or few spelling and/or Several spelling and grammatical
Clarity
errors grammatical errors errors
TOTAL /9

Part B: Operant Conditioning (9 marks total)

Introduction
In Part B of Assignment 4, you will further apply learning principles to your own behaviour by devising a behaviour modification
plan based on operant conditioning to reduce a habit you wish to eliminate.

We are going to use behaviour modification to change the behaviour of one of the most difficult people on earth—ourselves.
Specifically, you are going to try to get rid of a bad habit by using behaviour modification. You may choose any bad habit: nail-
biting, overeating, eating unhealthy food, watching too much TV, untidiness, spending too much time on social media, checking
your text messages too often, or procrastination—the possibilities are endless.

Once you have identified your bad habit, you are going to construct a behaviour modification plan that will systematically reward
you for more desirable behaviours and punish you for continuing to engage in your bad habit. Note that the punishment you apply
should be mild, appropriate, and realistic.

Behaviour Modification Plan

Use the following steps to create your behaviour modification plan.

Step 1: Find Your Baseline Target Behaviour

For the first 3 days, use the following example (see template below) to describe your target behaviour. During this time, do not
attempt to change the behaviour—simply observe it and gather data. Report specifically what behaviour you are trying to change.

Now that you have a baseline, go to Step 2.

Step 2: Plan Your Behaviour Modification

Identify all of the following:

• Antecedent circumstances that occur just prior to the bad habit. For example, does the bad habit tend to occur in certain
environments or situations?
• Consequences of the undesirable behaviour—were they positive or negative for you, and why?
• Alternative behaviours to replace the bad habits. For example, if you bite your fingernails, what could you do instead?
• Reinforcements for engaging in the alternative activities. List the rewards you could give yourself for engaging in alternative
activities. These should be specific, precise, and things you could do for each instance of engaging in an alternate
behaviour instead of the bad habit. Identify the type of reinforcement(s) you are using.
• Punishments for engaging in the bad habit. These should be specific, precise, and things you could do for each instance of
engaging in the bad habit. For example, fine yourself $2 for swearing and give away to a cause you don’t support (i.e., the
punishment). This should be reasonable; for example, if you swear 100 times in your baseline diary, then planning to fine
yourself $1 or $2 each time is not reasonable. Again, once you decide on the punishment(s), identify the type.

Note that the alternate activities, rewards, and punishments should be things that are reasonable, affordable, appropriate, and
suitable for you personally. Do not choose any sort of physical punishment.

Step 3: Enact Your Plan

Now, follow your plan for 3 days, and keep a diary of the consequences (see template below). Keep track of the occurrence of the
bad habit as you did in Step 1 and also any instances where you engage in an alternate behaviour. You are going to be the data
collector as well as the subject—in real life, you would separate these roles. In a full behaviour modification program, the period
for identifying the baseline would be longer, the program might involve other people, and the evaluation of the program would be
done systematically and objectively.

Address the following:

• How successful was your plan? Explain in detail. Make sure to refer to your data. Discuss specifically which components of
your behaviour modification plan were effective and why, and which ones were not and how they can be improved.

Templates
Here are templates for each step for use in the assignment, with examples in the first column.

Step 1: Baseline
Day 2 Day 3
[state behaviour] Day 1

(e.g., checking social media)

• 8 am
At what times did the behaviour occur? For how long? • 9 am
• 9:15 am
•
 • Just got up, curious
What were you doing/thinking/feeling right before the behaviour • Didn’t want to start working
occurred? • Bored
•
• Felt satisfied
• Felt satisfied but now late for work
What happened immediately after the behaviour? • Felt bad for getting further behind at
work
•
Template: Step 1 (docx)

Step 3: Behaviour Modification Day 1 Day 2 Day 3

Times when behaviour occurred
Punishments applied
Time when behaviour did not occur when you wanted to
Alternates to behaviour used
Rewards for alternates
Template: Step 3 (docx)

Grading Rubric
Below is a set of guidelines to help you set goals for this assignment and interpret the grades you receive.

Exceeds Expectations Meets Expectations Does Not Meet Expectations

(3 marks) (2 marks) (1 mark)

Does not identify or explain sufficient
Clearly identifies and explains Identifies and explains baseline data
Data baseline data and/or explanation
baseline data in detail but without a lot of detail
severely lacking in detail
Reasonable, appropriate, and uses Not reasonable or appropriate and/or
Behaviour Reasonable, appropriate, and
correct terminology with a few uses incorrect terminology with many
Modification Plan uses correct terminology
missing details missing details
Describes plan being used and Describes plan being used and Does not describe plan being used or
explains success and/or failure of explains success and/or failure of explains success and/or failure of
Consequences
plan with accurate and appropriate plan with mostly accurate and plan with inaccurate and
detail appropriate detail inappropriate detail
TOTAL /9

Part C: Memory Palace (9 marks total)

Introduction
Part C of Assignment 4 will give you a chance to create a resource that can be used in learning the course material by yourself
and others. Specifically, you will create a “memory palace.”

Make sure that you have watched the following video before completing this part of the assignment:

• Feats of Memory Anyone Can Do by Joshua Foer (2012) on TED

View Transcript
 Foer, J. (2012, February). Feats of memory anyone can do [Video]. TED. https://www.ted.com/talks/
joshua_foer_feats_of_memory_anyone_can_do?

Developing Memories
The first task for this part of the assignment is to be able to describe your “palace.” You will then use this to show how you would
develop a memory of something that you need to learn in this course. For a good example of the process, refer to “How to Build a
Memory Palace” by Art of Memory (2023).

You may choose any concept in the course that is in one of our assigned textbook chapters as the memory you wish to create.
This is an excellent opportunity to try out the memory palace technique in a meaningful way.

Examples of course concepts that could be used:

• The limbic system

• A theory of colour vision
• The structure of the auditory system
• The fight-or-flight response
• The components of working memory

You will post your memory palace and how you are using it to create a memory of a course concept in the discussion forum linked
below. That will help other students to see how you have created a memory, and they may be able to put your memory palace to
good use.

Your post should address the following:

• Describe your memory palace.

• Describe how you committed your memory palace to memory.
• Identify what set of concepts from the textbook you are trying to remember.
• Describe how you associated your memory palace with these concepts.
• Wait a few days, then “visit” your palace, and describe how well you were able to recall the set of concepts you chose using
your associations. Why was (or wasn’t) it successful? How might you improve its effectiveness?
• Your post can be submitted in writing, by video, or in an audio file. Contact your Open Learning Faculty Member if you need
any help with this.

Assignment 4, Part C: Developing Memories Discussion Forum

Grading Rubric
Below is a set of guidelines to help you set goals for this assignment and interpret the grades you receive.

Exceeds Expectations Meets Expectations Does Not Meet Expectations

(3 marks) (2 marks) (1 mark)

Does not provide responses to all
Provides accurate and detailed Provides responses to all questions
Comprehensiveness questions posed and/or responses
responses to all questions posed posed but without a lot of detail
severely lacking in detail
Reflects complete and detailed Reflects adequate understanding of Reflects incomplete understanding of
understanding of the memory the memory palace process and the memory palace process and
Understanding
palace process and reasons for reasons for its success or failure reasons for its success or failure and/
its success or failure with a few missing details or with many missing details
Minor or few spelling and/or Several spelling and grammatical
Clarity No spelling or grammatical errors
grammatical errors errors
TOTAL /9

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