Conditioned reflexes (Conditioned responses)
Conditioned reflexes (Conditioned responses) reflexes are acquired or reflexes that are gained naturally or artificially by the individual during the course of their lifetime.
Salivary and the gastric secretions produced in response to food is a natural and inborn reflex. The sight or the smell of the food forms the natural stimulus, which causes the natural conditioned response in the form of salivary or gastric secretions.
If the animal is fed in association with the bell sound or music (neutral stimuli) and this practice is frequently repeated, it causes conditioned salivary secretion to the bell sound or music even in the absence of food. This type of response is referred to as artificial conditioned reflexes. Pavlov, a Russian Scientist proved this reflex mechanism in the dogs.
Conditioned responses develop in relation to an already existing mechanism, which can be an inborn reflex or another conditioned mechanism. These reflexes have been developed in relation to cardiovascular, alimentary, pupillary and secretary reflexes.
Visual, olfactory, auditory, gustatory, tactile and proprioceptive stimuli have been used to evoke conditioned responses. The afferent side of the conditioned mechanism of conditioned stimuli becomes attached to an already functional efferent side of the reflex.
Cerebral cortex plays an important role in the formation and maintenance of conditioned responses.
Requirements of conditioned reflexes
The natural stimulus and the conditioned stimulus (neutral stimulus) must be in coincidence with each other. E.g. Food supplies (natural stimuli) along with a bell sound (neutral stimuli). The animal exhibits simultaneous conditioned response only for the bell sound even in the absence of food. But if the application of the neutral stimulus (sound) precedes the natural stimulus (food) the animal develops delayed conditioned response.
Properties of conditioned responses
Reinforcement
If two neutral stimuli (e.g. sound and light) are applied simultaneously, the conditioned response will be greater than by a single stimulus.
Abolition
The neutral or the conditioned stimuli must be applied at a constant strength and duration to produce a conditioned response. Otherwise, this may gradually weakens and finally disappears.
Frequent rapid succession of the conditioned stimulus (neutral) without the natural stimulus (e.g. food) the developed conditioned response will gradually weaken and finally disappears completely.
Differentiation
Animal that has the ability to differentiate two independent neutral stimuli (sound and the flashes of light), develops two types of conditioned responses which are very specific. Hence, the other neutral stimuli cannot produce the same conditioned response.