Contingency Model of Conditioning

Definition

The Contingency Model of Conditioning posits that for learning to occur, there must be a reliable correlation or "contingency" between the conditioned and unconditioned stimuli. It's not enough for them just to be paired together; one must reliably predict the other.

Analogy

Imagine you're watching your favorite TV show on Netflix. You've noticed that every time before something dramatic happens, they play suspenseful music. So now whenever you hear that music, you anticipate drama - because there's been a reliable 'contingency' between suspenseful music (conditioned stimulus) and dramatic scenes (unconditioned stimulus).

Related terms

Operant Conditioning: A type of learning where behavior is strengthened if followed by reinforcement or diminished if followed by punishment.

Reinforcement Schedule: The pattern defining how often a desired response will be reinforced in operant conditioning.

Conditioned Emotional Response: Emotional response that results from classical conditioning, usually from the association of a relatively neutral stimulus with a painful or fear-inducing experience.