Classical conditioning principles and applications

Classic Conditioning

I have noticed consistently that people react differently when tickled. I decided to find out which of my friends was the most ticklish and see if I could create a conditioned reaction to the threat of being tickled. After considering and rejecting a few candidates for experimentation, I came across a friend who is extremely ticklish. His entire torso is sensitive to the movement of tickling fingers and he bends in interesting positions in order to attempt to avoid the potential tickling. So, for several days when I approached him, I would tickle him. I would keep tickling him until he made that familiar bending action. He became wary of whenever I approached and guarded himself against me. I took to approaching from behind. Now, he has learned to associate my presence with tickling and either bends himself before I come near or he backs away to avoid being tickled. I have conditioned him to behave in a certain way towards me through persistent unwanted activity.

2. I have a very messy roommate who refuses to clean up after herself, even to the point where she will not make her bed in the morning. I have tried several ways to get her to alter her behavior and have realized that neither nagging nor modeling behavior will get her to clean up after herself. When it became apparent that these otherwise tried and true methods would not affect her behavior, I had to come up with some new format to create a change. With operant conditioning, the individual changes behavior through internal decision and not through the stated influence of another person or group. So, I decided the best course of action for this problem was to outdo my roommate. I became even sloppier than my roommate, even to the point of taking my things and throwing them all over her bed. She became indignant at my change of attitude and expressed her anger by removing all my property from atop her own. This indignation led to the roommate being more cleanly out of disgust for my slovenliness, including making her bed. She even got to the point where she would nag me by stating, "It's not a big deal to make the bed you know. It takes a second." I let her believe she had convinced me to change my ways and still cleans up after herself.

3. If there was a child who was causing herself injury, I would recommend some sort of punishment which would limit her movements and stop her from biting. Potential forms could be restraint if necessary, but isolation would be more appropriate. Place her in a smallish space with nothing to entertain her until she calms down. Lack of visual or dactyl stimulation should have a calming effect on the child and lead to a decrease in her anger. There is a chance that she will become even angrier and throw herself at the walls. If this becomes the case, it is possible the only form of punishment which could be workable would be restraining the child in a straight jacket.