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¶ … classical conditioning, including a classical conditioning scenario. Classical conditioning is a learning theory of behavioral psychology that recognizes a specific response to a specific occurrence. Dr. IRA Pavlov discovered it in his famous experiments with a dog, which heard the sound of a bell and learned to associate it with a treat. Eventually, he simply associated the bell with the treat and began to salivate when he heard the bell. Pavlov's discovery was a complete accident, he was actually studying the digestive processes of the dog, and uncovered the learning process while studying the digestion (Millis, 2003). Today, classical conditioning is also referred to as "reflexive conditioning." It is called classic because it was the first conditioning learning theory discovered and studied.
This is not a theory about learning new behaviors. It is a theory of association with existing behaviors. There are some specific terms used to describe the process in classical conditioning. CS is a Conditioned Stimulus, CR is a Conditioned Response, U.S. is Unconditioned Stimulus, UR is Unconditioned Response, and NS is Neutral Stimulus. These terms are used in the chart below. Two professors note, "Classical conditioning starts with a reflex: an innate, involuntary behavior elicited or caused by an antecedent environmental event. For example, if air is blown into your eye, you blink. You have no voluntary or conscious control over whether the blink occurs or not" (Hewitt & Hummel, 1997). Therefore, you can use a reflex, as Pavlov did with his dog, and cause a desired behavior by repeating the reflex. This could be used in just about any scenario, from training an animal to eliciting a response from...
To achieve this goal, there must be an Unconditioned Stimulus or UCS, which results in an Unconditioned Response or UCR. For example, a dog sees a dog bone (UCS), and his unconditioned response is to salivate. The dog hears a bell, and has no response. Then, the bell and the UCS are used in unison, and the dog has a UCR. Finally, the bell alone results in the UCR, and the dog bone is no longer necessary.
Psychologist John B. Watson was interested in the process in humans, and created an experiment to see if he could classically condition a baby. He used an 11-month-old baby named Albert, who was not afraid of rats. During his study, he would introduce a rat to the baby, accompanied by a loud bang, which would frighten the baby. After a while, the baby came to fear the rats, and associated them with the noise (Millis, 2003). While classic conditioning can be used to eliminate some phobias, as shown here, it can be used to create phobias, too.
The professors continue, "Things that make us happy, sad, angry, etc. become associated with neutral stimuli that gain our attention. For example, if a particular academic subject or remembering a particular teacher produces emotional feelings in you, those emotions are probably a result of classical conditioning" (Hewitt & Hummel, 1997). So, you can use those emotional feelings as a part of any classical conditioning training. Another professor notes, "Behaviors that are classically conditioned are those which involve the learning of involuntary responses -- responses over which the learner has no control and to which he or she responds reflexively or 'automatically'" (Abbott, 2003). The dog had no control over its salivation at the…
References
Abbott, L. (2003). Classical conditioning. Retrieved 22 May 2009 from the University of Texas at Austin Web site: http://teachnet.edb.utexas.edu/~lynda_abbott/Behavioral1.html.
Huitt, W., & Hummel, J. (1997). An introduction to classical (respondent) conditioning. Retrieved 22 May 2009 from the Valdosta State University Web site: http://chiron.valdosta.edu/whuitt/col/behsys/classcnd.html.
Millis, K. (2003). Classical conditioning. Retrieved 22 May 2009 from the Northern Illinois University Web site: http://www3.niu.edu/acad/psych/Millis/History/2003/ClassicalConditioning.htm
Classical Conditioning Discuss the four basic phenomena of classical conditioning Classical conditioning is one of the most famous forms of behavioral 'learning.' It is epitomized in the experiment of Pavlov's dog. The dog was conditioned to salivate at the sound of a bell because the dog associated eating with that particular noise. "Classical conditioning involves placing a neutral signal before a naturally occurring reflex" (Cherry 2011). The signal is located in the
Classical Conditioning Pavlov's Roommate Classical conditioning involves the association of two stimuli. The most well-known example of classical conditioning involves Pavlov's salivation experiments with dogs. Not to compare my roommate too strongly with animals, but he is also very fond of food. He is also a little bit of a mooch. Therefore, I chose to imitate Pavlov and use food for my conditioning. In this experiment the unconditioned stimulus (UCS) is the smell
Classical Conditioning The subject of conditioning is something that has been established and proven for quite some time. Many point solely or at least mainly to Pavlov's Dog. However, there is a litany of other examples and situations that can be identified as conditioning and thus are worthy of further review. Even though Pavlov will not be the focus in this report, Pavlov did set the tone for what was picked
The dogs had learned to associate the bell tone with food. The results of Pavlov's experiment indicate that responses to certain stimuli are learned, and that we make connections which can cause responses from a naturally occurring stimulus to be elicited by a neutral stimulus. In the above example, the food is the unconditioned stimulus, and the unconditioned response is salivating to the food, because food naturally results in
Since phobia can be developed through classical conditioning, many experts reason that the same conditioning techniques would be useful in helping people get over their phobia. Phobics usually manage their fears by avoiding the objects that make them fearful. However, many psychologists maintain that avoidance merely magnifies the phobia. The task is therefore to expose the person to the feared object, to condition them to respond to the object in an
Classical Conditioning Marketers make extensive use of classical conditioning techniques. In brief, classical conditioning combines a stimulus with an unconditioned response and a stimulus with no conditioned response. Through repetition of this combination, it is expected that eventually the stimulus that previously had no response would now have a response, that being the conditioned response (PsychPost, 2012). Through the use of these techniques, marketers elicit specific responses in consumers. Repetition is