Key Terms
- classical conditioning A process of behavior modification in which a subject learns to respond in a desired manner such that a neutral stimulus (the conditioned stimulus) is repeatedly presented in association with a stimulus (the unconditioned stimulus) that elicits a natural response (the unconditioned response) until the neutral stimulus alone elicits the same response (now called the conditioned response). For example, in Pavlov's experiments, food is the unconditioned stimulus that produces salivation, a reflex or unconditioned response. The bell is the conditioned stimulus, which eventually produces salivation in the absence of food. This salivation is the conditioned response.
- conditioned stimulus In classical conditioning, a formerly neutral stimulus that, after association with an unconditioned stimulus (US), comes to produce a conditioned response. For example, a dog salivates (UR) from the smell of a bone (US) naturally, without any conditioning. Once some neutral stimulus (for example, a "beep" that the dog would not naturally or normally cause the dog to salivate) has been paired with the bone for some time, the dog will salivate (conditioned response or CR) when the "beep" occurs. Once the beep has the capacity to elicit the salivation, it is now considered a conditioned stimulus (CS).
- Ivan Pavlov Russian physiologist who studied the digestive system of dogs, investigating the nervous control of salivation and the role of enzymes. His experiments showed that if a bell is rung whenever food is presented to a dog, the dog will eventually salivate when it hears the bell, even if no food is presented. This demonstration of what is known as a conditioned response prompted later scientific studies of human and animal behavior.
- neutral stimulus does not bring about a response
- unconditioned response In classical conditioning, an unconditioned response is the unlearned response that occurs naturally in reaction to the unconditioned stimulus. For example, if the smell of food is the unconditioned stimulus, the feeling of hunger in response to the smell of food is the unconditioned response.
- unconditioned stimulus The unconditioned stimulus is one that unconditionally, naturally, and automatically triggers a response.
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Pavlov
- Ivan Petrovich Pavlov. (2016). In Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved from http://school.eb.com. au.db.plcscotch.wa. edu.au/levels/high/article/58811
Ivan Petrovich Pavlov, (born Sept. 14 [Sept. 26, New Style], 1849, Ryazan, Russia—died Feb. 27, 1936, Leningrad [now St. Petersburg]), Russian physiologist known chiefly for his development of the concept of the conditioned reflex. In a now-classic experiment, he trained a hungry dog to salivate at the sound of a bell, which was previously associated with the sight of food. He developed a similar conceptual approach, emphasizing the importance of conditioning, in his pioneering studies relating human behaviour to the nervous system. He was awarded the Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine in 1904 for his work on digestive secretions.
Introduction
"A process of behavior modification in which a subject learns to respond in a desired manner such that a neutral stimulus (the conditioned stimulus) is repeatedly presented in association with a stimulus (the unconditioned stimulus) that elicits a natural response (the unconditioned response) until the neutral stimulus alone elicits the same response (now called the conditioned response). For example, in Pavlov's experiments, food is the unconditioned stimulus that produces salivation, a reflex or unconditioned response. The bell is the conditioned stimulus, which eventually produces salivation in the absence of food. This salivation is the conditioned response." (dictionary.com, 2016)
Introduction
Stanford. (2010, June 1). The little Albert experiment. [Video file]. EJ Production
Overview
- Schoolwork Helper. (n.d.). Classical conditioning. Retrieved from http://schoolworkhelper.net/learning-classical-conditioning-operant-conditioning/Classical conditioning – learning to associate two stimuli such that one stimulus comes to produce a response that originally was only produced by the other stimulus.
- Cherry, K. (2015, December 17). Examples of classical conditioning. Retrieved from http://psychology.about.com/od/behavioralpsychology/a/classcond.htmOne of the most famous examples of classical conditioning was John B. Watson's experiment in which a fear response was conditioned in a young boy known as Little Albert. The child initially showed no fear of a white rat, but after the presentation of the rat was paired repeatedly with loud, scary sounds, the child would cry when the rat was present. The child's fear also generalized to other fuzzy white objects.
- Khan Academy. (n.d.). What is classical conditioning. Retrieved from https://www.khanacademy.org/test-prep/mcat/behavior/learning-slug/a/classical-and-operant-conditioning-articleImagine your favorite snack is peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Whenever you get that snack, it makes you happy and you start to jump around, doing your happy PB&J dance. Your sandwich always comes on the same plate – it’s big and orange and has a picture of a tiger on it. Eventually, you might start doing your PB&J dance whenever you see your tiger plate on the table, in anticipation of the sandwich arriving.
- McLeod, S. (2014). Classical Conditioning. Retrieved from http://www.simplypsychology.org/classical-conditioning.htmlClassical conditioning theory involves learning a new behavior via the process of association. In simple terms two stimuli are linked together to produce a new learned response in a person or animal. There are three stages of classical conditioning. At each stage the stimuli and responses are given special scientific terms:
- Animal learning. (2016). In Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved from http://school.eb.com.au.db.plcscotch.wa.edu.au/levels/high/article/106476#62001.toc
Conditioning is a form of learning in which either (1) a given stimulus (or signal) becomes increasingly effective in evoking a response or (2) a response occurs with increasing regularity in a well-specified and stable environment. The type of reinforcement used will determine the outcome. When two stimuli are presented in an appropriate time and intensity relationship, one of them will eventually induce a response resembling that of the other. The process can be described as one of stimulus substitution. This procedure is called classical (or respondent) conditioning.
Example of Classical Conditioning
- Leema. (2013, March 26). Classical conditioning in dogs. Retrieved from http://leemakennels.com/blog/dog-behaviour/dog-training-dog-behaviour/classical-conditioning-in-dogs/While using dogs to experiment on digestion, Pavlov noticed dogs had what he called “psychic secretion” of saliva, where the dogs seem to know when they were going to be fed and began to salivate. On further investigation, he found that whenever his lab assistant entered the room, the dogs began to salivate. Salivation is a reflex, that is, a behaviour outside of the dog’s control, but the dog learnt to exhibit this reflex when associated with an incoming lab assistant. Pavlov modified his experiment to further examine this phenomena.