Classical or Operant Conditioning Essay - 1115 Words

Classical conditioning developed from the findings of Ivan Pavlov, laying the foundations for behaviourism. From this J.B Watson and other behaviourists argued psychology should be indicative of predicting and controlling overt behaviour using the conditional reflex. (Watson, 1994). This essay will describe the important features of classical conditioning, consider their use in explaining pathological behaviour and will be answered using empirical evidence. The earlier part of the essay will focus on the development of the classical conditioning paradigm and cover the following topics: the findings of Ivan Pavlov and the conditional reflex and the components of classical conditioning. The latter part of the essay will cover: the fear†¦show more content†¦In order to induce a conditioned reflex Pavlov paired neutral stimuli, in this case a bell, with the meat powder. Acquisition is the root of learning in classical conditioning whereby the CS is paired several times with the US. The more pairings the more robust the learning as discussed by (Balkenius, 1999). Pavlov observed that after conditioning when the bell rang the dog salivated therefore, the neutral stimuli became conditioned stimuli (CS) and the dog, when presented with the bell would show the reflexive response (CR) salivation. Extinction occurred if the CS is no longer presented with the US. (Dhir, 2007). Conversely, reconditioning counters extinction when pairings are re-presented, this time however, the learning is faster, showing the initial acquisition is not completely removed from the memory of the animal. Spontaneous recovery is a phenomenon of the learned behaviour returning extemporaneously after the animal has rested. Hence the CS is again presented provoking the CR. Generalisation explains response to stimuli that is close to but not an exact match of the original CS. The closer the stimuli are to the original CS the stronger the CR.(Gleitman, Fridlund, Reisberg, 1999) Regarding pathological behaviours (Watson,J.B. Rayner,R, 1920) studied fear responses, believing they could be conditioned into healthy individuals. The study used an emotionally stable infant. The Neutral stimuli was a steel bar and hammer, the US was the whiteShow MoreRelatedClassical Conditioning And Operant Conditioning1204 Words   |  5 Pagesknown as classical conditioning and operant conditioning. These forms of learning are very practical and can be seen and used in everyday life. Classical and operant conditioning are different forms of learning which have importance in everyday life and can be found in advertising, PTSD, and even lifestyle changes. To fully understand the importance of classical and operant conditioning, it is important to first understand what they are and how they are different. Classical conditioningRead MoreClassical Conditioning And Operant Conditioning1492 Words   |  6 Pages To expand upon the concepts of the two forms of conditioning listed above, three additional principals not previously listed for the sake of convenience are present in both forms of conditioning; these three principals-extinction, spontaneous recovery, and stimulus discrimination-are among the number of basic principals of conditioning that are found in most forms of conditioning. To explain, Extinction refers to the process by which the steady weakening or diminishment of a conditioned responseRead MoreClassical Conditioning And Operant Conditioning1249 Words   |  5 Pagestwo stimuli or a behavior and a learned stimulus. Associative learning is divided in to two central techniques, classical conditioning and operant condition. Classical and operant conditioning are basic methods of learning and conditioning is used to adapt a behavior or association through a stimuli or consequence (Ciccarelli, 2012). While classical conditioning and operant conditioning are key elements in associative learning, they have significant differences. A clear contrast between the two theoriesRead MoreClassical Conditioning And Operant Conditioning1693 Words   |  7 Pagesexamples of their work, as well as an exploration into the advantages and disadvantages that some of these approaches possess. Behaviourism is a theory of learning based upon the idea that all behaviours are attained through conditioning. Behaviourists believe conditioning occurs when we interact with the environment and that the environment we are in determines the way we respond to a stimulus. The behaviourist approach believes we learn behaviours through association between response and consequenceRead MoreClassical Conditioning And Operant Conditioning913 Words   |  4 PagesClassical Conditioning and Operant Conditioning There are two learning processes that are used, classical condition and operant conditioning. One learning process used is classical conditioning. Classical conditioning is a learning process in which a neutral stimulus becomes associated with a meaningful stimulus and acquires the capacity to elicit a similar response. I found two TV commercials that are excellent examples for classical conditioning. The first commercial I found is an Old Spice commercialRead MoreClassical Conditioning And Operant Conditioning1146 Words   |  5 Pageslearning is known as conditioning. Conditioning stresses the relationship between stimuli and responses. The two types of conditioning found are Classical conditioning and Operant conditioning. As stated before, learning may occur in different ways but Classical and Operant conditioning are two of several theories on learning which take the behaviorist approach. â€Å"Classical conditioning is an association of one event with another that results in a pattern of behavior.† Operant conditioning however, is â€Å"learningRead MoreClassical Conditioning And Operant Conditioning959 Words   |  4 Pagesthrough the experience of something. Two important associative learning styles that I learned that grasped my attention are classical conditioning and operant conditioning. These forms of learning are used everyday, and with that, people can categorize their certain behavior into places in which they fall in. The first type of associative learning is classical conditioning, which was discovered by Ivan Pavlov during an experiment. It is a learning process where a neutral stimulus becomes associatedRead MoreClassical Conditioning And Operant Conditioning883 Words   |  4 Pagesexperiments conducted by Ivan Pavlov, B.F Skinner, and various others, our learning process can be--and normally is--significantly influenced by the social and physical world around us. Two particular examples of this are classical conditioning and operant conditioning. â€Å"Classical conditioning occurs when a natural stimulus produces a response after being paired with a stimulus that naturally produces a response† (Schacter). For example, in horror movies suspenseful music tends to precede dramatic eventsRead MoreClassical Conditioning and Operant Conditioning1189 Words   |  5 Pagessimilarities between Classical conditioning and Operant conditioning? Many people believe that Classical and Operant are similar. Several people don’t know what the similarities and differences of Classical and Operant are, several people think it is the same learning method, which in this case I’m going to compare and contrast each behavior and give you information about each one, so you could have a better understanding of each method and what they do. Classical and Operant are very similar to eachRead MoreBehaviorism And Classical Conditioning And Operant Conditioning Essay1504 Words   |  7 Pagesfounders of the theory who are John B. Watson and B. F. Skinner. However, the information will focus more on their early education and known achievements. Furthermore, you will find different theories regarding behaviorism such as classical conditioning and operant conditioning. In order to understand the difference and similarities between the two of them examples have been provided. To fully comprehend in what Behaviorism consists of, modern applications examples of the theory have bee n also included