Classical Conditioning Term Paper

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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 a human being. 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.

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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….....

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