Conditioning

1. Conditioning By Gabrielle Wiltse and Jessica Mackie

2. Classical Conditioning • Definition: a form of associative learning that was first demonstrated by Ivan Pavlov. • Process: presentations of a neutral stimulus along with a stimulus of some significance. • Purpose:It helps the body prepare itself for an expected or likely event. For example, if food is likely, salivation aids the digestive process. If a painful shock is likely, the body prepares itself for this stressor.

3. Classical Conditioning Continued • Examples: • 1)Learning to feel upset at the sight of flashing police lights in your rearview mirror • 2)Learning to feel anxiety when you hear the sounds at the dentist’s office • 3)Feeling tender emotions when you hear a song that was associated with your first romance • 4)A new mother whose breasts start to produce milk when she hears her baby’s cry • 5)Learning to feel emotional arousal to certain words (4-letter words) • 6)The famous case of “little Albert” – learning fear

4. Classical Conditioning

5. Classical Conditioning Theory • Stimulus-response theory, referred to as S-R theory, is a theoretical model of behavioural psychology that suggests humans and other animals can learn to associate a new stimulus — the conditioned stimulus (CS) — with a pre-existing stimulus — the unconditioned stimulus (US), and can think, feel or respond to the CS as if it were actually the US. • Stimulus-stimulus theory, referred to as S-S theory, is a theoretical model of classical conditioning that suggests a cognitive component is required to understand classical conditioning and that stimulus-response theory is an inadequate model. It proposes that a cognitive component is at play. S-R theory suggests that an animal can learn to associate a conditioned stimulus (CS) such as a bell, with the impending arrival of food termed the unconditioned stimulus, resulting in an observable behaviour such as salivation. Stimulus-stimulus theory suggests that instead the animal salivates to the bell because it is associated with the concept of food, which is a very fine but important distinction.

6. Operant Conditioning • Definition: Operant conditioning is the use of consequences to modify the occurrence and form of behavior. Operant conditioning is distinguished from classical conditioning (also called respondent conditioning, or Pavlovianconditioning) in that operant conditioning deals with the modification of "voluntary behavior" or operant behavior. Operant behavior "operates" on the environment and is maintained by its consequences, while classical conditioning deals with the conditioning of respondent behaviors which are elicited by antecedent conditions

7. Operant Conditioning Continued

8. Operant Conditioning Continued • Process: Stimuli are presented in the environment according to a schedule of which there are two basic categories: continuous and intermittent. Continuous reinforcement simply means that the behavior is followed by a consequence each time it occurs. Intermittent schedules are based either on the passage of time (interval schedules) or the number of correct responses emitted (ratio schedules).

9. Operant Conditioning Continued • Purpose: To decrease or increase certain behaviors in the subjects. • Theory: The theory of B.F. Skinner is based upon the idea that learning is a function of change in overt behavior. Changes in behavior are the result of an individual's response to events (stimuli) that occur in the environment. A response produces a consequence such as defining a word, hitting a ball, or solving a math problem. When a particular Stimulus-Response (S-R) pattern is reinforced (rewarded), the individual is conditioned to respond

10. Operant Conditioning Examples • Billy likes to campout in the backyard. He camped-out on every Friday during the month of June. The last time he camped out, some older kids snuck up to his tent while he was sleeping and threw a bucket of cold water on him. Billy has not camped-out for three weeks. • Andrew is being reinforced using a token economy. When he follows a direction / command he earns a point. At the end of each day, he can "buy" freetime, t.v. privileges, etc. with his points. When he misbehaves or doesn't follow a command, he loses points. Andrew used to call his mom names. Since he has been on the point system, his name calling has been reduced to almost zero. • John does not go to the dentist every 6-months for a checkup. Instead, he waited until a tooth really hurts, then goes to the dentist. After two emergency trips to the dentist, John now goes every 6-months.

11. Bibliography • "Conditioning and Learning." FACULTY. Web. 01 Mar. 2010. <http://psych.fullerton.edu/rlippa/Psych101/outline2.htm> • "Pavlov Classical Conditioning Theory." Self Improvement Tips | Self Improvement Ideas | Self Improvement Advice. Web. 01 Mar. 2010. <http://www.eruptingmind.com/pavlov-classical-conditioning-theory/>. • "WikiAnswers - What are the differences between classical and operant conditioning theories." WikiAnswers - The Q&A wiki. Web. 01 Mar. 2010. <http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_are_the_differences_between_classical_and_operant_conditioning_theories>. • “Classical conditioning -." Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Web. 28 Feb. 2010. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Classical_conditioning#Theories_of_classical_conditioning>. • “Operant Conditioning." Educational Psychology Interactive. Web. 01 Mar. 2010. <http://www.edpsycinteractive.org/topics/behsys/operant.html>. •  "Skinner box - RationalWiki." Web. 01 Mar. 2010. <http://rationalwiki.com/wiki/Skinner_box>. • "TIP: Theories." Theory Into Practice (TIP). Web. 28 Feb. 2010. <http://tip.psychology.org/skinner.html>.