Classical Conditioning And Classical Conditioning

892 Words2 Pages

Behaviorism involves acting in a particular way. It is an idea that is intended to explain learning. The behaviorism as a theory is based on the idea that all types of behaviors are accomplished through condition. Condition presents itself through the interaction with the environment. According to Kendra Cherry(2002), behaviorist believe that the way we respond/react to environmental stimuli shapes our behavior. In other words, the way one is brought up and the surroundings of the person are the things that shape the way the person behaves.
Classical conditioning is a “type of learning”, which had a huge influence on the school of thought in psychology known as behaviorism. It is a learning process which occurs through pairings of two or more types of stimuli’s. Classical conditioning involves placing a neutral signal before a naturally present reflex. In classical conditioning, we have the unconditioned stimulus (UCS), the unconditioned response (UCR), the conditioned stimulus (CS), and the conditioned response (CR).
The unconditioned stimulus (UCS) is a stimulus that unconditionally, naturally and automatically triggers a response. The respond just happens automatically without being forced.
The conditioned stimulus (CS) on the other hand is a neutral stimulus that when it becomes associated with the unconditioned stimulus, it will eventually cause a conditioned response.
The conditioned response (CR) in this case will be the learned response to the previously neutral stimulus.
All together classical condition emphasizes the importance of learning from the environment, it supports “nurture over nature”.
In this essay I will be discussing how B.F. Skinner modified Ivan Pavlov’s theory of Classical Conditioning in order to bring ...

... middle of paper ...

...l then gain its strength back. “The fact that conditioned stimulus (CS) – conditioned response (CR) pairings can be instated without great difficulty suggests that extinction does not involve unlearning of the associations (Redish, Jensen, Johnson, & Kurth-Nelson, 2007).
In summary of Pavlov’s research, he studied the link between stimulus and response. While doing he was doing his research on salivation in dogs, Pavlov noted that his experimental dogs began to salivate only at the sight of food but eventually at the sound of the ticking metronome which was paired with the food. This observation led him to perform his famous experiment in which he taught the dogs to salivate at the sound of the metronome. After several repetitions of this association, the dog began salivating at the sound of the metronome even when there was no food in sight (Schunk, 2012, p.79-82).

Open Document