04.01 Classical Conditioning: What a classic!
We learn in many different ways. Learning not only takes place traditionally in the classroom, on-line, or by reading a book; it also happens each second we are awake. We observe, we realize, and we learn.
In this lesson we will look at the different theories associated with learning.
Objectives:
After completing this lesson, you will be able to:
· Compare and contrast principles of classical conditioning with emotional learning.
· Apply the properties of classical conditioning.
· Discover one way to treat phobias.
Conditioning - Ways in which we learn based upon an association between two events by repeated exposure.
Ivan Pavlov - A Russian scientist who wanted to study the digestion of dogs; the founder of classical conditioning.
Classical Conditioning - A method of conditioning in which associations are made between a natural stimulus and a learned, neutral stimulus.
Mary Cover Jones - A pioneer of behavior therapy within a scientific field dominated throughout much of the 20th century by male scientists.
Phobias - An exaggerated; usually illogical fear such as of heights, animals, the dark, etc. that causes much anxiety.
Think about the way someone gets a dog to perform "tricks." Teaching a dog to sit, for example, requires the use of rewards. Each time a dog sits, the owner gives the dog a treat. When the owner says, "Sit" the dog will sit knowing that the treat is only seconds away. This type of learning is called conditioning.
Classical Conditioning
Ivan Pavlov was a scientist who wanted to study the digestion of dogs. Instead, what he learned impacted the way we think about learning. When Ivan Pavlov first set out to complete his research, he did not intend to research the conditioning of dogs. He was researching the digestive tract of dogs. However, after a few short days, he was quick to note three strange things:
1. Food that was placed directly into the stomach of the dog did not generate the gastric juices needed for digestion.
2. Even though food was not placed near the dog’s mouth, the dog would still salivate at the sight of food.
3. The sight of the experimenter who fed the dogs caused the dog to salivate even if this person was not carrying any food.
This meant that receiving food could be conditioned to (associate with) the presence of the experimenter (who was feeding the dog).This is an example of classical conditioning.
Ivan Pavlov's Components of Classical Conditioning
Component / ExampleUnconditioned stimulus
(UCS) / A stimulus that naturally or automatically triggers a response. à
For example, a dog salivating at the sight of food is an UCS.
Unconditioned response
(UCR) / The unlearned naturally occurring response to the UCS. à
For example, a dog’s mouth will water at the sight of food.
Neutral stimulus
(NS) / The object in which the experimenter is trying to get a response. à
For example, The experimenter may ring a bell each and every time the dog food is brought, the experimenter will no longer need the food to illicit salivation. Just the mere sight of the bell will evoke a response.
Conditioned stimulus (CS) / The previously neutral stimulus (NS) becomes the conditioned stimulus.-->
For example, The bell was neutral, but after pairing the bell with the food, the dog now associates this bell with the food so this now is a learned or conditioned stimulus.
Conditioned response
(CR) / A response to a stimulus that is brought about by learning. The UCR becomes the CR.-->
For example, The dog salivating at the sight of the bell.
Can you think of any area in your life where you are conditioned? How about the bell ringing to signify the end of class in the traditional school? The first time you heard the bell, you may not have been used to getting up and quickly leaving. Now, it is such an instinct many students are packed up and on the edge of their seat waiting for the bell to ring. Funny enough, if the bell is late, most students will stay in their seat. Try to think of some other ways you are conditioned.
Emotional Conditioning
Several years after Pavlov’s experiment, a psychologist by the name of John B. Watson was busy with his own experiment. He worked in a laboratory and had a co-worker who would bring her baby with her to work. The baby was an 11-month-old little boy now famously known in psychology as “Little Albert.”
Watson believed that people are not born with a fear of objects; that fear must be learned. Further, we do not have to learn to be startled or afraid, it happens automatically. A sudden, loud noise is an unconditioned stimulus for the unconditioned response of fear.
Watson decided he was going to use Albert to test his hypothesis. He allowed the baby to play with a white rat, and baby just laughed and reached out to touch the rat showing no fear. Then, Watson paired the white rat with a loud noise. Every time the baby would reach for the rat, Watson would sneak up behind him and smash a steel bar with a hammer near the boy’s ear, creating a horrible noise and startling the baby! The next time the baby reached for the rat, Watson again hit the steel bar with the hammer near the baby’s ear. Watson repeated this each and every time the baby reached for the rat. Eventually, the sight of the rat would just send the baby into hysterics.
Watson then went on to demonstrate what is called stimulus generalization. For example, for Little Albert, showed fear at the sight of a rabbit (that was not white in color), a sealskin coat, a dog which he was not previously fearful of. Little Albert was even fearful of John Watson when he dressed as Santa Claus because “Santa’s” suit and beard was furry. Let’s break the experiment down into parts.
It is important to know that the mother of this baby did not know Watson was performing this experiment and this experiment would never be allowed today. Before the baby’s mother discovered what Watson was doing with her son and took Little Albert from the lab, Watson discovered two things:
1. Conditioning of emotions to neutral objects is possible.
2. A conditioned emotion can generalize to other objects that have similar characteristics.
As this experiment was cut short (and with great reason), there is no way to determine how long the effects of this conditioned response will last. However, if you stop pairing something like the loud noise with the original association (the rat), the association will eventually go through extinction. Therefore, Pavlov’s dogs would eventually extinguish (stop their salivation) when they saw the lab coat of the experimenter unless the person who fed them continued to wear a lab coat.
Removal of Fears
Mary Cover Jones was a student and a friend of Watson’s. Realizing the effect Watson imposed onto Little Albert, she wondered if she could reverse the procedure. She met a three-year-old boy named “Peter” who was terrified of rabbits. She brought Peter into the room with the rabbit being far enough away, but close enough so he could see it. She then gave the child some of his favorite food where he was standing. Little-by-little she moved the rabbit closer. Each time that Peter walked toward the rabbit, she gave him more of his favorite food. The process was about associating pleasure with the feared object (in this case rabbits). It worked! Peter lost his fear of rabbits.
Fears of all kinds—snakes, lizards, dogs, etc. are called phobias. Phobias cause a good deal of anxiety and make many people’s lives very miserable. Mary Cover Jones’ method of removing fear is still used quite successfully today.
Assessment: 04.01 Classical Conditioning: What a classic!
For this assessment you are going to demonstrate your ability to apply the components of classical conditioning. Choose 1 of the 4 classical conditioning scenarios.
Option A Directions
Part 1: Mix and match the following three people with the letter showing what they were best known for:
Ivan Pavlov ___
Mary Cover Jones ____
John B Watson ____
A. this person’s experiments demonstrated how fears could be learned.
B. this person is the founder of classical conditioning.
C. this person is the founder of the removal of phobias.
Part 2: Julie eats steak that has e coli in it and ends up vomiting for hours that night. She is sick for two days. Now just the thought (or the sight or the smell) of steak makes her nauseous. Identify the elements of classical conditioning.
What is the:
Unconditioned stimulus: (UCS)
Unconditioned response: (CR)
Conditioned/Neutral stimulus: (NS)
Conditioned response: (CR)
Option B Directions
Part 1: Mix and match the following three people with the letter showing what they were best known for:
Ivan Pavlov ___
Mary Cover Jones ____
John B Watson ____
A. this person’s experiments demonstrated how fears could be learned.
B. this person is the founder of classical conditioning.
C. this person is the founder of the removal of phobias.
Part 2: Scott loves to swim in the lake near his house. After swimming in the lake one afternoon, he discovered two big alligators under his dock. When he saw them coming towards him, his heart began pounding. Now when he goes near the dock he shudders with fear. Identify the elements of classical conditioning:
What is the:
Unconditioned stimulus: (UCS)
Unconditioned response: (CR)
Conditioned/Neutral stimulus: (NS)
Conditioned response: (CR)
Option C Directions
Part 1: Mix and match the following three people with the letter showing what they were best known for:
Ivan Pavlov ___
Mary Cover Jones ____
John B Watson ____
A. this person’s experiments demonstrated how fears could be learned.
B. this person is the founder of classical conditioning.
C. this person is the founder of the removal of phobias.
Part 2: The light switch in Fred’s office has a short circuit and gives him a shock every time he touches it. After a while Fred hesitates every time he is about to touch the switch. Identify the elements of classical conditioning:
What is the:
Unconditioned stimulus: (UCS)
Unconditioned response: (CR)
Conditioned/Neutral stimulus: (NS)
Conditioned response: (CR)
Option D Directions
Part 1: Mix and match the following three people with the letter showing what they were best known for:
Ivan Pavlov ___
Mary Cover Jones ____
John B Watson ____
A. this person’s experiments demonstrated how fears could be learned.
B. this person is the founder of classical conditioning.
C. this person is the founder of the removal of phobias.
Part 2: Billy once liked going to the doctor’s office because the nurse always greeted him with a sticker. However, the last several times he has gone, the nurse has given him shots which hurt and make him scream with pain. Now when the nurse hands him the sticker he begins to scream. Identify the elements of classical conditioning:
What is the:
Unconditioned stimulus: (UCS)
Unconditioned response: (CR)
Conditioned/Neutral stimulus: (NS)
Conditioned response: (CR)
Classical Conditioning Scenario Example
View the examples and chart below to help guide you in identifying components of classical conditioning.
1. Millie just met a boy she really likes. Every time he calls her she is happy. She decides to give him his own special ring tone so she knows when he is calling. Now when she hears that ring tone, she is elated. Identify the elements of classical conditioning:
What is the:
UCS: (answer: new boyfriend calling)
UCR: (answer: excitement)
Conditioned/Neutral stimulus: (answer: special ring tone)
Conditioned response: (answer: excitement)
Provide the UCS, UCR, NS, CS, and CR (remember that the NS always becomes the CS and the UCS and CR should be the same.)
For example:
UCS- new boyfriend calling
UCR – excitement
NS-CS- special ring tone
CR- excitement
2. Whenever you see a sad movie, you always eat a box of Milk Duds. Now you find that eating a box of Milk Duds make you sad
UCS: Watching sad movie
UCR: Feeling sad
NS/CS: Milk Duds
CR: Feeling sad