ivan PAVLOV

Classical Conditioning:

• Involves learning to associate an unconditioned stimulus which already brings about a particular response e.g. a reflex with a new/conditioned stimulus.
• This means the new stimulus brings about the same response.
• Studied salivating dogs and conducted a series of experiments which demonstrated conditioning.

Skinner believed everything can be learnt and this learning can be shaped. All of which is needed is a stimulus which creates a response. Over time, the stimulus can be changed but the response will remain the same - this is a form of training.

Classical conditioning is "classical" because it is the first systematic study of basic laws of learning/conditioning.

Unconditioned Stimulus (UCS): The object or event which originally produces the reflexive/natural response.

Unconditioned Response (UCR): This is the response to the UCS.

Neutral Stimulus (NS): A new stimulus which does not produce a response.

Conditioned Stimulus (CS): When the neutral stimulus becomes associated with the unconditioned stimulus.

Conditioned Response (CR): This is the response to the CS.

Discrimination: Ability to differentiate between a conditioned stimulus and other stimuli which have not been paired with an unconditioned stimulus.

• Learnt behaviours must be reinforced/practised to maintain the outcome. If this doesn't happen/if the reward is removed, then Extinction occurs - the behaviour stops.
• If the reward is re-introduced then Spontaneous Recovery occurs - the behaviour restarts.

• Emphasizes learning from the environment.
• Supports nurture over nature.
• Based on scientific, empirical evidence - it has produced a high success rate in behaviour modification.
• Complex behavior broken down into smaller stimulus-response units of behaviour.
• Improve/control undesirable behaviours.

• All responses must involve a reflex - therefore what can be learnt is limited.
• It is difficult to condition infants on their emotions - but there would be no point in using an adult because they will have already learnt which responses match which stimuli.
• It does not help create new behaviours - this method helps an individual learn new behaviours, it does not create new behaviours. It only connects a naturally occuring response to a stimulus and deals with visceral responses.
• It comes with numerous variables, making it difficult to understand - there are a lot of variables which can affect the degree to which this method would occur or not in different situations. Research on classical conditioning can become a bit complex by considering these variables. It requires these variables to be assessed with most attention.

Example of classical conditioning during the early childhood stage - if a student calls a classmate an inappropriate name, the teacher may call the student with the inappropriate behaviour aside and reprimand them. The teacher would have the student take a time out or write sentences as of why they should not perform the action of calling the other student inappropriate names.

Example of classical conditioning during the adolescence stage - if a teacher advises their students that they can work with a partner of their choice if they exhibit appropriate behaviour until that point in the lesson, the class will behave. If the class is not well behaved, then the student do not get to chose their partner. If the class exceeds the teachers' expectations of appropriate behavior, the class is allowed to choose their partner. The student's behaviour gives a definite response, which is a consistent reaction to the classes' actions.