Classical and Operant Conditioning Case Study

After reading through chapter six, I began reading chapter seven of our psychology text titled, Learning. Learning is something we do everyday even we don’t realize it. While reading chapter seven, I learned that there are three different types of learning, classical conditioning, operant conditioning, and cognitive learning. Classical conditioning stands for two types of stimuli linking providing us the tools to have a reaction; this is the type of learning that involves automatic behaviors. Operant conditioning is the type of learning that causes a change in behavior, in reaction to consequences; this is the behavior that involves choosing of choices. Lastly, cognitive learning is the obtaining of new skills, behaviors, and information through

Chapter 7 of the textbook discusses the many concepts of learning but three major ones are classical conditioning, operant conditioning, and observational learning. As explained in the textbook, classical conditioning exists when a neutral stimulus produces a response after being paired with a stimulus that naturally produces a response (Schacter, Gilbert, Nock, & Wegner, 2017). A famous example that follows this kind of learning experience is Ivan Pavlov’s work with conditioning dogs to salivate. Initial response is that the dog will naturally salivate (unconditioned response) to food (unconditional stimulus), however his goal was to condition dogs to salivate (conditioned response) to a neutral stimulus (bell) with another stimulus (food) to see how the dog’s response change when certain items are paired together (conditioned response).

The second form of associative learning is operant conditioning whereby certain behaviours that are exhibited become strengthened or weakened by either a rewards which is a positive reinforcement or punishment which is a negative reinforcement (Lord 1997).

There are two learning processes that are used, classical condition and operant conditioning. One learning process used is classical conditioning. Classical conditioning is a learning process in which a neutral stimulus becomes associated with a meaningful stimulus and acquires the capacity to elicit a similar response. I found two TV commercials that are excellent examples for classical conditioning. The first commercial I found is an Old Spice commercial. The ad starts off with an attractive man in a bathroom telling women to compare the men in their lives to him, stating that if men would stop using girl body wash they could be like him. The ad then moves to a boat where the man in the commercial offers the women in the audience two tickets to something they would enjoy and diamonds and then states that anything is possible if men used Old Spice as a body wash to smell like a man, not a lady. The second commercial I chose is a Nike advertisement. Throughout the advertisement there are young, attractive, fit, and famous people working hard to succeed.

From birth throughout adulthood, our behavior changes as we learn new things. For example, I am going 65 mph on the I-95 towards Philadelphia and a car in the right lane cuts short in front of me, I am able use my fast reflexes to step on the brakes just in time so that I do not hit the back of the car. There are three different types of learning: associative, non-associative, and observational. Associative learning is when we form connections between stimuli, and behaviors. This type of learning helps us to predict the future based on past history. Associative learning is broken down into two subcategories: conditioning and operant conditioning. In classical conditioning, connections are made between pairs of stimuli that happen sequentially in time. For example, if someone sees a bee of the first time and then gets stung, a connection is made between seeing the bee and the pain of the sting. In order to understand the method of classical conditioning, you must know the difference between conditioned and unconditioned stimulus. A conditioned stimulus deals with an important environmental event that is

While many people may believe that learning is just a natural response that all animals are capable of, there is actually a more complex explanation on how we learn the things we do in order to survive in the world. Classical conditioning and operant conditioning are both basic forms of learning, they have the word conditioning in common. Conditioning is the acquisition of specific patterns of behavior in the presence of well-defined stimuli.

While learning to drive a car, I have experienced the elements of classical conditioning. Conditioned stimulus was a car that rapidly stopped in front of me.

People with phobias do everything possible to avoid a perceived danger, which is much higher in their minds than in real life. It is believed that the model of classical conditioning has served to explain how people developed a phobic response. Through the time, phobias have been in the interest of many psychologists, phobia it is a mechanism of defense before the torment that provokes the internal conflicts. The classical conditioning theory is produced by two stimuli the conditioned and unconditioned stimulus that is paired together repeatedly in the process of learning, with a conditioned behavioural response will, therefore, happen again, but when the unconditioned stimulus is presented alone causing the response to actually happen. This

A substantial portion of behavior is learned, and this learning causes a relatively permanent change in behavior. There are several distinct types of learning, the form utilized in classical conditioning and operant conditioning is called associative learning. Classical conditioning and operant conditioning have different approaches and techniques used in their processes; however, they have the same goal, to alter the behavior or to influence a response from their subject(s). Classical conditioning and operant conditioning have several similarities along with their differences; forms of their behavioral influence have affected me throughout my life.

Example of Operant conditioning, is when you decided to snooze the alarm in the morning after partying all night long. Finally you decide to get up to go to work you are running 15 min late. And decide to step on gas pedal. You are now driving 50 mph on a 35 mph road. You think you are fine and won 't get caught because everyone else is driving fast also. All of sudden a cop is hidden in between the trees and bushes. You try to brake, in order to slow down a bit, but it 's too late…. The cop has turn on the lights and tail-gating you already. You pull over and you try to convince him that you had a “tough night”… even though it 's a lie, and to let you off with a warning. The cop tells you he doesn 't care and you should know better. Therefore he gives you a speeding ticket of about two hundred dollars and a court date if you decide to fight it. In order to go to court you will have to miss work, which means you won 't get paid. Then you have to pay for all the additional court fees if you want to go to clear your record; your insurance will go up, have to pay for driving school and miss more work also. You will have to go through all this trouble, time and money. Just for being too lazy and “tired” to get up on time.

Operant and Classical Conditioning are very similar, yet very different. You must be careful when observing both the stimulus and the stimuli that go hand in hand, when discussing the two. One way to tell you know the difference of understanding the two is being aware that in classical conditioning, expectations are built about stimulus events in the environment, but their behavior does not influence the stimuli that occur.

Learning can happen in numerous ways, but all fall under the category of being either classical conditioning or operant conditioning when we are dealing with Psychology terms. These two habituation methods are very comparable in nature, but do possess very specific distinctions in their differences. The major difference between classical and operant conditioning is the type of behaviors being conditioned. Classical is focused more on reflex and automatic actions whereas operant deals more with voluntary actions. Classical and operant conditioning are also different in the way they are taught. Classical conditioning involves introducing the subject to a neutral signal before reaction. Classical conditioning has four basic principles

Learning is a very important part of Psychology and it has been defined as ‘any relatively permanent change in behaviour, or behaviour potential, produced by experience’ (Baron, p.169). Learning is a key process in human behaviour; it can play an important role in most of the activities we do. Even though the effects of learning are extremely diverse, most psychologists believe that learning occurs in several basic forms: conditioning – classical and operant and observational learning. Myers defined conditioning as ‘the process of learning associations’.

As a dog owner, I know how important it is to teach your pets how to behave. Yet, it is important to understand how learning works so that you can develop a strategy to properly and quickly teach your dog. The example of training a dog to roll over is a great model for analysing the aspects of learning involved with this process. Understanding how operant conditioning works and how to reinforce a desired response to that stimuli will help trainers effectively teach dogs. Psychologists, such as Myers (2013), define learning as the process of acquiring new knowledge and behaviors. In this case we are specifically discussing the acquisition of a certain response to a stimulus. The stimulus is the trainer’s command and the desired behavior is the dog to roll over onto his back. These ideas all are based on Edward L. Thorndike’s principle called the law of effect, wherein he stated that behaviors followed by a positive outcomes are more likely to increase in probability. These are all important components of the learning process, especially on the level of training a dog or instilling a simple behavior.

Compare and contrast classical and operant conditioning, their theories, terminology, famous psychologists and applications of the theory for teaching.