What is classic conditioning and examples

The classic conditioning model has been widely used in psychology, particularly by behaviorists, to explain the mechanisms that underlie some human behaviors. For example, some forms of neurosis or phobia may be, according to the classical conditioning mechanism, generated by the association of a neutral stimulus with an anxiety situation. With this psychology-online article we will deepen together about What is classic conditioning, with some examples about.

If you want to know what classical conditioning is and what your applications are, as well as your types and examples, keep reading.

1. What is classic conditioning
2. Elements, principles and characteristics of classical conditioning
3. Types of classical conditioning
4. Examples of classic conditioning

What is classic conditioning

Classic conditioning can be defined as the process through which an unconvable stimulus, which produces known effects, is associated with a neutral stimulus to the point where the neutral stimulus produces effects very similar to those of the unconvable stimulus. At the end of the process, the neutral stimulus is called "conditioned stimulus" and its effect is called "conditioned".

More recently, a new approach (Neopavlovian) has been affirmed, according to which classical conditioning consists in learning associations between events that allow the individual (and animals) to anticipate and represent the outer environment. Therefore, it can be seen as the acquisition of a new knowledge about the outside world and not simply as the ability to activate new behaviors.

Elements, principles and characteristics of classical conditioning

The experiment is quite known through which Pavlov had conditioned his dog to drool the sound of a bell. The conditioning mechanism consisted of subjecting the dog to two stimuli: the sound of the bell and food administration. The canonical experiment of classical conditioning can be schematized as follows:

1. The dog is given food, which begins to salivate: this is the starting situation, where a natural stimulus (food) raises a natural response (salivation).
2. "Conditioning" begins: the sound of a bell before the presentation of the food, which causes the dog to rise. A neutral stimulus (the sound), which would not be able to cause salivation, is perceived by the dog a few seconds before the food (the natural stimulus) that causes salivation.
3. After a number of repetitions, When the dog hears the bell, it begins to salivate, Before the food is given: learning has been done.

The dog learned, by association, that the sound follows the food, and then begins to salivate. The sound has become a conditioned stimulus that causes a conditioned response. Now, food is no longer the element that causes salivation (which has already occurred with the sound), but it has become a reinforcement. Its function then becomes confirming and strengthening the answer after the conditioned stimulus. In short, the elements of classical conditioning are:

• Neutral stimulus (en): Sound or luminous stimulus.
• Unconditional stimulus (EI): food.
• Unconditional response (EI): Salivation.
• Conditioned stimulus (EC): Sound or luminous stimulus.
• Conditional response (RC): Salivation.

This article explains the variables of classical conditioning.

It is evident that, put in these terms, the learning process does not imply awareness, or reflexive capacity. Indeed, it can simply be the repetition of stimuli that induces a certain behavior that, because it is associated with the stimulus, is conditioned. From this point of view, no matter if the dog is aware or not of the relationship that unites food, the sound of the bell and its reaction. Learning occurs at the time an association between stimulus and response is created. To do this, two main conditions must be met:

1. The temporal proximity between the variables at stake.
2. The connection between the variables will be repeated sufficient times.

Types of classical conditioning

There are several types of classic conditioning:

1. Booster: The greater the frequency of mating between conditioned stimulus, unconditional stimulus and unconditional response, the greater the intensity and regularity of the appearance of the conditioned responses.
2. Extinction: If the unconditional stimulus is repeatedly omitted, then the conditioned answer loses intensity until disappearing.
3. Spontaneous recovery: extinction does not imply the total loss of the possibility of producing the conditioned response, since it tends to reappear a certain time even if the unconditional stimulus is not presented.
4. Generalization: The conditioned response is sensitive to the generalization of the conditioned stimulus (for example, the dog can begin to salivate even hear different sounds from the initial).
5. Discrimination: It is also possible to learn to discriminate between similar stimuli. If only the initial stimulus is repeatedly associated with the unconditional stimulus (that is, only the original sound is followed by food), while other similar sounds are not associated with the presence of food, then there is a gradual and progressive extinction of the extinction of the Salivation response to similar sounds, while salivation is maintained in response to the initial sound.

Another type of conditioning is the operant. In the following article you can see what is operating with examples.

However, ¿How important is classic conditioning in everyday life? In the following section we will see applications of classical conditioning.

Examples of classic conditioning

Classic conditioning can refer in man to learning specific emotional responses, for example, fear or even the development of phobias, in which the subject associates a neutral stimulus to a stimulus considered fearful.

Advertisers, on the other hand, try to take advantage of the classical conditioning associating a response (purchase) in view of their products, mating them with pleasant stimuli. It is no accident that products for physical form, instead of immortalizing women or men with a "generous" physique, they give us filiform models (pleasant stimulus). They take advantage of the Buy Product-Physical Association Model.

• Match popular music along with products in ads to generate positive feelings and taste towards products.
• Christmas music in the store The sweet memories and habits of giving and sharing in a consumer's mind and therefore persuade him or she to enter the store can trigger.
• Political candidates try to go on television with patriotic music in the background to awaken the patriotic feelings of voters.
• The constant advertising of a product in exciting game shows can lead to the product itself to generate an exciting response.
• People who receive chemotherapy often vomit during or just after the procedure. After several chemotherapy sessions, people begin to feel bad when seeing the operating room.
• See food will give you hunger. Soon, every time you go to the kitchen, you will feel hungry.
• If every time you see a fear movie, you always eat a box of fine mints. Now you will discover that seeing the fine mints makes you feel scared.

This article is merely informative, in psychology-online we have no power to make a diagnosis or recommend a treatment. We invite you to go to a psychologist to treat your particular case.

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