classical conditioning

classical conditioning

1. practical application

   • phobias
   • systematic disensitisation
     • associate a troubling CR (like phobias) with CS (like a spider) in relaxing, safe environment
       • gradually stop associating fear with spider
         • spider goes back to NS
           • produce no response
           • extinction

2. alternative theory

   • cc + oc
     • based on lab exp on animals
       • skinner's rats
       • pavlov's dogs
   • cc
     • explains acquisition of involuntary behaviour
     • knee jerk reaction
   • oc
     • explains how behaviour learn by consequence
     • better explains delibrate, voluntary behaviour

3. credibility

   • scientific
     • Breaking complicated behaviors down to small parts means that they can be scientifically tested.
       • empirical evidence carried out by controlled experiments.
         • e.g Pavlov
           • showed how classical conditioning could be used to make a dog salivate to the sound of a bell

4. evidence

   • watson and rayner

5. evaluation

   • deterministic
     • doesnt allow any degree of free will
       • no control over reactions they've learnt from cc e.g phobias
   • reductionist
     • complex behavior is broken down into smaller stimulus-response units of behavior.