Classical Conditioning

Behaviour and adaptation

• Survival of a species requires members to behave in a way that is adapted to their environment
• Behaviour can be adapted in two ways:
• Through evolution
• Through learning

Dimension of behavioural plasticity

• Learning is a crucial activity in human culture
• The human capacity for learning is unmatched by that of any other living thing

What is learning?

The process by which long-lasting changes occur in behavioural potential as a result of experience

two major types of associative learning;

1. Classical conditioning
2. Operant conditioning

History of research on learning

• Edward L. Thorndike (1898) - Instrumental learning Puzzle boxes.
• Ivan Pavlov (1904) - Classical conditioning; Pavlov's dogs
• John B Watson (1920) - Fear conditioning, Little Albert
• B. F. Skinner (1938) - Operant conditioning, Skinner boxes
• Albert Bandura (1961)- Observational learning, Bobo doll

 

Classical (Pavlovian) Conditioning

• First studied by Ivan Pavlov (1904)
• Occurs when a previously neutral stimulus acquires the ability to evoke a particular response originally evoked by another stimulus, through pairing
• Types of associative learning:
• An association is made between two stimuli, leading to a transfer of effect from one to the other

Elements of Classical Conditioning

1. Before conditioning: Unconditional stimulus -> unconditioned response

2. Before conditioning: Neutral stimulus -> No conditioned response

3. During conditioning: Conditioned stimulus + unconditioned stimulus -> Unconditioned response

4. After conditioning: Conditioned stimulus -> Conditioned response

 

Fear conditioning

• A form of emotional learning in which a neutral stimulus comes to elicit defensive behaviour and physiological responses after being associated with an aversive event
• Watson and Rayner (1920)
• Wanted to demonstrate that it was possible develop general explanations of complex human behaviour based on classical conditioning principles
• Set out to see if a child could be classically conditioned to experience a strong emotional reaction - fear - 'Little Albert'

Little Albert

• Successfully conditioned Little Albert to fear a white rat
• Fear response was generalised to other similar stimuli such as a white beard
• Demonstrated that a relatively complex reaction could be conditioned using Pavlovian techniques
• Controversy Surrounding study

The neural basis

• Experiments with rats showed that conditioned fear responses cease when links between the amygdala and other areas of the brain are severed
• Supporting evidence and brain-imaging studies suggests that the amygdala plays a critical role in fear conditioning (Phelps & LeDoux, 2005)

Applications of classical conditioning

• Predation control
• Exposure therapies
• Advertising