Classical Conditioning & Operant Conditioning

ClassicalConditioning &OperantConditioning

What is Classical Conditioning?

Learning Objective: Students will beable to describe the difference betweenClassical and Operant Conditioning.How Do We Learn?Classical Conditioning§Pavlov’s Experiments§Extending Pavlov’s Understanding§Pavlov’s Legacy2

Operant Conditioning§Skinner’s Experiments§Extending Skinner’s Understanding§Skinner’s Legacy§Contrasting Classical & OperantConditioning3

Learning is a relatively permanent change in anorganism’s behavior due to experience.5

Learning to associate one stimuluswith another.8

Learning to associate a responsewith a consequence.9

Learning to associate a responsewith a consequence.10

SovfotoIdeas of classical conditioning originate from oldphilosophical theories. However, it was theRussian physiologist Ivan Pavlov who explainedclassical conditioning.Ivan Pavlov (1849-1936)11

Forty Studies that ChangedPsychology Read pages 65-72, “It’s not just aboutsalivating dogs!” in groups of three. Discuss each section and fill out theworksheet as you go (One worksheet pergroup) Be prepared to discuss the study withthe class. J

Before conditioning, food (UnconditionedStimulus, US) produces salivation(Unconditioned Response, UR). However, thetone (neutral stimulus) does not.12

During conditioning, the neutral stimulus (tone)and the US (food) are paired, resulting insalivation (UR). After conditioning, the neutralstimulus (now Conditioned Stimulus, CS) elicitssalivation (now Conditioned Response, CR)13

Acquisition is the initial learning stage inclassical conditioning in which an associationbetween a neutral stimulus and anunconditioned stimulus takes place.1.In most cases, for conditioning to occur, theneutral stimulus needs to come before theunconditioned stimulus.2. The time in between the two stimuli shouldbe about half a second.14

The CS needs to come half a second before the USfor acquisition to occur.15

When the US (food) does not follow the CS(tone), CR (salivation) begins to decrease andeventually causes extinction.16

After a rest period, an extinguished CR (salivation)spontaneously recovers, but if the CS (tone) persistsalone, the CR becomes extinct again.17

Tendency to respond tostimuli similar to the CS iscalled generalization. Pavlovconditioned the dog’ssalivation (CR) by usingminiature vibrators (CS) onthe thigh. When hesubsequently stimulatedother parts of the dog’sbody, salivation dropped.18

Discrimination is the learned ability to distinguishbetween a conditioned stimulus and other stimuli thatdo not signal an unconditioned stimulus.19

Pavlov’s greatest contributionto psychology is isolatingelementary behaviors frommore complex ones throughobjective scientificprocedures.Ivan Pavlov(1849-1936)25

1.2.Former crack cocaine users should avoidcues (people, places) associated withprevious drug use.Through classical conditioning, a drug (plusits taste) that affects the immune responsemay cause the taste of the drug to invoke theimmune response.26

Brown BrothersWatson used classicalconditioning procedures todevelop advertisingcampaigns for a number oforganizations, includingMaxwell House, making the“coffee break” an Americancustom.John B. Watson27

What is Operant Conditioning?

1. Classical conditioningforms associationsbetween stimuli (CSand US). Operantconditioning, on theother hand, forms anassociation betweenbehaviors and theresulting events.28

2.Classical conditioning involves respondentbehavior that occurs as an automaticresponse to a certain stimulus. Operantconditioning involves operant behavior, abehavior that operates on the environment,producing rewarding or punishing stimuli.

Operant Conditioning law of effect: This law states thatrewarded behavior is likely to occur.

Walter Dawn/ Photo Researchers, Inc.31From The Essentials of Conditioning and Learning, 3rdEdition by Michael P. Domjan, 2005. Used with permissionby Thomson Learning, Wadsworth DivisionUsing Thorndike's law of effect as a startingpoint, Skinner developed the Operant chamber,or the Skinner box, to study operantconditioning.

The operant chamber,or Skinner box, comeswith a bar or key thatan animal manipulatesto obtain a reinforcerlike food or water. Thebar or key is connectedto devices that recordthe animal’s response.32

Reinforcement:Any event that strengthens thebehavior it follows. A heat lamp positivelyreinforces a meerkat’s behavior in the cold.Reuters/ Corbis34

1.Primary Reinforcer: An innately reinforcingstimulus like food or drink.2.Conditioned Reinforcer: A learnedreinforcer that gets its reinforcing powerthrough association with the primaryreinforcer.

1.Immediate Reinforcer: A reinforcer thatoccurs instantly after a behavior. A rat gets afood pellet for a bar press.2.Delayed Reinforcer: A reinforcer that isdelayed in time for a certain behavior. Apaycheck that comes at the end of a week.We may be inclined to engage in small immediatereinforcers (watching TV) rather than large delayedreinforcers (getting an A in a course) which requireconsistent study.36

An aversive event that decreases the behavior itfollows.41

Although there may be some justification foroccasional punishment (Larzelaere & Baumrind,2002), it usually leads to negative effects.1.2.3.4.5.6.Results in unwanted fears.Conveys no information to the organism.Justifies pain to others.Causes unwanted behaviors to reappear in itsabsence.Causes aggression towards the agent.Causes one unwanted behavior to appear inplace of another.42

Intrinsic Motivation:The desire to perform abehavior for its ownsake.Extrinsic Motivation:The desire to perform abehavior due topromised rewards orthreats of punishments.46

Skinner introduced the concept of teachingmachines that shape learning in small steps andprovide reinforcements for correct rewards.LWA-JDL/ CorbisIn School49

Reinforcers affect productivity. Many companiesnow allow employees to share profits andparticipate in company ownership.At work50

At HomeIn children, reinforcing good behavior increasesthe occurrence of these behaviors. Ignoringunwanted behavior decreases their occurrence.51

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Examples-1 A professor has a policy of exemptingstudents from the final exam if theymaintain perfect attendance during thequarter. His students’ attendance increasesdramatically The exemption from the final exam is anegative reinforcement because something istaken away that increases the behavior(attendance).

Examples-2 You check the coin return slot on a paytelephone and find a quarter. You findyourself checking other telephones over thenext few days. The quarter would be a positivereinforcement because it was given and ledto an increase in the behavior.

Examples-3 Your hands are cold so you put your gloveson. In the future, you are more likely to putgloves on when it’s cold. The consequence is a negativereinforcement because the coldness is takenaway and the behavior of putting on glovesincreases.

Examples-4 John Watson conducted an experiment with aboy named Albert in which he paired a whiterat with a loud, startling noise. Albert nowbecomes startled at the sight of the white rat. The loud noise is the US. The startle is the UR. The white rat is the CS. The startle response to the white rat is the CR.

Examples-5 Your cell phone rings in the middle of a classlecture, and you are scolded by your teacherfor not turning your phone off prior to class. This is positive punishment becausesomething uncomfortable was added to thesituation that decreases the likelihood ofyou letting your phone ring in the future.

Observational Learning

Classical Conditioning & Operant Conditioning. What is Classical Conditioning? HowDoWeLearn? ClassicalConditioning § § § Pavlov’sExperiments ExtendingPavlov’sUnderstanding Pavlov’sLegacy 2 Learning Objective: Students will be able to describe the difference between Classical and Operant Conditioning.