Legit Classical Conditioning Examples In Real Life Parenting

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In this post, we will look into classical conditioning, which is the basic act of forming a connection between two separate “stimuli” in order to generate new learning.

What Is Classical Conditioning

Conditioning is the process of associating two stimuli so that if one can cause a reaction, the other may as well, just by association.

In everyday life, you may readily discover classical conditioning instances.

For example, whenever you wear a baseball cap at home, you take your child to the park to play. So, anytime your child sees you bring home a baseball cap, he becomes thrilled because he associates it with a trip to the park.

This type of learning through association is known as classical conditioning.

Classical conditioning, often known as Pavlov (classical conditioning)ian conditioning, is the process of learning through associating a neutral input with a physiologically powerful response. An automatic response, often known as a reflex, is a physiologically powerful stimulus.

Classical conditioning was developed in the early 1900s by Russian scientist Ivan Pavlov (classical conditioning) (classical conditioning) while studying digestion in dogs.

Pavlov (classical conditioning) noticed that his dogs would salivate whenever he entered the room, whether or not he brought food, since the dogs had learned to link his presence into the room with being fed.

Pavlov (classical conditioning) then used various sound-making items to train the dogs’ reactions in a series of tests. When he fed his dogs, he rang a bell. The dogs began salivating as soon as they heard the sound – even before they saw the meal – after numerous repetitions.

Pavlov (classical conditioning) soon began ringing the bell without offering them any food. Even nevertheless, the dogs continued to salivate at the sound. The bell’s sound had been connected with food, and salivation had become a taught reaction.

Classical Conditioning Examples

Throughout childhood, classical conditioning happens often. Parents can use classical conditioning to elicit both good and negative kid behaviors, either intentionally or unintentionally.

A parent, for example, can make “doing schoolwork” into a game. Playing games (in the United States) is enjoyable. Doing schoolwork and having fun (ego state) generate a positive connection in the kid when they are regularly matched together.

Getting flu vaccinations is another example of classical conditioning. The first time a child comes into contact with a needle is nearly usually a bad one. It was painful and unforgettable for them to have their sensitive skin pierced for the first time. The majority of children’s link the needle with pain and weep when they see it.

Another example is when parents use compliments to make their children feel good about their good behavior. Children who are praised are pleased with themselves and feel motivated to continue behaving well.

How Classical Conditioning Works

Let’s take a look at the mechanics of classical conditioning. Classical conditioning consists of several phases. Different terminology is used to identify stimuli and reactions at each level.

Before the acquisition, acquisition, and post-acquisition are the three steps of classical conditioning.

PHASE 1: Prior To Acquisition

The unconditioned stimulus (US) naturally causes an unconditioned response (UR) in an individual before classical conditioning starts. This is an automatic reaction that does not require any training or practice. It is sometimes referred to as the main reinforcer.

In Pavlov (classical conditioning)’s experiment, for example, offering dogs food (US) naturally leads them to salivate (UR). This was an unconditioned reflex reaction.

A neutral stimulus (NS) does not elicit an unconditioned response at this stage. This neutral stimulus could be anything, such as a sound, smell, taste, object, scene, or anything else. It does not elicit a reaction unless it is combined with an unconditioned stimulus.

For example, ringing the bell (NS) did not initially evoke salivation (UR) in Pavlov (classical conditioning)’s dogs.

PHASE 2: Aquisition

To create an association, the neutral stimulus is frequently matched with the unconditioned stimulus during acquisition.

In general, it takes several pairings of a pair of stimuli to become linked. However, the connection can occasionally be created by a single NS-US pairing without recurrence.

For example, a dog barked (NS) before biting (US) a children’s leg. The child was terrified (UR). When this child hears a dog barking again (CS), he or she trembles in dread (CR). This learning process was completed in just one pairing.

PHASE 3: After Aquisition

The neutral stimulus is transformed into a conditioned stimulus (CS). Even when the conditioned stimulus is not present, it can elicit the same reaction as the unconditioned stimulus. The conditioned response occurs when an automatic reaction is prompted by a conditioned stimulus (CR). A conditioned reaction is a response that has been learned. The conditioned and unconditioned responses are generally the same (or very comparable).

For example, after being frequently associated with food (US), the sound of the bell (NS), a previously neutral stimulus, may drive the dogs to salivate (CR) on their own.

Classical Conditioning Characteristics

Normally, the conditioned stimulus must be delivered before the unconditioned stimulus for classical conditioning to occur. Forward conditioning refers to the learning process in which the conditioned stimulus occurs before the unconditioned input. Backward conditioning, on the other hand, introduces the conditioned stimulus after the unconditioned stimulation has ended.

Forward classical conditioning is classified into three kinds. They have an impact on the power and efficacy of learning in different ways.

Delay – introduces the CS, who is quickly followed by the US.
Trace – creates a temporal gap between the conclusion of the CS and the beginning of the US.
Simultaneous – the two stimuli, CS and US, appear and vanish simultaneously.

When delay conditioning is employed instead of trace conditioning, associative learning is generally stronger and faster. It gets more difficult to build an association as the gap in trace conditioning lengthens.

In most cases, delay and trace conditionings outperform simultaneous and backward conditionings 5. Backward conditioning also does not function in many instances, according to research.

Extinction – the cessation of a previously conditioned response.
Pavlov (classical conditioning)’s experiment shows that if he stops feeding his dogs when he rings the bell, the dogs will ultimately cease salivating at the sound.
Spontaneous recovery is the reintroduction of a previously extinct habit.
After the conditioned behavior has died out, it may reappear unexpectedly, a process known as spontaneous recovery.
Extinction burst – a brief rise in the frequency, length, or amplitude of extinct behavior.
Because the person is attempting to reintroduce the unconditioned stimulus, conditioned behavior may momentarily increase rather than decrease throughout the extinction process.

Stimulus generalization occurs when a fresh stimulus identical to the conditioned stimulus elicits the same conditioned response without the requirement for conditioning.

The inverse of generalization is stimulus discrimination. It is the capacity to discern the difference between two comparable inputs.

The well-known Little Alert experiment clearly shows the notion of stimulus generalization. In this contentious study, researcher John B. Watson conditioned infant Albert to fear a white rat (CS) by associating it with a terrifying clanging sound (US). After constantly making a loud noise every time the kid touched the animal, infant Albert grew terrified just by seeing the critter (CR).

Watson discovered that the baby’s phobia of white rats was not confined to white rats. Other tiny creatures, such as white bunnies or dogs, frightened the infant as well. The poor child was likewise terrified of white soft things like white cotton balls. As a result, fear of one stimulus was generalized to dread of other stimuli with comparable characteristics.

Fear conditioning may not necessarily necessitate repetition. One traumatic event might sometimes be enough to cause associative learning and generalization to subsequent stimuli.

Here’s an example of classical conditioning in action. You were seriously hurt after being struck by a car that ran a red light while going through an intersection. You are now fear-conditioned to feel scared every time you approach an intersection, not just the one where you were hit. Anxiety might be so intense that you don’t want to drive again. That is how anxiety disorders are caused by stimulus generalization.

Classical conditioning caused by a severe unpleasant experience such as this can be extremely potent, resulting in phobia, panic disorder, or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). According to research, some PTSD sufferers have poorer stimulus discrimination, which can lead to difficulties in extinction.

Higher-Order Conditioning

Associating a neutral stimulus with an unconditioned stimulus results in first-order learning.
Second-order learning occurs when a neutral stimulus is combined with a stimulus that has already been transformed into a conditioned stimulus via first-order conditioning.

Higher-order – learning is obtained by combining a neutral stimulus with a previously conditioned stimulus. Higher-order conditioning is inherently weaker than first-order conditioning. However, by employing a strong unconditioned stimulus, the strength can be enhanced.

Second-order conditioning is divided into three stages. To create a conditional connection, a CS1 conditioned stimulus is delivered before the unconditioned stimulus (US) in the first training phase. In the second phase, a second conditioned stimulus (CS2) is presented after CS1, such that CS2 finally elicits the identical conditioned response (CR), despite the fact that CS2 was never explicitly matched with the US.

In consumer product marketing, second-order and higher-order classical conditioning are widely used. A sports personality, for example, is connected with an entertaining game. The objective of a product firm using a sports celebrity to advertise its product is to establish connections between the product and the good sensations associated with attending an exciting sports game.

A Note About Food Aversion

Taste aversion learning is a particularly powerful kind of training that can influence human behavior because if it communicates “danger,” you have one final chance to avoid eating the item.

How You Can Use Classical Conditioning In A Classroom Setting

Classical conditioning occurs often in schools and can have a negative impact on a children’s academic achievement.

Students feel linked and attached to a teacher who is warm and loving (US) (UR). Students subsequently learn to correlate going to school (CS) with related feelings (CR) and develop a preference for going to school.

Students enjoy going to school when they are nice and helpful to one another (US). Students link going to school (CS) with having fun (ego state) (CR), so they look forward to coming every day.

On the other side, if a teacher is severe and rigorous (like in the United States), students dislike attending to school (UR). They connect going to school (CS) with negative emotions (CR). They develop a distaste for school and learning. Students in the United States who are bullied at school are afraid and hurt (UR). Students subsequently link attending to school (CS) with being scared and hurt (CR), making them more likely to drop out of school.

Classical Conditioning Can Happen Naturally

Classical Conditioning happens frequently unintentionally. Even while it could be useful when applied correctly, there is a reason why behaviorism has gone out of favour – it is overly simple.

Many classical conditioning ideas are based on research with laboratory animals. Humans, on the other hand, are not laboratory animals. When applied to people, learning by association becomes much more difficult since our behavior is frequently motivated by factors other than the environment. Over-praise, for example, may not be a good thing. When feasible, parents should use intrinsic incentives rather than extrinsic drives to encourage learning in their children.

B.F. Skinner, a psychologist, created the operant conditioning hypothesis, which eventually became another pillar in behaviorism psychology, to account for more than only involuntary classical conditioning.

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