Conditioning

What is Behavioural Conditioning? | Types of Behavioural Conditioning

Conditioning is a type of learning by association, where a person or animal learns (i.e. is conditioned) to respond in a certain way to a stimulus [1].

Classical conditioning is a term derived from physiologist Ivan Pavlov’s famous experiment training dogs. In it, he presented a bell sound while blowing a puff of meat powder at dogs. After repeating this several times, the dogs began salivating at the bell sound, even without meat powder being blown [2]. 

Therefore, classical conditioning follows the following order: [3]

1. Firstly, an unconditioned stimulus (US) leads to an unconditioned response (UR). A neutral stimulus (NS) results in no response.  
2. Next, the US and NS are presented together. The person or animal displays the UR. 
3. Afterward, the NS alone evokes the same response. It has now become a conditioned stimulus (CS).

Classical conditioning is used to explain how humans develop phobias. Individuals learn to associate an otherwise-neutral stimulus with fear [4].  

Operant Conditioning is the reinforcement of certain behaviours. To investigate this, psychologist B. F. Skinner had a group of rats learn to press a lever that dropped a pellet of food. This became known as ‘positive reinforcement’, where a pleasing stimulus encourages an action. Similarly, ‘negative reinforcement’ is when an action is not performed and a pleasing stimulus is then provided. Subsequently, ‘positive punishment’ occurs when an action is followed by an unpleasant stimulus (e.g. electric shock). On the other hand, ‘negative punishment’ refers to discouraging an action by removing the pleasing stimulus. 

Operant conditioning explains how certain avoidance behaviours are formed. Over time, individuals learn which behaviours lessen their pain or anxiety, and will then repeat those behaviours [5].

Typically, classical conditioning occurs automatically. It also involves pairing two stimuli together. Comparatively, in operant conditioning, a specific behaviour and stimuli are deliberately associated together. 

References:

[1] Psychologist World (2022). Conditioning. Psychologist World. https://www.psychologistworld.com/memory/conditioning-intro#:~:text=Conditioning%20in%20behavioral%20psychology%20is,it%20to%20produce%20Operant%20Conditioning

[2] Windholz G. (1995) Pavlov on the conditioned reflex method and its limitations. Am J Psychol. 1995 Winter;108(4):575-88. PMID: 8585602. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8585602/

[3] Britannica, T. Editors of Encyclopaedia (2020). Conditioning. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/science/conditioning

[4] Harris, B. (1979). Whatever happened to little Albert? American Psychologist, 34(2), 151–160. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.34.2.151 

[5] Mowrer, O. H. (1960). Learning theory and behavior. John Wiley & Sons Inc. https://doi.org/10.1037/10802-000