Classical Conditioning: The Theory

A type of learning in which a previously neutral stimulus starts eliciting a response that was originally the response to a natural stimulus i.e., a stimulus that was meant to produce that response; it so happens because the neutral stimulus had been closely associated with the natural
stimulus.

Basic Terminology in Classical Conditioning:

i.Reflex
•  An automatic, unlearned response resulting from a specific stimulus.

ii. Un Conditioned Stimulus (UCS)
A stimulus that elicits a response reflexively, naturally, and reliably.

iii. Un Conditioned Response (UCR)
•  A natural, reflexive, reliable, response of the UCS.

iv. Conditioned Stimulus (CS)
•  A primarily neutral stimulus which, when paired with the UCS, starts evoking a response (different from its own natural response) and the same as UCR.

v. Conditioned Response (CR)
•  After conditioning, the CS begins to elicit a new, learned
response i.e., CR.

John.B.Watson: (1878- 1958)
•  American psychologist initially trained in introspection at the University of Chicago but found it extremely vague and mentalistic.
•  He became interested in experimental research with animals.
•  Gave a revolutionary, pragmatic approach often known as ‘radical behaviorism’.
•  For Watson, observable behavior is all that psychology should be looking at.
•  Environment and external world (environmental stimuli) is what shapes and determines behavior.
•  Learning is what matters in what a person is, and not the inborn instincts, impulses, drive, id, or unconscious motivation. An understanding of learning will encompass all aspects of personality

Impact of Learning Experience
“Give me a dozen healthy infants, well formed, and my own specified world to bring them up in, and I’ll guarantee to take any one at random and train him to become any type of specialist I might select__ doctor, lawyer, artist, merchant- chief, and yes, even beggar- man and thief, regardless of his talents, penchants, tendencies, abilities, vocations and race of his ancestors” (Watson, 1924).

Little Albert’s Case
Learned Fear
•  1920: Developing Fear: Watson and Rosalie Rayner’s experimen
•  Eleven- month old Albert who enjoyed playing with a cute white rat was made afraid of it by linking a loud frightening sound with the appearance of the rat.
•  The experiment was further expanded and Watson and Rayner demonstrated that the fear of the rat could be generalized to all sorts of stimuli: a dog, a cotton ball and a Santa Clause. In Albert’s case, the same sequence of events i.e., presenting the rat with the gong was repeated three times; on all repetitions he began crying, showing that a classical association had been established.
•  Seven conditioning trials were repeated on two occasions and then the rat was presented without the gong; Albert still cried.
•  Watson called this ‘conditioned emotional response’.
•  Watson and Rayner worked with Albert once again after about a week.
•  He was presented withthe same objects.
•  This time he showed the same fear response towards other objects similar to the rat i.e., cotton balls, white fur, and a Santa Clause mask having a white beard.

This indicated that ‘stimulus generalization’ had taken place
•  The researchers had plans to experiment on unlearning the emotional response
•  For three weeks they worked on extinguishing the response using Pavlov’s ‘extinction’ procedure: presenting the rat without gong. But could not achieve success.
•  Watson and Rayner could not get a chance to undo the learning as the child’s mother removed him from the hospital.

Stages and Extensions of Classical Conditioning Acquisition

•  Extinction
•  Spontaneous recovery
•  Stimulus generalization
•  Stimulus discrimination
•  Higher Order Conditioning