Ivan Pavlov: Classical Conditioning
Classical conditioning focuses on stimulating involuntary responses. Involuntary responses are things that happen that we have no control over such as salivation and blinking. Pavlov conducted an experiment that demonstrated the principles of classical conditioning. There are three phases:
- Preconditioning
- Conditioning
- Postconditioning
Preconditioning: Introducing an unconditioned stimulus (stimulus that doesn't illicit a conditioned response) and that stimulus illicit an unconditioned response. Then introducing a neutral stimulus and that produces no response.
Conditioning: Pairing the unconditioned stimulus with the neutral stimulus and that will illicit an unconditioned response. Postconditioning: The neutral stimulus will have become the conditioned stimulus and the response will become the conditioned response. |
Example: Pavlov's DogsFor this experiment Pavlov focused on the salivation of dogs when shown food. The dog food was the unconditioned stimulus, the salivation was the unconditioned response, the bell was the neutral stimulus.
Preconditioning: The food (UCS) was shown to the dogs and the dogs salivated (UCR). The bell was rung (NS) and the dogs didn't do anything (UCR). Conditioning: The food (UCS) was paired with the bell (NS) and the dogs salivated (UCR). Postconditioning: The bell was rung (CS) and the dogs salivated (CR). |
Pavlov also explored other conditions such as stimulation generalization (hearing any kind of bell and salivating), discrimination (hearing a certain kind of bell and salivating) and extinction (eliminating the conditioned response).
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