Classical Conditioning Notes

● Classical Conditioning | Boundless Psychology
Basic Principles of Classical Conditioning: Pavlov

Ivan Pavlov’s research on classical conditioning profoundly informed the psychology of learning
and the field of behaviorism.
● Learning Objectives
Summarize the process of classical conditioning
Key Takeaways
Key Points
● Ivan Pavlov is known for his famous experiment with conditioning the salivation response
in dogs, which brought about classical conditioning.
Classical conditioning is a form of learning whereby a conditioned stimulus becomes associated
with an unrelated unconditioned stimulus, in order to produce a behavioral response known as a
conditioned response.
By teaching dogs to associate the sound of a buzzer with being fed, Pavlov established the
principles of classical conditioning.
Various behavior therapies for managing fear and anxiety, such as desensitization and flooding,
have been developed from Pavlov’s work.
Key Terms
behaviorism: An approach to psychology focusing on behavior, denying any independent
significance for the mind and assuming that behavior is determined by the environment.
Hans Eysench: (1916–1997) A German psychologist who is best known for his work on
intelligence and personality.
behavior therapy: An approach to psychotherapy that focuses on a set of methods designed to
reinforce desired behaviors and eliminate undesired behaviors, without concerning itself with the
psychoanalytic state of the subject.
condition: To shape the behavior of an individual or animal.
Ivan Pavlov (1849–1936) was a Russian scientist whose work with dogs has been influential in
understanding how learning occurs. Through his research, he established the theory of classical
conditioning.
Ivan Pavlov: Pavlov is known for his studies in classical conditioning, which have been
influential in understanding learning.
Basic Principles of Classical Conditioning

Classical conditioning is a form of learning whereby a conditioned stimulus (CS) becomes
associated with an unrelated unconditioned stimulus (US) in order to produce a behavioral
response known as a conditioned response (CR). The conditioned response is the learned
response to the previously neutral stimulus. The unconditioned stimulus is usually a biologically
significant stimulus such as food or pain that elicits an unconditioned response (UR) from the
start. The conditioned stimulus is usually neutral and produces no particular response at first,
but after conditioning it elicits the conditioned response.
Extinction is the decrease in the conditioned response when the unconditioned stimulus is no
longer presented with the conditioned stimulus. When presented with the conditioned stimulus
alone, the individual would show a weaker and weaker response, and finally no response. In
classical-conditioning terms, there is a gradual weakening and disappearance of the conditioned
response. Related to this, spontaneous recovery refers to the return of a previously
extinguished conditioned response following a rest period. Research has found that with
repeated extinction/recovery cycles, the conditioned response tends to be less intense with
each period of recovery.
Pavlov’s Famous Study

The best-known of Pavlov’s experiments involves the study of the salivation of dogs. Pavlov
was originally studying the saliva of dogs as it related to digestion, but as he conducted his
research, he noticed that the dogs would begin to salivate every time he entered the
room—even if he had no food. The dogs were associating his entrance into the room with being
fed. This led Pavlov to design a series of experiments in which he used various sound objects,
such as a buzzer, to condition the salivation response in dogs.
He started by sounding a buzzer each time food was given to the dogs and found that the dogs
would start salivating immediately after hearing the buzzer—even before seeing the food. After
a period of time, Pavlov began sounding the buzzer without giving any food at all and found that
the dogs continued to salivate at the sound of the buzzer even in the absence of food. They had
learned to associate the sound of the buzzer with being fed.
If we look at Pavlov’s experiment, we can identify the four factors of classical conditioning at
work:
The unconditioned response was the dogs’ natural salivation in response to seeing or smelling
their food.
The unconditioned stimulus was the sight or smell of the food itself.
The conditioned stimulus was the ringing of the bell, which previously had no association with
food.
The conditioned response, therefore, was the salivation of the dogs in response to the ringing of
the bell, even when no food was present.
Pavlov had successfully associated an unconditioned response (natural salivation in response
to food) with a conditioned stimulus (a buzzer), eventually creating a conditioned response
(salivation in response to a buzzer). With these results, Pavlov established his theory of
classical conditioning.
● Key Points
Classical conditioning was initially discovered to be an effective method of learning in dogs.
Since that time, numerous research studies have found classical conditioning to be effective in
humans as well.
John B. Watson conditioned a fear response in “Little Albert” by banging a hammer on a metal
pole every time Albert touched a white rat. Albert soon developed a conditioned fear response
to rats as well as other similar furry objects.
As an adaptive mechanism, conditioning helps shield an individual from harm or prepare them
for important biological events, such as sexual activity.
Classical conditioning is effective in a number of therapeutic treatments in humans, such as
aversion therapy, systematic desensitization, and flooding.
Classical conditioning is used not only in therapeutic interventions, but in everyday life as well,
such as by advertising agencies.
Key Terms
John B. Watson: (1878–1958) An American psychologist who established the psychological
school of behaviorism, and is known for his controversial “Little Albert” experiment.
conditioning: The process of modifying behavior.
Since Ivan Pavlov’s original experiments, many studies have examined the application of
classical conditioning to human behavior.

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● Classical Conditioning | Boundless Psychology

Basic Principles of Classical Conditioning: Pavlov

Basic Principles of Classical Conditioning

Pavlov’s Famous Study

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