What Is Classical Conditioning In Psychology?

Classical conditioning is a type of learning that had a great influence on behaviorism, a systematic approach in psychology that emerged in the 19th century that assumes that many behaviors are the product of an association: reflexes produced by a conditioned response to certain stimuli. This association is also a consequence of that person’s history.

The Russian physiologist Ivan Pavlov, together with John B. Watson, is the greatest exponent of classical conditioning, one of the key processes of behaviorism, along with operant or instrumental conditioning.

What is classical conditioning?

Behaviorism is based on the assumption that all learning occurs through interactions with the environment, which shapes behavior (teaches). In classical conditioning, the learning process occurs through the association of an initial stimulus (for example, the smell of food) that causes a regular and measurable unconditioned response in the body (for example, salivation), with a neutral event ( for example, a noise) that elicited no response (salivation) before conditioning.

After several consecutive presentations of a spatio-temporal nature, the neutral event will acquire the functions of the initial stimulus, provoking the same response as that one. In this way, a noise could end up causing salivation.

It is important to note that classical conditioning involves placing a neutral signal before a natural reflex. In Pavlov’s classic experiment with dogs, the neutral signal was the sound of a tone and the natural reflex was salivation in response to food. By associating the neutral stimulus with the environmental stimulus (food presentation), the sound of the tone (conditioned stimulus) could produce the salivation response.

How Classical Conditioning Works: Basic Principles

Classical conditioning involves forming an association between two stimuli that results in a learned response. For them, there are three basic phases that appear in this process:

Phase 1. Before conditioning

The first part of the classical conditioning process requires a stimulus (we’ll call it unconditioned) that will automatically elicit a response. For example, continuing with the previous example, salivating in response to the smell of food is a natural stimulus.

During this phase of the process, the unconditioned stimulus will result in an unconditioned response. For example, the presentation of food (unconditioned stimulus) naturally and automatically triggers a salivation response (unconditioned response).

There is also a neutral stimulus that does not yet produce any effect. It is when this neutral stimulus is paired with the unconditioned stimulus that the evocation of a response will appear.

Thus, the unconditioned stimulus is one that unconditionally, naturally, and automatically triggers a response. For example, smelling a food that you really like can trigger hunger. Here, the smell of food is the unconditioned stimulus.

The unconditioned response is the unlearned response that occurs naturally in response to the unconditioned stimulus. That is, the feeling of hunger in response to the smell of food is the unconditioned response.

Phase 2. During conditioning

During the second phase of the classical conditioning process, the previously neutral stimulus is repeatedly paired with the unconditioned stimulus. As a result of this pairing, an association is formed between the previously neutral stimulus and the unconditioned stimulus. Thus, the once neutral stimulus is known as the conditioned stimulus. The subject has now been conditioned to respond to this stimulus.

The conditioned stimulus is previously a neutral stimulus which, after associating with the unconditioned stimulus, triggers a conditioned response. Thus, if at the same time we smell a food that we like we hear a hiss, and this happens many times, finally the hiss will provoke the conditioned response by itself. In this case, the hiss is the conditioned stimulus.

Phase 3. After conditioning

Once the association between the unconditioned stimulus and the conditioned stimulus has been made, the presentation of the conditioned stimulus will only elicit a response (even without the presentation of the unconditioned stimulus).

The resulting response is known as the conditioned response. The conditioned response is the learned response to the previously neutral stimulus. In the example above, the conditioned response would be to feel hungry when hearing the hiss.

Key principles of classical conditioning

Behaviorists have described a number of different phenomena associated with classical conditioning. Some of these elements involve the initial establishment of the response, while others describe the disappearance of a response. These elements are important to understanding the classical conditioning process.

Acquisition is the initial stage of learning when a response is first established and gradually strengthened. During the acquisition phase of classical conditioning, a neutral stimulus is repeatedly paired with an unconditioned stimulus.

Remember that the unconditioned stimulus is something that, naturally and automatically, triggers a response without any learning. Once the association is made, the subject will begin to emit a behavior in response to the previously neutral stimulus, which is now known as a conditioned stimulus. At this point, the answer has been acquired.

Extinction occurs when the appearance of a conditioned response diminishes or disappears. In classical conditioning, this happens when a conditioned stimulus is no longer paired with an unconditioned stimulus.

However, sometimes a learned response can suddenly resurface even after a period of extinction. Spontaneous recovery is the reappearance of the conditioned response after a period of rest or a period of diminished response.  If the conditioned stimulus and the unconditioned stimulus are no longer associated, extinction will occur very quickly after spontaneous recovery.

Stimulus generalization is the tendency of the conditioned stimulus to evoke similar responses after the response has been conditioned.  In John B. Watson’s famous Little Albert experiment, a young child was conditioned to fear a white rat. The child demonstrated a generalization of the stimulus by also showing fear in response to other fuzzy white objects, including stuffed toys and Watson’s own hair.

Discrimination is the ability to differentiate between a conditioned stimulus and other stimuli that have not been paired with an unconditioned stimulus. Thus, when the subject is able to distinguish between two stimuli, he or she will only respond when the conditioned stimulus is present.

 Classic conditioning and advertising

At present we can find many clear examples of the application of classical conditioning theory. One of them, of great importance, is advertising. Advertising uses classical conditioning as a tactic to elicit a response.

Advertising on game shows is one of many examples. With the exciting and positive atmosphere of a game show, the viewer can begin to generate an exciting response to the ad due to the association with the environment.