preview

The Theory Of Classical Conditioning

Good Essays

In this essay the ways in which classical conditioning principals have been used to treat problem behaviours in humans will be discussed. Firstly the findings of Ivan Pavlov’s research experiment on classical conditioning will be explained. Then a number of his basic principals that include extinction, spontaneous recovery, stimulus generalisation and acquisition will be explored. Finally, the use of behavioural therapy in treating problem behaviours, specifically in relation to systematic desensitisation and flooding will be reviewed.
According to Gleitman (2011, p. 264) classical conditioning can be defined as “a form of learning in which one stimulus is paired with another so that the organism learns a relationship between the stimuli.” However it was the study pioneered by Ivan Pavlov, a Russian Born physiologist, which truly revolutionised the theory of classical conditioning.
Pavlov’s initial experiment focused on digestive physiology and in particular, the secretion of saliva in dogs. He was aware that salivation appears whenever food enters the mouth but during his experiments he discovered that salivation could in fact be triggered by other neutral stimuli including the sight, smell or recognisation of the individual whom usually provides the food. Pavlov discovered that the dogs were actually altering their behaviour as a result of learning. He decided to refocus his experiments and established simple patterns that the animal could identify. In order to describe

Get Access