Classical conditioning is a mode of training behavior where a naturally occurring environmental stimulus that produces an unconditional response is paired with a neutral stimulus. After this is done one or more times, the neutral stimulus will become a conditioned stimulus in that it will produce the same response as the naturally occurring unconditional stimulus.
Classical conditioning can cause a phobia. A phobia is a fear that is so irrational that the amount of fear is not warranted by the cause, and it interferes with the daily functioning of the sufferer. If one were to see and hear something that naturally produces a great deal of fear they may develop a phobia to similar sights and sounds. For example, if a car is heard honking and then seen and heard crashing at an intersection one might develop an irrational fear of car horns or crosswalks. Though a crosswalk at an intersection can be considered a dangerous place; if someone is so afraid to use one that they go completely out of their way to avoid it or change their plans all together, this would be considered a phobia because the level of fear is irrational and hinders the persons normal daily functioning.
Another type of associative learning is operant conditioning. Unlike classical conditioning, which is the formation of an associating between two stimuli, operant conditioning is the formation of an association between a behavior and a consequence. There are four possible consequences to a behavior that cause operant conditioning.
They are
- Something good can start or be presented
- Something good can end or be taken away
- Something bad can start or be presented
- Something bad can end or be taken away
This is the type of learning that is associated with addiction. Animals have a natural survival mechanism in place called the pleasure/pain response system which allows us to feel pleasure when we are doing something necessary for survival and pain when we are doing something that could lessen our chances of survival. The pleasure and pain sensations that we feel are caused by the release of neurotransmitters in the brain. When the learning process takes place in the brain, new neural pathways are formed. Neurotransmitters reinforce these new neural pathways every time pleasure or pain is experienced from a given behavior. When a person uses a drug they are often putting themselves through both the pleasure and the pain response modes of operant learning. This happens because when the drug is initially taken the user feels pleasure and this is hardwired into the brain. Then the user will experience the pain/sickness of withdrawing from the substance; this is also hardwired into the brain. Often, the user will attempt to achieve the same pleasure again while simultaneously attempting to avoid the pain and discomfort of the withdraw symptoms. This is the mechanism of addiction.
When a conditioned response or behavior gradually decreases over time and eventually ceases it is said to be extinct. Extinction occurs because the behavior is no longer reinforced. Reinforcement of a response or behavior is the mechanism that is either consciously or unconsciously recognized by the subject to be the positive result of the stimuli or behavior.
For example, if a dog hears a bell every time it is presented food it will start to salivate just at the sound of the bell. This is classical conditioning. However, if food is not presented with the bell for several incidences, then the dog’s salivation will decrease and eventually stop at the sound of the bell. In this example, the food is the unconditioned stimulus, salivation is the unconditioned response, the bell is the neutral stimulus that becomes the conditioned stimulus and the ceasing of the dog to salivate because the food is no longer presented with the bell is extinction.
Extinction also occurs in operant conditioning when a behavior is no longer reinforced or the mode of reinforcement has become trite or otherwise undesirable to the subject. For example, a child is showing improvements in school performance. The parent of the child rewards this behavior with a cookie at the end of each good day. The child continues to show improvements knowing that the cookie is waiting at the end of the day. The child begins to lose interest in receiving a cookie because the taste is no longer as desirable as it used to be as a result of eating the same kind of cookie every day. The child’s performance in school becomes more and more undesirable and eventually goes back to the way it was. This is extinction related to operant conditioning. However, extinction does not mean that the subject goes back to the way they were before the conditioning started. After a few days of poor performance and no cookie, the child may become very interested in the cookie again and do very well in school. This is called spontaneous recovery.
Associative learning is the theory that if two events happen close together in time, then they will become linked together or associated in the mind. This is seen by the development of phobias through classical conditioning when a frightening even happens simultaneously with another event. This can also be seen in the development of addictions through operant conditioning when a user learns that ingesting a chemical substance or performing certain acts will either lead to pleasure or prevent pain. Both types of conditioning can be reinforced or punished; and lack of reinforcement in either technique can lead to extinction.
References:
Cherry, K. (2011). Psychology-Extinction. Retrieved Sept. 4, 2011. From: About.com; http://psychology.about.com/od/eindex/g/extinction.htm.
Ricker, P.J. (2011). Can Classical Conditioning Cause Phobias? Retrieved Sept. 1, 2011. From What is Psychological Science?; http://wwwiscottsdalecc.edu/ricker/psy101/readings/section_5/5-8.html.
The HAMS harm Reduction Network. (2009). Learning. Retrieved Sept. 2, 2011. From: HamsNetwork.org; http://hamsnetwork.org/learning/learning.pdf.
