in which there is no contingency between response and reinforcer. This situation resembles

most closely the experiment from Pavlov in the 1920s, where he trained his dogs to

associate a bell ring with a food-reward. In such experiments, the subject initially shows

weak or no response to a conditioned stimulus (CS, e.g. the bell), but a measurable

unconditioned response (UCR, e.g. saliva production) to an unconditioned stimulus (UCS,

e.g. food). In the course of the training, the CS is repeatedly presented together with the

UCS; eventually the subject forms an association between the US and the CS. In a

subsequent test-phase, the subject will show the conditioned response (CR, e.g. saliva

production) to the CS alone, if such an association has been established and memorized.

Such Pavlovian conditioning is opposed to instrumental or operant, where producing a CR

controls the UCS presentations. Therefore, classical conditioning involves learning by

association - where you simply learn by associating two events that often occur together.

Conditioning, in general occurs more rapidly when the conditioned stimulus in unfamiliar

used on alcoholics and drug abusers, where therapists used emetic drugs such as antabuse

or apomorphine. It also used to be used in the 50’s and 60’s with homosexuals. The

response. Wolpe forced a girl with a fear of cars to drive around with him for 4 hours.

the quieter students who behave appropriately in a classroom. Social learning theory is

to be afraid of a white rabbit by showing Albert the rabbit and then slamming two metal

probable. Skinner based his work on Thorndike’s Law of Effect. He developed machines

by learning through imitation and what motivates us would be the attraction of success,

theorists take account of the cognitive aspects of learning. The emphasis on cognition is

Some topics in this essay:
Law Effect, Silfe Williams, , CS CR, Desensitisation SD, Watson Skinner, Watson's Watson, Stimulus CS, Watson Rayner, Taking Pavlov’s, conditioned response, classical conditioning, human behaviour, social learning, law effect, learning theorists, conditioned stimulus, red circle, eg saliva production, unconditioned stimulus, behaviour caused, response original stimulus, conditioned stimulus cs, social learning theory, social learning theorists,