... Phobias, Addictions and Extinction At some point throughout life, all human beings experience phobias and/or addiction. Both can be deeply rooted in a persons mind and are derived through one of two styles of learning; classical or operant conditioning. The development of a phobia through classical conditioning, although not likely logical, can significantly impact every day life, in some cases disabling a person from doing common day-to-day things. Similarly, addictions developed through operant conditioning can be detrimental to a person’s health and well-being. Although both phobias and addictions can be difficult to expel, through extinction, a process of removing the reinforcer, it can be completed (Cherry, n.d.). This essay will explore classical conditioning phobias and operant conditioning addictions and the remedy through extinction for both. Phobias Through Classical Conditioning According to Merriam-Webster Online (n.d.) phobias are: : an exaggerated usually inexplicable and illogical fear of a particular object. This makes perfect sense considering how a phobia is developed. Classical conditioning is a learning style that associates something (sound, smell, etc.) that historically would have not been corresponded with it. A phobia is likely to be developed through an association to fear. As an example, in the 1920’s John Watson and Rosalie Rayner performed experiments on a 9-month baby...
Words: 889 - Pages: 4
...700-word essay to describe the relationship between classical and operant conditioning. Explain their elements and how they differ from one another. Additionally, provide an example for how learning can occur through each mode of conditioning. Explain how Ivan Pavlov and B.F. Skinner contributed to the study of learning and conditioning. The bond between classical and operant conditions is that they almost the same thing but different at the same time are the most significant part of behavioral psychology. What makes them same is that they both have results in learning. The elements of classical conditioning are stimulus. This just means that you are stimulated in a way that you will respond. The fundamentals of classical condition are unbiased stimulus, unrestricted stimulus, trained stimulus, open-ended response, and hardened response. Classical conditioning is when something happens and causes you to react also known as impulse. The elements of operant conditioning are support and punishment. The two do have likenesses but they also have differences as well. What makes these two the same is that you will get a response with both but in different ways? Classical is more of a reflex and operant is more of a response. The difference between the two are is; classical is where you do not know whether you will respond to something. Operant conditioning you will respond whether it is a positive response or a negative response. An example of classical conditioning would be...
Words: 637 - Pages: 3
...In order to fully comprehend classical and operant conditioning , first we need to understand what exactly behaviourism is and what it focuses on. This essay will outline behaviourism and look at the explanations for how we learn, these include classical and operant conditioning. Both learning methods have several practical applications used to treat people, these will also be discussed. Behaviourist’s believe that when you are born your mind is blank and behaviorism focuses on learning based on the concept that all actions are acquired through conditioning processes. John Watson who was considered “the father of behavioursim”, argued that conditioning occurred through interaction with the environment and our responses to the environmental stimuli shape our behaviours. Conditioning can be separated into two types, classical and operant. Classical Conditioning is defined as the conditioning of reflexes so that they occur in response to new situations. It was first discovered by Ivan Pavlov when he was working on dogs, studying their digestive systems. He noted that the dogs produced saliva when a bell(auditory stimulus) and food (unconditioned stimulus) were presented together. Eventually the bell alone(conditioned stimulus) would come to evoke the salivating response(conditioned response) . The link between the saliva and the bell is defined as conditioned stimulus and response because the dogs were conditioned to associate the bell with receiving the food. However if the...
Words: 706 - Pages: 3
...Addiction as it Relates to Classical and Operant Conditioning Social phobia is also known as social anxiety which is a persistent phobia from negative assessment of others. Most people suffering from this type of phobia or social anxiety would turn to drugs and alcohol to lessen the anxiety (Lak, Sedaghat, and Almadv, & 2012), and then the self-medicated or self with illegal drugs leads to addiction. The paper essay will focus phobias and addictions as related to classical and operant conditional. Phobia is an irrational fear of a specific object or situation. Phobias can be developed through classical conditioning. Classical conditioning is learning by stimulus from the environment. In layman’s term, a toddler learns that a pot on the stove is hot and should not be touch. The toddler then develop phobia that hot stove burn the skin and as a result stay away from it. Following Pavlov’s observations, John Watson a behaviorist and his associate Rosalie Rayner (1920) did studies on how classical conditioning relates to phobias. Watson and Rayner selected a white rat to be in their experiment and proceeded to condition a fear response in Little Albert and each time Albert would reach out to touch the rat, they struck the steel bar. After doing this a few times, Albert learned to fear the rat. This is all true in adults as well because I have a friend who goes in panic when they see the police or anything that is connected to the police. If he hears a police siren,...
Words: 1327 - Pages: 6
...Intro Behavior in children can be complex as well as unpredictable. Adults can be the ideal role models however there are times children will display behaviors that are unwanted. The parents then have to find a way to modify and stop this undesirable behavior. This essay will discuss three ways to modify behavior in children: Motivation, Operant Conditioning and Classical Conditioning (positive and negative reinforcement with or without stimulus).Also included in this will be how these methods are used and which method is most effective. Motivation Motivation itself can be very rewarding from success in any accomplishment. This can be used for children and behavior. Behavior can be changed thru motivation such as the child getting a reward for good behavior. “Piaget discovered that children act on their own in the world and eventually will discover how the world works and what all is in it for them” (Olson & Hergenhahn, 2013). As Piaget suggested, when a child discovers what is in it for them they will willingly want to change the undesired behavior. Children are often swayed and motivated by rewards. If they know they will get something for displaying good behavior the undesired behavior will become less and less. Eventually the behavior will become extinct if the parent uses the motivator in a lengthier time frame. One must understand that children have psychological needs and motives. According to Deckers, “ For human motivation, biological and psychological motivates...
Words: 1162 - Pages: 5
... You hear a new song on the radio. A company used the same song in its advertising and the song was played over and over again. Your attitude is likely to a) become ambivalent b) become more negative c) become more positive d) remain the same If the word pink is followed by negative words and frowns from his mother, the toddler learns to respond negatively to the word pink. This is an example of a) classical conditioning b) operant conditioning c) social learning d) verbal learning Jake wasn’t sure whether he was in favour of capital punishment (death sentence) or not. However, after receiving an ‘A’ grade for an essay that denounced capital punishment, he decides that capital punishment is ineffective and inhumane. This is an example of a) classical conditioning b) operant conditioning c) social learning d) verbal learning After a 3-year-old boy sees his dad shaving, he covers his own face with shaving cream. This is an example of a) classical conditioning b) operant conditioning c) social learning d)...
Words: 288 - Pages: 2
...Running head: PHOBIAS AND ADDICTIONS Phobias and Addictions PSY/300 Abstract This essay examines phobias and addictions, how phobias can be developed through operant conditioning and how addictions can be developed through operant conditioning. This essay also examines the distinctions between classical and operant condition and examines “extinction” as it relates to psychological theory and how extinction is achieved in classical and operant conditioning. Phobias and Addictions Numerous psychologists believe that behaviors are learned through conditioning. These conditionings are known as operant, which is based on individual’s response to outside stimuli, and classical conditioning, which is based on the theory that people’s reactions to situations are learned behaviors. Phobias and Addictions can develop when an individual’s ability to function within societal normality’s or adapt to societal complexities are diminished. Addiction is a condition in which the body must have a drug to avoid physical and psychological withdrawal symptoms. Phobias and classical conditioning Phobias are persistent and irrational fears of specific objects, activities, or situations that are excessive and unreasonable, given the reality of the threat. Even though phobias are based on irrational fears, they often cause serious problems in a person’s life. Phobias can result in a person being unable to perform their job, participate in any...
Words: 1189 - Pages: 5
...Worksheet 1. Write a 450- to 700-word essay to describe the relationship between classical and operant conditioning. Explain their elements and how they differ from one another. Additionally, provide an example for how learning can occur through each mode of conditioning. Explain how Ivan Pavlov and B.F. Skinner contributed to the study of learning and conditioning. Classical and operant conditioning are important concepts to behavior psychology. While both result in learning, the processes are different. The elements of classical condition are neutral stimulus, unconditioned stimulus, conditioned stimulus, unconditioned response, and conditioned response, while the elements of operant conditioning are reinforcement and punishment. Reinforcement following a behavior will cause the behavior to increase, but if behavior is followed by punishment the behavior will decrease. Ivan Pavlov was a Russian physiologist who was interested in behavior. Pavlov theorized what is called classical conditioning. The most prominent figure in the development and study of Operant Conditioning was B. F. Skinner. Skinner theorized what is called operant conditioning. One of the simplest ways to remember the differences between classical and operant conditioning is to focus on whether the behavior is involuntary or voluntary. Classical conditioning involves making an association between an involuntary response and a stimulus, while operant conditioning is about making an association between a...
Words: 560 - Pages: 3
...Operant conditioning is a way to conditionally train a person or even an animal to make a set behavior you [Eliminate second person (you, your) in academic documents and avoid addressing the reader directly. Prefer third-person pronouns (he, she, they, it)] want completed. This proved to be possible by giving a positive or negative response to the set behavior wanted until the tested subject gets the intended behavior correct. In summary this manipulates the subject for a specific result. B.F Skinner also known as the creator of this study “believed that the mechanisms of learning are the same for all species” (Kiernan, fall 2013) [The citation for a direct quote needs the page number] . Skinner’s taught us [Use "we," "us," or "our" to mean yourself and coauthors, not general humanity (or yourself and the reader)] that any behavior can be accomplished if presented and taught properly through the rules of operant conditioning by simply punishing or reinforcing. Although Skinner was seen [The passive voice is a form of "be" (was) and a participle (seen). Over-use of the passive voice can make paragraphs officious and tedious to read. Prefer the active voice. For example, passive voice = The paper was completed on time. Active voice = the student completed the paper on time.] as the primary figure in this theory, he wouldn’t [Contractions are inappropriate in academic writing--write it out] have been able to [Wordiness: this phrase can be simplified to one word--"could"] accomplish...
Words: 1942 - Pages: 8
...Essay Questions Outline and evaluate the learning theory of attachment The Learning theory states that babies form attachments in the same way any behaviour is acquired: it is learned. There are two different ways of learning, according to the theory: Classical conditioning (learning through association) and Operant conditioning (learning through repetition or punishment). The first type, Classical conditioning, is a learning process that occurs through associations between an environmental stimulus and a naturally occuring stimulus. If, for example, we were to use an infant and a primary care giver (PCG): * Food is an unconditioned stimulus that produces an unconditioned response (pleasure). * At the start, PCG is a neutral stimulus who produces no response (pleasure.) * However, because the PCG is continually paired with the unconditioned stimulus (food), she becomes associated with it until eventually the PCG alone can produce pleasure. * PCG has now become a conditioned stimulus and the pleasure she brings is a conditioned response. The second type, Operant conditioning, is a learning process that occurs through rewards and punishment for behaviour. Through this conditioning, an association is made between a behaviour and the consequences for that behaviour. If, for example, we were to use an infant and a PCG: * When hungry, the infant feels uncomfortable and experiences a drive state. * This drive motivates the infant to find some way to lessen...
Words: 448 - Pages: 2
...opposites they both can stem from different learning techniques. A phobia is, “An exaggerated usually inexplicable and illogical fear of a particular object, class of objects, or situations” (Merriam-Webster, 2013). On the other hand an addiction can be defined as, “A persistent compulsive use of a substance known by the user to be harmful” (Merriam-Webster, 2013). The similarity between these two behaviors lies in the compulsive and persistent fear or desire of the object or situation. Two of the well-known learning methods, classical and operant conditioning, can contribute to developing phobias and addictions. One behavior that can be developed by classical conditioning is a Phobia. The concept of developing phobia through classical conditioning occurs when one stimulus is paired with another resulting in a different response (Kowalski & Weston, 2011, p. 165). In 1920, John B. Watson and Rosalie Rayner conducted a classical conditioning study that paved the way for the development of phobias. In this study, they surmised that emotional responses could be learned from the “Little Albert” experiment. They first frightened the subject, Little Albert, by making a very loud noise behind him. After many tests they were able to associate the loud noise with a white rate. They were able to condition Little Albert to be afraid of the white rat without hearing the loud noise because of the association to the noise. Phobias can be developed different ways as well, for example when a...
Words: 969 - Pages: 4
...This essay has 2462 words ‘Behaviourists explain maladaptive behaviour in terms of the learning principles that sustain and maintain it. Discuss this statement and show how a behaviourists approach to therapy is in stark contrast to a psychoanalytic one’ Behaviorism was originally founded by John B. Watson who believed that behavior had the means to be measured, trained and changed (1913) The Behavioural theory is firstly based on experiment and secondly by describing how human behaviour is learnt through principles and rules. Maladaptive behaviour is when an individual is unable to adjust to situations; psychologists use this term to describe patterns of emotional disturbance. Both behavioural and psychoanalytic psychologists use this in different ways. The behavioural theory is based on two main factors being biological drives such as primitive needs and sex drive and what is learnt. The three main principles in the behavioural theory are Stimuli, response and conditioning. Behaviour is believed to be a conditioned response to an environmental stimulus. Individuals are obliged to react to stimuli using their senses such as seeing and hearing. There are short lived unlearned behaviours such as suckling and unlearned grasping. Responses are overt and implicit, learned or unlearned. Response can be foreseen if stimuli are available and stimuli can be predicted from the response. Unlearned responses are automatic such as breathing heavily and perspiring when running. Unlearned...
Words: 2672 - Pages: 11
...University of Phoenix Material Learning and Memory Worksheet 1. Write a 450- to 700-word essay to describe the relationship between classical and operant conditioning. Explain their elements and how they differ from one another. Additionally, provide an example for how learning can occur through each mode of conditioning. Explain how Ivan Pavlov and B.F. Skinner contributed to the study of learning and conditioning. Describe the relationship between classical and operant conditioning. Explain their elements and how they differ from one another. Additionally, provide an example for how learning can occur through each mode of conditioning. Classical and operant conditioning are two important concepts central to behavioral psychology. While both result in learning, the processes are quite different. In order to understand how each of these behavior modification techniques can be used, it is also essential to understand how classical conditioning and operant conditioning differ from one another. Classical conditioning theory involves learning a new behavior via the process of association. In simple terms two stimuli are linked together to produce a new learned response in a person or animal. There are three stages of classical conditioning. At each stage the stimuli and responses are given special scientific terms. In stage one the unconditioned stimulus produces a unconditioned response in an organism. In basic terms, this means that a stimulus in the environment has...
Words: 538 - Pages: 3
...University of Phoenix Material Week 2 Review Worksheet The Process of Memory In the spaces provided beneath the flowchart, list the term that corresponds with the definition in each box. [pic] 1. Store____________________ 2. Encoding_________________ 3. Short term memory________ 4. Consolidation______________ 5. Declarative Memory________ 6. Chunking_________________ 7. Segmentation________ 8. Rehearsal Computing IQ Essay Consider the following scenario: Kara is 10 years old. She has been given an intelligence test. Her mental age is 13. According to Sternberg, what is Kara’s IQ? Conduct research and interpret her score. Choose two theories of intelligence. Write a 150- to 200-word discussion on the components of each theory, and how they differ in relation to Spearman’s g factor. According to Sternberg, Kara’s IQ is 90 because at ages 10,11,12,13 the level of IQ is more than ages above 17 because of initiation to adulthood. Kara’s scores will be high because children with elevated levels of intelligence are more likely to learn in the school setting comparatively to their peers with lower scores. This gives evidence to the relationship between IQ scores and school performance. The triarchic theory of intelligence was created by Sternberg while he was piloting research on human intelligence. The triarchic theory is made up of three components. The first component addresses the relationship between intelligence and experience...
Words: 886 - Pages: 4
...In this essay I will discuss the weight loss program put together for a friend to increase his or her chances of making the football team. In this program we will use operant conditioning to help the subject start to lose weight for his or her goal of making the football team. Operant conditioning is learning controlled by the consequences of the organism’s behavior. The reason operant conditioning is so effective is because of the law of effect. This states that if a stimulus followed by a behavior results in a reward, the stimulus is more likely to give rise to the behavior in the future. We will use reinforcement and a certain schedule of reinforcement to increase the behavior of eating healthy and working out to lose weight. While devising...
Words: 522 - Pages: 3
