Classical Conditioning Of the several types of learning the first to be studied and discovered within the behaviorist tradition was classical conditioning. Ivan Pavlov was the major theorist in developing classical conditioning. Classical conditioning is a learning process that occurs through associations between an environmental stimulus and a naturally occurring stimulus (Olson & Hergenhahn, 2009).
Classical conditioning involves placing a neutral signal before a naturally occurring reflex. The techniques of classical conditioning have been found useful in the treatment of phobias or anxiety problems. Some teachers have found that applying classical conditioning in the class setting helps to creating a positive classroom environment this in turn helps students overcome anxiety or fear (Olson & Hergenhahn, 2009). Theory “Pavlov was studying the digestive system of dogs and became intrigued with his observation that dogs deprived of food began to salivate when one of his assistants walked into the room. He began to investigate this phenomenon and established the laws of classical conditioning. Skinner renamed this type of learning respondent conditioning since in this type of learning, one is responding to an environmental antecedent” (Huitt & Hummel, 1997, p. 1). “The ingredients necessary to bring about Pavlovian or classical conditioning include (1) an unconditioned stimulus (US), which elicits a natural and automatic response from the organism; (2) an unconditioned response (UR), which is a natural and automatic response elicited by the US; and (3) a conditioned stimulus (CS), which is a neutral stimulus in that it does not elicit a natural and automatic response from the organism. When these ingredients are mixed in a certain way, a conditioned response (CR) occurs. To produce a CR, the CS and the US
