What is classical conditioning and what are its principles?

Thepsychological currentsthat have emerged over many decades, have explored and tried to explain from different points of view, why man acts as he acts and one of them has beenthe school of behaviorism, with its proposal ofclassical conditioningforlearning.

In this article, we explain whatclassical conditioning consists of, what its most important characteristics are and we describe its fundamental principles.

What is classical conditioning?

Classical conditioning, Pavlovian conditioning or stimulus-response model, is defined as that learning process in whichthe living being learns to respond to astimulus that previously did not respond by association with another stimulus that did produce that response,that is, stimuli are associated with responses.

In this sense, classical conditioningis considered an associative learning strategythat was discovered and demonstrated by the Russian philosopherIvan Pavlov(1) when conducting experiments with dogs. (2)

You should know: Pavlovian conditioning is traditionally considereda form of simple and mechanical learning, explainable in terms of contiguity and transfer of reflex reactions. (3)

What are the principles of classical conditioning?

In this section, we will mentionthe principles that govern classical conditioningand with which this learning technique is identified:

1. Acquisition

The principle of acquisition is the initial stage of learningwhen a response is first established and gradually strengthened and thenincorporated into the mental repertoire of an organism. In this sense, it is enough to simultaneously present a conditioned stimulus with an unconditioned stimulus.

2. Termination

The extinction principle occurs when a conditioned response decreases or disappears, as a consequence of having withdrawn the reinforcers ( positive or negative ) that maintained it.

Note: In this procedure, extinction consists of eliminating the reward for the behavior that is being worked on to modify or eliminate it.

3. Spontaneous recovery

Spontaneous recovery is the reappearance of the conditioned response, after a period of rest or a period of diminished response, which was acquired in an initial phase of learning and was followed by an extinction phase.

4. Generalization of the stimulus

Stimulus generalization is a principle of classical conditioning, which involves responding in the same way to two stimuli that differ due to their contextual similarity, that is, it refers to the evocation of similar responses after the first response has been conditioned.

5. Stimulus discrimination

Discrimination is the result of the learning process and consists of the individual’s ability to differentiate between a conditioned stimulus and other stimuli . This occurs when the subject develops the ability to consciously respond to some stimuli and not to another.

What are the elements involved in classical conditioning?

To contextualize the classical conditioning learning technique, it uses a series of concepts that we describe below:

1. Unconditioned and conditioned stimulus

The term conditioned stimulus (CE) is that response that can be developed thanks to prior learning. For its part, the unconditioned stimulus (US) refers to that which automatically provokes a response from the organism .

To highlight: These concepts differ from operant or instrumental conditioning, since they do not make definitions of these stimuli.

2. Unconditioned and conditioned response

The unconditioned response (IR) is one that arises naturally and innately, does not require a prior learning process, and occurs automatically in the body when faced with an unconditioned stimulus , such as salivation that occurs when an unconditioned stimulus is presented as food.

On the other hand, the conditioned response (CR) is one that, unlike the unconditioned response, requires that the subject learn to respond from a previous experience and with repeated exposure to some stimulus that affects the individual’s behavior.

You should know: In classical conditioning the response is involuntary and reflex , while in instrumental conditioning , it is voluntary and spontaneous.

3. Neutral stimulus

In principle, the subject’s memory does not have relevant information about this type of stimulus, so it does not cause any type of responsein the organism. When that stimulusis temporarily associated with an unconditioned stimulus , it becomes a conditioned stimulus, since it acquires the characteristic of eliciting a response.

4. Neutral response

In conditioning, a neutral stimulus such as the sound of a bell, for example, can spontaneously provoke an irrelevant response in the individual,such as a gesture of paying attention by turning the head; This response is calleda neutral response.

Key Findings

• Classical conditioning is a learning strategy of the behavioral current of psychology.
• In classical conditioning, the living being learns to respond to a stimulus that previously did not respond by association with another stimulus.
• This strategy is considered an associative typeLearning Technique.
• Classical conditioning is traditionally considered a simple and mechanical form of learning.