Classical Conditioning

Classical Conditioning

According to Skinner learning is a relatively permanent change in behavior because of practice and experience. Classical condition is learning as a response from a stimulus to another unlearned stimulus. Ivan Pavlov is the founder of classical conditioning and well-known for his experiment with dogs and the bell. Pavlov’s classical conditioning involved salivary glands of dogs. The scenario for this paper will teach a dog to not chew on shoes, using vinegar in a spray bottle, and classical conditioning. Classical conditioning is a type of learning accidently discovered by Ivan Pavlov, using his conditioning learning can teach a dog not to chew on shoes.

Theory of Classical Conditioning

Classical conditioning was accidentally discovered by Ivan Pavlov, a Russian physiologist who discovered this type of learning while researching digestion. Pavlov’s classical conditioning is learning through acquired experiences. Classical conditioning is a previously neutral stimulus causing a reflex to a physical response (Olson & Hergenhahn, 2009). From observing dogs drool when food was presented Pavlov could predict other forms of stimulation. As Pavlov researched the response from the dog, he found with the introduction of a bell that he could reproduce the reaction of the dog to salivating with just a bell and no food needing to be present. Pavlov broke his learning into four components.

Classical conditioning involves four components, the unconditioned stimulus, the conditioned stimulus, the unconditioned reflex, and the conditioned reflex. The unconditioned stimulus can be anything that causes a reaction without prior learning or conditioning. The unconditioned response is the unlearned that occurs to the naturally to the unconditioned stimulus. The conditioned stimulus is learned and is not created without prior conditioning. The last step in Pavlov’s classical conditioning is the conditioned response. This is the learned response to the previously neutral stimulus. Classical conditioning is useful for increasing behavior, and also can be used to decrease behavior. The following scenario uses classical conditioning to decrease behavior.

Classical Conditioning Scenario

Teaching a dog (herein will be Zeus) not to chew on shoes, the owner will spray the shoes with vinegar, which Zeus will find offensive to smell and taste. Zeus will attempt to chew on the shoes but upon reaching for it the smell will offend him, and taste will be nasty and Zeus will not want the shoes in his mouth ("Stop dog chewing," 2011). As the Zeus drops the shoes an allowed chewable item will be given in place of the shoe. Eventually Zeus will avoid shoes and go directly for the chewable item knowing that the shoe smells bad and tastes funny. To help reinforce that the shows are bad offering a chew toy will also help Zeus learn not to chew on the shoes when the conditioned response is used. A training schedule will need to be put in place to enforce this behavior.

Classical Conditioning Training

To train Zeus not to chew may be hard; as dog’s natural instinct is to chew. For Zeus the unconditioned stimulus is the desire to chew when he sees a pair of unattended shoes. The unconditioned response would be to lick the shoes or maybe play with the shoes. To stop Zeus when he begins to touch the shoes, the conditioned stimulus would be to spray the shoes with the offensive vinegar that would startle him whenever he touches the shoes. Soon the conditioned response will be that anytime he begins to near the shoes to spray them with vinegar so the shoes become unappealing to him. Because chewing can happen at any time a set schedule may difficult, spraying the shoes a couple of times a day or at times when Zeus nears the shoes will help stop the habit.

Conclusion

Pavlov is the founder of classical conditioning. He found this type of learning when experimenting on dogs, and noticed that the dog will salivate before food is given. Pavlov’s classical conditioning theory has four stages, which can either increase a behavior or decrease the behavior. In providing scenario a way to handles Zeus likes for chewing on shoes and a way to stop this destructive behavior is needed. Learning Pavlov’s four steps will help to teach Zeus not to chew. Training a dog not to chew will be difficult as chewing for an animal; especially a dog is a neutral stimulus. Using vinegar as the conditioned stimulus should help deter this behavior.

References

Olson, M. H. & Hergenhahn, B. R. (2009). An introduction to theories of learning (8th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson/Prentice Hall.

Stop dog chewing dog behavior training. (2011, January 01). Retrieved from http://www.dog-obedience-training-review.com/stop-dog-chewing.html