Conditioned Response in Classical Conditioning

In classical conditioning, a conditioned response is a learned reaction to a previously neutral stimulus. This response is a result of an association formed between the neutral stimulus and another stimulus that naturally triggers a response.

For instance, imagine the smell of food as an unconditioned stimulus, a hunger feeling as an unconditioned response, and the sound of a whistle while smelling the food as a conditioned stimulus. After repeated pairings, the conditioned response would be feeling hungry when you heard the whistle but didn't smell the food.

The process of developing a conditioned response involves consistently pairing a neutral stimulus with another stimulus that generates a response. Over time, an association is established, and the previously neutral stimulus will elicit the response independently. At that point, the response becomes known as the conditioned response.

Understanding the Conditional Response:

When teaching a behavior using classical conditioning, a neutral stimulus is combined with a stimulus that naturally and automatically triggers a response. After numerous pairings, the neutral stimulus becomes a conditioned stimulus, and the response to that conditioned stimulus is the conditioned response. Grasping this process is essential for successfully utilizing classical conditioning to instill a behavior.

Conditioned Response vs. Unconditioned Response:

Differentiating between an unconditioned response and a conditioned response can be challenging. Here are some key distinctions:

• A conditioned response must be acquired through learning, whereas an unconditioned response occurs naturally.
• The conditioned response only happens after an association between an unconditioned stimulus and a conditioned stimulus is established.

While studying classical conditioning, remember that the conditioned response is the learned reflexive reaction. Unconditioned and conditioned responses produce the same output; the difference lies in what they are responding to.

Examples of Conditioned Responses:

• Phobias: Witnessing a severe car accident might lead to developing a fear of driving. Many phobias arise from negative experiences involving the fear object.
• Animal behavior: If your pet is accustomed to being fed after hearing the sound of a can or bag being opened, they might become excited upon hearing that sound.
• Fear of doctors: If your child regularly receives immunizations and cries after these injections, they may associate a healthcare provider's white coat with this painful experience. Eventually, the child might cry whenever they see anyone wearing a white coat.
• Fear of dogs: Being bitten by a barking dog might result in feelings of fear and anxiety whenever you hear barking.
• Feelings of hunger: Becoming accustomed to eating at your favorite restaurant might make you feel hungry whenever you pass by or see their sign.

How a Conditioned Response Is Formed:

Russian physiologist Ivan Pavlov initially discovered the classical conditioning process while studying the salivary systems of dogs. Pavlov noticed that the dogs would salivate to the taste of meat, but over time, they also began to salivate whenever they saw the white coat of the lab assistant who provided the meat.

Curious about this phenomenon, Pavlov started introducing the sound of a tone whenever the animals were fed. Eventually, an association formed, and the animals would salivate whenever they heard the sound, even in the absence of food.

In Pavlov's classic experiment, the food was the unconditioned stimulus (UCS). This stimulus naturally and automatically triggered an unconditioned response (UCR), which, in this case, was salivation. After pairing the unconditioned stimulus with a previously neutral stimulus, the sound of the tone, an association was formed between the UCS and the neutral stimulus.

Gradually, the once neutral stimulus began to elicit the same response, at which point the tone became known as the conditioned stimulus. The conditioned response in Pavlov's experiment was salivating in reaction to the conditioned stimulus.

Overcoming Conditioned Responses:

The processes used to teach behaviors can also be used to reduce problematic responses. For example, if you have developed a specific phobia, you can apply a technique called systematic desensitization to gradually eliminate your fear.

This process involves gradually exposing yourself to what you fear while simultaneously practicing relaxation strategies. Since the conditioned stimulus that prompts the fear response is absent, the conditioned response ultimately diminishes and disappears.

Extinction of a Conditioned Response:

What happens when the unconditioned stimulus is no longer paired with a conditioned stimulus? Let's revisit Pavlov's experiment. Imagine if the food was no longer presented after the sound of the tone?

Eventually, the conditioned response would gradually fade and vanish—a process called extinction.

Consider the earlier example where an individual developed a conditioned response of fear whenever they heard a dog bark. Now, suppose they have numerous more experiences with barking dogs, all of which are positive.

Initially, the conditioned response arose due to a negative experience with a barking dog. However, that response might start to diminish in intensity or even eventually disappear if the person has enough positive experiences where nothing negative occurs when they hear a dog bark.

Takeaway:

The conditioned response is a critical element of the classical conditioning process. By establishing an association between a previously neutral stimulus and an unconditioned stimulus, learning occurs, ultimately leading to a conditioned response.

Conditioned responses can be positive or negative. While associations can promote desirable behaviors, they can also result in undesirable or maladaptive behaviors like phobias. Fortunately, the same behavioral learning processes that led to a conditioned response can also be harnessed to teach new behaviors or modify old ones.