Conditioning is a form of learning that occurs when an organism’s behavior is shaped through the association of stimuli and responses. It is a process of linking certain stimuli with certain responses, leading the organism to respond in a certain way when presented with the stimulus (Kolb & Whishaw, 2019). Conditioning has been studied extensively in both animals and humans and has been used to explain a variety of behaviors.
Classical conditioning is a type of learning that involves the association of an unconditioned stimulus (US) with a conditioned stimulus (CS). In classical conditioning, an initially neutral stimulus becomes associated with an unconditioned stimulus, leading to a conditioned response (CR). For example, in Pavlov’s famous experiment, he trained dogs to salivate when they heard a bell ring by associating the bell with food. The bell (CS) became associated with the food (US), and when the dogs heard the bell, they began to salivate (CR).
Operant conditioning is another form of learning that involves the use of rewards and punishments to shape behavior. In operant conditioning, an animal or human learns to associate certain behaviors with certain consequences. For example, if a child is rewarded for getting good grades in school, they are likely to continue to study in order to receive the reward. Similarly, if a child is punished for getting bad grades, they are likely to stop studying in order to avoid the punishment.
In addition to classical and operant conditioning, there are also more complex forms of learning, such as observational learning. Observational learning occurs when an organism learns by observing the behavior of another organism. This type of learning is especially common in humans, as it allows us to learn by watching and imitating others.
Conditioning has been used to explain a variety of behaviors, from simple reflexes to more complex forms of learning. It is a powerful tool for understanding how organisms learn and behave, and it has been used to explain a variety of phenomena in both animals and humans.
References
Kolb, B., & Whishaw, I. Q. (2019). Fundamentals of human neuropsychology (7th ed.). New York, NY: Worth Publishers.