Classical Conditioning: Does the name Pavlov ring a bell?

A theory developed by Pavlov that shows one can change a stimulus part of a stimulus-response pattern (like a flinch from a loud noise) to something neutral (a blue light turning on) and generate the same response. In this example, the blue light could cause the subject to flinch.

Psychology: Classical conditioning

In classical conditioning, an instinctive stimulus-response pairing, such as flinching at a sudden loud noise, is associated repeatedly with a neutral stimulus, such as a balloon. Eventually the neutral stimulus becomes capable of eliciting the response by itself.

The classic example of classical conditioning is the experiment performed by Ivan Pavlov in 1927. Pavlov had observed previously that dogs salivated in the presence of food. The breakthrough was Pavlov's observation that the dogs had started to salivate as soon as they saw the lab technician who usually brought the food. Pavlov was able to demonstrate that any neutral stimulus, such as a metronome, could be associated with food and elicit the food response, even when no food arrived.

The original stimulus and response to that stimulus are called the unconditioned stimulus and the unconditioned response. The introduced neutral stimulus and learned response are called the conditioned stimulus and the conditioned response. In this example, the unconditioned stimulus is the food, the unconditioned response is salivation, the conditioned stimulus is the metronome, and the conditioned response is salivation in response to the metronome alone.

The conditioned stimulus can even be administered after the unconditioned response. For example, Garcia and Koelling (1966) were able to condition rats into avoiding a sweet-tasting liquid when it was paired with an injection that made them sick afterward, even though it was the injection that made them sick and not the liquid. Because the conditioned response in this case is a voluntary action and not an involuntary response, this form of conditioning is called operant conditioning.

Both classical and operant conditioning work best when paired with a stimulus that could be related. In this case, the learned association may have evolutionary value by helping rats avoid foods that might make them sick. Garcia and Koelling were not able to teach the rats to associate avoiding food with avoiding a later electric shock. However, they were able to teach the rats to avoid a later electric shock when the conditioned stimulus was light and noise.

Classical conditioning is often used in everyday life, especially in marketing and commercials. Sex doesn't sell cars, but the instinctive positive response to seeing an attractive woman will hopefully become associated with an equally positive response to the car brand in the same picture.

Further information:
Introduction to classical conditioning
Classical conditioning (Pavlov)