Phobia and classical conditioning
Phobia is one of the emotional problems which the behavioral psychologists account for. This arises when a child is subjected to certain forms of fear by their guardians. The fact that children are extremely receptive with regards to the adult’s emotions and they also responds well when they observe their parents being terrified once they see a mice or a spider makes the child to have a deep impact. The child thus develops responses to phobia as a result of certain stimuli that are not naturally occurring (Hardy & Heyes, 1999).
Addiction and operant conditioning
Addiction entails the dependency on a certain drug that is considered harmful or developing certain behaviors and not letting them go. Addiction thus has the effect of developing an upbeat kind of feeling. Operant conditioning is common in drug abusers as well as those who consume alcohol in excess amounts. The addiction is voluntary implying that people seeks the addiction behaviors. Although the addiction is voluntary, there are certain stimuli that are common in the initial phase of the addiction process. Once the stimuli arise, one is thus forced to continue using drugs or alcohol so as to fulfill his or her needs. When the need is satisfied, the cycle continues again (Engler, 2008).
Classical conditioning
Classical conditioning was discovered by Evan Pavlov. Pavlov when undertaking an experiment discovered that dogs he was studying began to salivate before meat was placed before them. The dogs salivate when the person feeding them comes in because they are used to do it every time the person comes even if he does not have the meat. Basically, some responses that we have are developed due to the experience we have with the stimuli. The responses do not happen naturally. For instance, when one touches a stove, the reflect responds and cools the hand back. In doing this, there is no learning involved and it is merely a stimuli instinct.
The experiment conducted by Pavlov involved paring the bell sound when ever he takes meat to the dogs. He found that the dogs would salivate when they hears the bell sound when the meat was present because they are used to hearing the bell sound every time the meat is brought. This shows that the behavior of an organism could easily be shaped using paring of stimuli. The emotions are therefore initiated by what the stimuli is pared with. This is what the classical conditioning entails. Classical conditioning is involved with the kind of behaviors that are wanted i.e. Pavlov was determined to make the dog to salivate. Also in this form of behavioral psychology, the learner is usually reinforced either positively or negatively. Positive reinforcement means adding something in order to increase a response e.g. adding praise increases the chances of one getting another date (Nicholas, 2009).
Operant conditioning
The operant conditioning refers to how our organism operates with regards to they environment. Operant conditioning thus entails how we respond to what is presented to us in our environment. Operant conditioning tries to explain how learning occurs based on natural happenings in the life of an organism. For instance, one is not likely to repeat the mistake they did in the past and they will tend to do things differently when exposed to the same conditions. Such natural occurrences of our past actions make us to do things differently so as to avoid doing the same mistakes on and on. This is mostly for the case of negative actions that would make us suffer when ever we repeat them but the same notion is applicable in the case of positive actions. Positive actions will always be repeated if they result to a positive outcome or result. In operant conditioning however, behaviors are usually learned i.e. if one wants to train his or her dog to cease from doing something, then one is bound punish the dog. In this form of behaviors, the specific response resulting to a particular response is usually provided. The response in the case of operant conditioning must be correct and capable of bringing forth the expected reinforcement
The type of behavior that is being learnt also helps distinguish the king conditioning that is used. For instance, Classical conditioning is always used to help the learner learn a wanted behavior and continue repeating it overtime. Pavlov wanted the dog to salivate and used a command of associating the feeding of dogs with a bell ring. Operant conditioning on the other hand could be used to make an organism learn a behavior or extinguish a behavior embraced by the organism. It is used to make an organism stop behaving in a certain bad way using a form of punishment. Classical and operant conditioning also differs in some respects but they have also many similarities. For instance, they could be used to induce a certain behavior in an organism and make them act as commanded by the stimuli (Engler, 2008).
Extinction in classical and operant conditioning: its application
Extinction basically means discouraging a certain behavior in an organism through removing something tat is capable of making a behavior to vanish. It is usually used in operant conditioning and involves withdrawal of reinforcement from an organism in order to escalate its response. For instance, a teenager who is insisted to take up the garbage on regular basis, say week by week, will eventually do it despite his many complaints. Once the teenage learns to be taking up the garbage, the mother stops nagging him to do it. In classical conditioning, Extinction of a behavior is induced by use of a positive reinforcement to the organism which escalates a response. Such positive reinforcements may involve giving rewards to the reinforced or praising them any time they behave in the desired manner (Nicholas, 2009).
Reference List
Hardy, D. & Heyes, S. (1999). Beginning Psychology. London: Oxford University Press.
Nicholas, L. (2009). Introduction to Psychology. Claremon: Juta and Company Ltd.
Engler, B. (2008). Personality Theories. Stamford: Cengage Learning.