Classical Conditioning Essay

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Classical Conditioning Ashley N. Watson Psy/390 December 12, 2011 Kathy Rupe Classical Conditioning Classical conditioning is one magnificent learning tool that will never fade as the world of psychology evolves. This form of conditioning is important because it shows how we as humans can progress as humans when we surround ourselves with the proper environment that will be support the necessary changes. This form of conditioning can also be used in implementing changes within our children (Bauer & Maracich, n.d.). This form of conditioning also can cause the development of fears and or phobias. This essay will examine the importance of classical conditioning. It will also give an understanding on how classical conditioning can occur in everyday situations. Behaviorism is a branch of psychology that evaluates the process of how an individual learns in his or her environment. Behaviorists believe that the environment can contribute to an individual’s mental state and behavior (Cherry, n.d.) Classical conditioning was accidentally introduced by a Russian psychologist by the name of Ivan Pavlov in the beginning of the 20th century (Olson & Hergenhahn, 2009). Pavlov discovered that his dogs would salivate prior to eating during a study of their digestive systems. Once he noticed the reaction of his dogs, he repeatedly exposed them to his attendant and the food to observe the phenomenon that took place. Classical conditioning is one of the most important theories of the behavioral movement. Classical conditioning is comprised of four different components. The first component is known as the unconditioned stimulus. This stimulus triggers natural and automatic responses. Examples of an unconditioned stimulus would be the feeling of happiness when an individual gets a glimpse of that special someone. The unconditioned response is considered to
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