Learning is the change of behaviour or change in potential behaviour that results from experience. Learning happens most rapidly when a schedule of continuous reinforcement is used. Learning occurs typically through two methods which include instrumental modification and classical modification. Both instrumental modification and classical modification are the foundation of behaviourism, which is a psychology school that was dominant in the 20th century and is still considered important in the study of behaviour in animals and influencing psychological therapy practice (Henton, 2011).
Classical conditioning
Classical conditioning which is also called respondent conditioning refers to a procedure of learning through which a potential biological stimulus (for example food) is linked with a stimulus that is neutral (for instance a bell). It also refers to a procedure of learning that comes up as a result of this pairing, where the neutral stimulus is used to elicit a response (for example salivation) that is similar to the one that potent stimulus elicits. A neutral stimulus is a conditional stimulus while a biological potent is the unconditional stimulus (US). After a repeated paring an organism shows a response that is conditioned to the neutral stimulus the time the neutral stimulus is portrayed alone (Miltenberger, 2012).
Operant conditioning
An operant modification which is also called instrumental modification is a method of the study were punishment, or a reward modifies behavioural strength. In operant conditioning, punishment or reinforcement are used to increase or decrease probability the occurrence of a particular behaviour in the future (Miltenberger, 2012). This procedure is also used to aid such learning.
Comparison between classical and operant/instrumental conditioning
How behaviours are developed by classical conditioning
Here we will use the Pavlov’s experiments to show how behaviours are developed in classical conditioning. In his most known experiment, Ivan Pavlov came to learn that dogs started salivating in response to a tone after a presentation of the food was repeatedly paired with the sound of the tone. Pavlov instantly came to realize that the response was learned and decided to do further investigation on the conditioning process (Miltenberger, 2012).
As we have learned in the definition of classical conditioning is a process that involves paring a neutral stimulus (such as a bell’s sound) with the stimulus that is unconditioned (the taste of food). The biological potent (unconditional stimulus) automatically and naturally causes salivation to respond to the presence of food; this is referred to as an actual response. After associating the conditioned stimulus and the unconditioned stimulus, a sound made by the bell alone will stimulate salivation response. The sound coming from the signal is referred to as the conditional stimulus and salivation in response to a sound coming from the bell is referred to as a conditioned response (Henton, 2011).
So we can take for example a dog that salivates on the sight of food. This behaviour of the animal occurs automatically. The dog does not need any training for him to perform this behaviour; it merely happens naturally. The naturally occurring stimulus is food. If you start ringing a bell every time you present food to the dog, an association will be formed between the signal and food. At last a sound from the bell alone, which is the conditioned stimulus, will lead the creation of the salivation response (Woody, 1982).
Classical conditioning is more than just a primary term used in the description of a learning method; it can also be used in the explanation of the forming of numerous behaviours that can have an impact on your health. A habit might be formed in different ways. Even if you have been eating healthy and working out, your dieting efforts are negatively affected by overeating during night time.
How behaviours are developed by operant conditioning
Operant (instrumental) conditioning mainly uses either punishment or reinforcement to encourage or discourage a given action. Using this process, there is the formation of an association between the act and repercussions that result from that behaviour. We can use the example of a trainer who is trying to coach his dog how to fetch a ball. If the dog manages to succeed in retrieving the ball, the dog is praised as an appreciation. Whenever the dog does not succeed in fetching the ball, the dog will not receive any praise from the trainer. At last, the dog will start associating the receiving of the desired reward after fetching the ball (Miltenberger, 2012).
We can take another example of a school teacher who punishes students who talk out of turn by denying such students to go out for recess. From this, the students will form an association of their bad behaviour of speaking out of turn and the resulting consequences which are being disallowed to go for recess (Vargas, 2013). This results in the diminishing of the problematic behaviour.
Several factors influence how quick response is learned and how strong the results will be. If the reinforcement is done often using the schedule of reinforcement, it will play an essential role in the determination of how quickly the behaviour is learned and the strength of the response eventually (Vargas, 2013). A reinforcer selected for the process usually has an impact on the final result.
In addition to being a good method training animals and people new behaviours, instrumental conditioning can also be applied in the elimination of unwanted behaviours in people. Using the system of punishments and rewards, people can train to eliminate bad habits that might negatively impact their wellbeing such as overeating or smoking.
Extinction of developed behaviours
Extinguishing of behaviour is depicted in classical conditioned and operant conditioned behaviours. When instrumental behaviour was previously reinforced, it does not produce reinforcement consequences the occurrence of the act gradually stops. In classical conditioning, presentation of a conditioned stimulus alone, in a way that the organism does not sense the coming of the unconditioned stimulus any longer, the behavioural response eventually stops (Woody, 1982).
How behaviour is extinguished in classical conditioning
Extinction process also happens in a classical conditioning framework. In the concept, a neutral context or cue can eventually eliminate a conditioned response by putting it together with an unconditioned stimulus. A particular environment or stimulus can be changed to conditioned context or conditioned cue, accordingly, the time it is matched with the biological stimulus. Fear conditioning paradigm using a mouse is an excellent example of this process. In this example, the conditioned cue can be developed from a sound combined with footshock, eliminating response of fright in future when presented singly. Similarly, the impact of the footshock received in such a chamber with specified measurements, and a particular smell can eliminate the fright rejoinder when the mouse is relocated back in the room without the footshock (Wyrwicka, 2017).
In this concept, a conditioned response elimination happens when the organism is exhibited to the modified context or modified cue without the unmodified stimulus. When the organism figures out that the context or cue does not pre-determines the presence of the unmodified stimulus, the modified response decreases eventually or diminishes (Wyrwicka, 2017).
How behaviour is extinguished in operant conditioning
In the instrumental conditioning paradigm, extinction occurs when reinforcement is no longer provided to maintain a particular practice. Operant extinction is different from forgetting in the fact that operant extinction refers to the diminishing of the strength of a given practice as time goes without emitting it. For instance, a child who has been conditioned to climb under his desk, which is a response that was reinforced through attention, if the notice seeking behaviour is continuously ignored, the action will be extinguished (Woody, 1982).
In conclusion, in our modern world, both operant conditioning and classical conditioning are used for some reason by animal trainers, psychologist, teachers, parents, and others. Teachers might make use of operant conditioning, he/she can offer a reward to those students with excellent performance and good behaviour with tokens to encourage them. Then other students will spend more time reading and trying to condition their actions to earn a reward next time. Therefore the primary objective of conditioning is to induce some change in behaviour.
References
Henton, W. (2011). Classical conditioning and operant conditioning. [Place of publication not
identified]: Springer.
Miltenberger, R. (2012). Behaviour modification, principles and procedures. (5th Ed).
Wadsworth Publishing Company
Vargas, Julie S. (2013). Behaviour Analysis for effective Teaching. New York: Routledge.
Woody, C. (1982). Conditioning. Boston, MA: Springer US.
Wyrwicka, W. (2017). Conditioning: Situation Versus Intermittent Stimulus.
