Classical ConditioningClassical Conditioning

Kent Van Cleave, Ph.D.Kent Van Cleave, Ph.D.

OverviewOverview I will tell you how I classically conditioned a I will tell you how I classically conditioned a

baby squirrel.baby squirrel. We will discuss some ways you get classically We will discuss some ways you get classically

conditioned.conditioned. I will tell you about how Watson classically I will tell you about how Watson classically

conditioned an emotional response…conditioned an emotional response… ……and how Watson took his technique to the and how Watson took his technique to the

marketplace.marketplace. You will truly understand classical conditioning.You will truly understand classical conditioning.

How I classically conditioned a squirrelHow I classically conditioned a squirrel

We found an infant We found an infant squirrel in back yard.squirrel in back yard.

Went to squirrel rescue Went to squirrel rescue sites online to see best sites online to see best way to raise him.way to raise him.

Fed with Fed with syringe syringe and puppy and puppy formula; formula; initially, initially, five times five times a day.a day.

The setup…The setup…

All mammals have a reflex called the All mammals have a reflex called the gastro-colic reflex.gastro-colic reflex.

When they eat, they have a reflexive urge When they eat, they have a reflexive urge to excrete.to excrete.

The squirrel rescue sites add that mother The squirrel rescue sites add that mother squirrels clean their babies after feeding to squirrels clean their babies after feeding to stimulate that reflex.stimulate that reflex.

This is necessary, they state, to prevent the This is necessary, they state, to prevent the baby from developing fatal obstructions.baby from developing fatal obstructions.

ProcedureProcedure I would get the squirrel out of his cage…I would get the squirrel out of his cage…

Then I would feed him…Then I would feed him…

Then I would wash him with a warm, wet paper Then I would wash him with a warm, wet paper towel.towel.

As he grew, the feeding schedule As he grew, the feeding schedule lightened up.lightened up.

Soon I was feeding him three times a day, Soon I was feeding him three times a day, though he was eating more.though he was eating more.

I crushed up Cheerios and mixed into the I crushed up Cheerios and mixed into the formula…formula…

……and began putting cracked nuts and and began putting cracked nuts and whole Cheerios in his cage.whole Cheerios in his cage.

The solid foods began disappearing, and The solid foods began disappearing, and one morning he refused his formula.one morning he refused his formula.

Then he chewed the end off of the Then he chewed the end off of the syringe!syringe!

At this point, he was weaned.At this point, he was weaned.

The knockdown…The knockdown…

Recalling what Recalling what Kretch, Rozenzwig, Kretch, Rozenzwig, Diamond and others Diamond and others learned about learned about environment and environment and brain development, I brain development, I continued to get the continued to get the squirrel out of his squirrel out of his cage several times a cage several times a day to play.day to play.

But a strange thing started happening…But a strange thing started happening…

Every time I would get him out of his Every time I would get him out of his cage, he would poo in my hand!cage, he would poo in my hand!

Hmmmm….Hmmmm….

I thought about this for a while, I thought about this for a while, and then I remembered a and then I remembered a similar situation a Russian similar situation a Russian physiologist found himself in a physiologist found himself in a century earlier.century earlier.

Ivan Pavlov…Ivan Pavlov…

Pavlov was studying the gastric function (and Pavlov was studying the gastric function (and salivation) of dogs. He externalized a salivary gland in salivation) of dogs. He externalized a salivary gland in each of his dogs, and collected the saliva for analysis. each of his dogs, and collected the saliva for analysis. To trigger salivation, he blew a meat powder with chili To trigger salivation, he blew a meat powder with chili powder into their mouths.powder into their mouths.

But he noticed that they also salivated from the sound of But he noticed that they also salivated from the sound of footsteps of his technicians on the platform on which the footsteps of his technicians on the platform on which the dogs were placed—before they were given meat powder.dogs were placed—before they were given meat powder.

Initially calling this “psychic secretions”, he set out to Initially calling this “psychic secretions”, he set out to find out why they did this.find out why they did this.

Pavlov had discovered classical Pavlov had discovered classical conditioning…conditioning…

Meat powder (UCS) Salivate (UCR)Meat powder (UCS) Salivate (UCR)

Add to this event which comes just before or at Add to this event which comes just before or at the same time…the same time…

Footsteps (CS) (CR)Footsteps (CS) (CR) Meat powder (UCS) Salivate (UCR)Meat powder (UCS) Salivate (UCR)

An association gets made between the footsteps An association gets made between the footsteps and salivation…and salivation…

Back to the squirrel…Back to the squirrel…

Feed (UCS) Excrete (UCR)Feed (UCS) Excrete (UCR)

Add to this event which comes just before or at Add to this event which comes just before or at the same time…the same time…

Get out of cage (CS) (CR)Get out of cage (CS) (CR) Feed (UCS) Excrete (UCR)Feed (UCS) Excrete (UCR)

An association gets made between getting the An association gets made between getting the squirrel out of the cage and excretion…squirrel out of the cage and excretion…

Fortunately, when the CS is presented Fortunately, when the CS is presented repeatedly without the UCS…repeatedly without the UCS…

……the association weakens and the the association weakens and the conditioned response becomes extinct.conditioned response becomes extinct.

What are some examples of when What are some examples of when YOU get classically conditioned?YOU get classically conditioned?

John Watson, and his graduate student, John Watson, and his graduate student, Rosalie Rayner, used the same paradigm Rosalie Rayner, used the same paradigm in the U.S. to condition an emotional in the U.S. to condition an emotional response.response.

http://www.bdrum.com/p130grp5/albert.html

Unfortunately, Watson was smitten by his Unfortunately, Watson was smitten by his lovely assistant…lovely assistant…

When his, errrr, indiscretion was When his, errrr, indiscretion was discovered, his academic career was over.discovered, his academic career was over.

So he divorced his wife, married his So he divorced his wife, married his assistant, and went into advertising!assistant, and went into advertising!

Watson’s genius…Watson’s genius…

Watson created an advertising Watson created an advertising campaign that has been used down to campaign that has been used down to the present daythe present day

The paradigm that he used – The paradigm that he used – conditioned emotional response – is conditioned emotional response – is now more widely used than ever.now more widely used than ever.

The campaign…The campaign…

Baby (UCS) Awwwwww! (UCR)Baby (UCS) Awwwwww! (UCR)

Add to this event which comes just before or at Add to this event which comes just before or at the same time…the same time…

Baby powder (CS) (CR)Baby powder (CS) (CR) Baby (UCS) Awwwwww! (UCR)Baby (UCS) Awwwwww! (UCR)

An association gets made between the baby An association gets made between the baby powder and the Awwwwww! response…powder and the Awwwwww! response…

Copycats…Copycats…

Why is this such a powerful approach?Why is this such a powerful approach?

When cognitive sales approaches are used, the attempt When cognitive sales approaches are used, the attempt to influence us is overt, and we are likely to counter-to influence us is overt, and we are likely to counter-argue.argue.

For products with low differentiation, like beer and For products with low differentiation, like beer and insurance, cognitive persuasion is not likely to be insurance, cognitive persuasion is not likely to be effective, anyway, in part because of brand loyalty – effective, anyway, in part because of brand loyalty – another concept that Watson pioneered.another concept that Watson pioneered.

With conditioned emotional responses, the persuasion With conditioned emotional responses, the persuasion is covert – we are not aware that we are being is covert – we are not aware that we are being influenced.influenced.

Operant ConditioningOperant Conditioning

Whereas classical conditioning is a passive Whereas classical conditioning is a passive paradigm, operant conditioning is an active paradigm, operant conditioning is an active paradigm. We “operate” in order to receive some paradigm. We “operate” in order to receive some reward or avoid some punishment.reward or avoid some punishment.

With classical conditioning, the response comes With classical conditioning, the response comes after the stimulus.after the stimulus.

With operant conditioning, the response comes first.With operant conditioning, the response comes first.

Operant ConditioningOperant Conditioning

With operant conditioning, we may use behavioral With operant conditioning, we may use behavioral contingencies with the goal of increasing a contingencies with the goal of increasing a behavior. We “reinforce” the behavior.behavior. We “reinforce” the behavior.

We also may use behavioral contingencies with the We also may use behavioral contingencies with the goal of decreasing a behavior. In this case, we goal of decreasing a behavior. In this case, we “punish” the behavior.“punish” the behavior.

Operant ConditioningOperant ConditioningWith operant conditioning, too, there are With operant conditioning, too, there are

contingencies that we can add, and there are contingencies that we can add, and there are contingencies that we can take away.contingencies that we can take away.

Think math. The Think math. The ++ of addition also is evaluated as of addition also is evaluated as “positive”, and the “positive”, and the –– of subtraction also is of subtraction also is evaluated as “negative”.evaluated as “negative”.

Both of these options are available for either Both of these options are available for either reinforcement or punishment.reinforcement or punishment.

Be careful about the connotation of negative, Be careful about the connotation of negative, however. Adding something that someone does however. Adding something that someone does not like is still positive, even though they will not like is still positive, even though they will evaluate it as negative.evaluate it as negative.

Give me examples, please. Give me examples, please.

Positive reinforcementPositive reinforcement Negative reinforcement Negative reinforcement Positive punishment Positive punishment Negative punishment Negative punishment

Schedules of ReinforcementSchedules of Reinforcement