Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsPavlov’s TheoryCommon TermsHow It WorksExamples
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Pavlov’s Theory
Common Terms
How It Works
Examples
Classical conditioning examples like Pavlov’s dogs are well-known psychological experiments, but you may not realize how they are part of your everyday life.
You can learn in both conscious and unconscious ways. Your behaviors, attitudes, ideas, and the absorption of new information can all be learned with or without your knowledge.
Classical conditioning is unconscious learning that is attributed to a Russian physiologist named Ivan Pavlov.Today, classical conditioning is used in therapy to help people change negative behaviors, includingsubstance use. You can also make use of the technique on your own or even with your pet.
Read on to find out more about classical conditioning, including how it works and examples of classical conditioning in your life.
Katarzyna Bialasiewicz / Getty Images
What Is Classical Conditioning and Pavlov’s Theory?
Classical conditioning is also called Pavlovian conditioning.
At the beginning of the experiment, the dogs would salivate only when presented with food. Later, neutral noises, such as the food cart entering the testing area, made them salivate. Since the sounds always occurred before the dogs were fed, Pavlov wondered if the dogs were linking the sound to their food.
The Pavlovian ImpactClassical conditioning is often considered the most important discovery in the history ofpsychologybecause it forms the basis of behavioral psychology. Classical conditioning can be used in different ways and in many industries—from helping people with mental health disorders to keeping domestic livestock safe from hungry coyotes.
The Pavlovian Impact
Classical conditioning is often considered the most important discovery in the history ofpsychologybecause it forms the basis of behavioral psychology. Classical conditioning can be used in different ways and in many industries—from helping people with mental health disorders to keeping domestic livestock safe from hungry coyotes.
Classical Conditioning Terms to Know
To fully understand classical conditioning, there are several terms to understand:
Key PrinciplesThere are five key principles of classical conditioning:Acquisition:The initial stage of learning during which a response to a conditioned stimulus is establishedExtinction:The process in which a conditioned response is slowly unlearned because it’s no longer being paired with an unconditioned stimulusSpontaneous Recovery:The return of a conditioned response after a period without being exposed to the conditioned stimulusGeneralization:The phenomenon of a stimulus that’s similar to the conditioned stimulus prompting a similar responseDiscrimination:The ability to tell the difference between the conditioned stimulus and similar stimuli
Key Principles
There are five key principles of classical conditioning:Acquisition:The initial stage of learning during which a response to a conditioned stimulus is establishedExtinction:The process in which a conditioned response is slowly unlearned because it’s no longer being paired with an unconditioned stimulusSpontaneous Recovery:The return of a conditioned response after a period without being exposed to the conditioned stimulusGeneralization:The phenomenon of a stimulus that’s similar to the conditioned stimulus prompting a similar responseDiscrimination:The ability to tell the difference between the conditioned stimulus and similar stimuli
There are five key principles of classical conditioning:
What Is the Classical Conditioning Process?
If the classical conditioning process is successful, a learned response will form based on unconscious associations between two different stimuli.There are three steps in this process: before conditioning, during conditioning, and after conditioning.
Before Conditioning
A naturally occurring unconditioned stimulus must be present before the conditioning occurs.
In the case of Pavlov’s research, the unconditioned stimulus was just presenting the dogs with food. The food being presented to the dogs led to an unconditioned response—the dogs began to salivate. The response was automatic, not learned.
A neutral stimulus is also present but has not yet evoked any response. The neutral stimulus needs to be paired with the unconditioned stimulus for it to lead to a response.
How Is Classical Conditioning Different From Operant Learning?Classical andoperant conditioningare not the same. Classical conditioning uses stimuli to help evoke an involuntary response. Operant conditioning uses behavior and consequences as a way of conditioning. Operant conditioning involves rewards for good behaviors and punishment for bad behaviors.
How Is Classical Conditioning Different From Operant Learning?
Classical andoperant conditioningare not the same. Classical conditioning uses stimuli to help evoke an involuntary response. Operant conditioning uses behavior and consequences as a way of conditioning. Operant conditioning involves rewards for good behaviors and punishment for bad behaviors.
During Conditioning
The second phase of classical conditioning is the pairing of an unconditioned and neutral stimulus to drive a response.
In Pavlov’s experiment, he used a bell as a neutral stimulus. Presenting the food to the dogs was the unconditioned stimulus.
When the dogs heard the bell and were then presented with food, they unconsciously formed a connection between the two stimuli. The neutral stimulus—the bell—evolved into a conditioned stimulus. The dogs then began to respond to the bell in the same way that they had when given food because they viewed the bell as part of the process.
After Conditioning
For example, the dogs in Pavlov’s experiment began to salivate when the bell rang because they had started associating the sound with getting fed.
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Real-World Examples of Classical Conditioning
There are many areas in which classical conditioning is used today, including mental health treatment, education, and pet training.
Mental Health
Classical conditioning has many applications in mental health because it can help understand the development of certain disorders and more effectively treat them.
For example, classical conditioning may help with:
For example, in exposure therapy, a person with a phobia is exposed to what they fear in a safe environment. They repeat exposures to the subject of their phobia until they are no longer afraid of it.
In aversion therapy, a person learns to associate something negative with a behavior they want to stop. For example, if a person misuses alcohol, they could be given a medication that causes them to get sick every time they drink it. The goal is for the negative response (getting sick from the medication) to condition them to no longer want alcohol.
Education
In school systems, classical conditioning can help students develop positive associations with their learning experiences.
For example, if a student needs to give a presentation in front of the class but has anxiety about it, a teacher can create positive stimuli associated with public speaking. In time, the student may come to associate public speaking with a positive environment rather than one that makes them anxious.
Taste Aversions
The radiation acted like an unconditioned stimulus because it triggered feelings of automaticnauseain the rats. The flavored water was a conditioned stimulus because when the rats were exposed to only the flavored water without the radiation, they still felt nausea as they did when the radiation was present.
Advertising
Advertisers often use classical conditioning to encourage consumers to buy their products.
For example, a commercial may show a product that people seem to enjoy using. Eventually, consumers come to associate happiness and fun with the product. The association of good feelings may alter a consumer’s perspective of the company and lead them to buy the product.
Advertising can also use music as a form of classical conditioning. Upbeat and joyful music will come to be associated with feelings of joy for the people who see the ad. Then, people will associate that company or product with positive emotions.
Placebo Effect
Classical conditioning has also been researched as a part of theplacebo effect. One study looked at classical conditioning, the placebo effect, and pain modulation. It showed that a person can reduce their pain level when they’re given cues that are associated with lower levels of pain.
The Placebo Effect in Action: Research and Everyday Life
Pet Training
Classical conditioning is a highly popular tool used to train pets to be more obedient. For example, it can help your dog unconsciously engage in more desirable behaviors.
Summary
Pavlov’s classical conditioning is very much a part of our lives today. The techniques are used in mental health, education, advertising, and pet training. Research has also looked at classical conditioning in taste aversions and the placebo effect.
10 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Eelen P.Classical conditioning: classical yet modern.Psychol Belg. 2018;58(1):196-211. doi:10.5334/pb.451American Psychological Association.APA dictionary of psychology: classical conditioning.Lin JY, Arthurs J, Reilly S.Conditioned taste aversions: from poisons to pain to drugs of abuse.Psychon Bull Rev.2017;24(2):335-351. doi:10.3758/s13423-016-1092-8Fanselow MS, Wassum KM.The origins and organization of vertebrate Pavlovian conditioning.Cold Spring Harb Perspect Biol.2015;8(1):a021717. doi:10.1101/cshperspect.a021717Nees F, Heinrich A, Flor H.A mechanism-oriented approach to psychopathology: the role of Pavlovian conditioning.Int J Psychophysiol.2015;98(2):351-364. doi:10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2015.05.005Rouleau N, Karbowski LM, Persinger MA.Experimental evidence of classical conditioning and microscopic engrams in an electroconductive material.PLoS One.2016;11(10):e0165269. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0165269American Psychological Association.APA dictionary of psychology: operant conditioning.Lin JY, Arthurs J, Reilly S.Conditioned taste aversion, drugs of abuse and palatability.Neurosci Biobehav Rev.2014;45:28-45. doi:10.1016/j.neubiorev.2014.05.001Osei F, Adjabeng FN, Owusu-Mensah S, Atakora A.Does advertising help improve consumer purchasing behavior toward insurance products?.Open J Soc Sci. 2022;10(12):39-59. doi:10.4236/jss.2022.1012004Lee IS, Jung WM, Lee YS, Wallraven C, Chae Y.Operant and classical learning principles underlying mind-body interaction in pain modulation: a pilot fMRI study.Sci Rep.2021;11(1):1663. doi:10.1038/s41598-021-81134-6
10 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Eelen P.Classical conditioning: classical yet modern.Psychol Belg. 2018;58(1):196-211. doi:10.5334/pb.451American Psychological Association.APA dictionary of psychology: classical conditioning.Lin JY, Arthurs J, Reilly S.Conditioned taste aversions: from poisons to pain to drugs of abuse.Psychon Bull Rev.2017;24(2):335-351. doi:10.3758/s13423-016-1092-8Fanselow MS, Wassum KM.The origins and organization of vertebrate Pavlovian conditioning.Cold Spring Harb Perspect Biol.2015;8(1):a021717. doi:10.1101/cshperspect.a021717Nees F, Heinrich A, Flor H.A mechanism-oriented approach to psychopathology: the role of Pavlovian conditioning.Int J Psychophysiol.2015;98(2):351-364. doi:10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2015.05.005Rouleau N, Karbowski LM, Persinger MA.Experimental evidence of classical conditioning and microscopic engrams in an electroconductive material.PLoS One.2016;11(10):e0165269. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0165269American Psychological Association.APA dictionary of psychology: operant conditioning.Lin JY, Arthurs J, Reilly S.Conditioned taste aversion, drugs of abuse and palatability.Neurosci Biobehav Rev.2014;45:28-45. doi:10.1016/j.neubiorev.2014.05.001Osei F, Adjabeng FN, Owusu-Mensah S, Atakora A.Does advertising help improve consumer purchasing behavior toward insurance products?.Open J Soc Sci. 2022;10(12):39-59. doi:10.4236/jss.2022.1012004Lee IS, Jung WM, Lee YS, Wallraven C, Chae Y.Operant and classical learning principles underlying mind-body interaction in pain modulation: a pilot fMRI study.Sci Rep.2021;11(1):1663. doi:10.1038/s41598-021-81134-6
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Eelen P.Classical conditioning: classical yet modern.Psychol Belg. 2018;58(1):196-211. doi:10.5334/pb.451American Psychological Association.APA dictionary of psychology: classical conditioning.Lin JY, Arthurs J, Reilly S.Conditioned taste aversions: from poisons to pain to drugs of abuse.Psychon Bull Rev.2017;24(2):335-351. doi:10.3758/s13423-016-1092-8Fanselow MS, Wassum KM.The origins and organization of vertebrate Pavlovian conditioning.Cold Spring Harb Perspect Biol.2015;8(1):a021717. doi:10.1101/cshperspect.a021717Nees F, Heinrich A, Flor H.A mechanism-oriented approach to psychopathology: the role of Pavlovian conditioning.Int J Psychophysiol.2015;98(2):351-364. doi:10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2015.05.005Rouleau N, Karbowski LM, Persinger MA.Experimental evidence of classical conditioning and microscopic engrams in an electroconductive material.PLoS One.2016;11(10):e0165269. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0165269American Psychological Association.APA dictionary of psychology: operant conditioning.Lin JY, Arthurs J, Reilly S.Conditioned taste aversion, drugs of abuse and palatability.Neurosci Biobehav Rev.2014;45:28-45. doi:10.1016/j.neubiorev.2014.05.001Osei F, Adjabeng FN, Owusu-Mensah S, Atakora A.Does advertising help improve consumer purchasing behavior toward insurance products?.Open J Soc Sci. 2022;10(12):39-59. doi:10.4236/jss.2022.1012004Lee IS, Jung WM, Lee YS, Wallraven C, Chae Y.Operant and classical learning principles underlying mind-body interaction in pain modulation: a pilot fMRI study.Sci Rep.2021;11(1):1663. doi:10.1038/s41598-021-81134-6
Eelen P.Classical conditioning: classical yet modern.Psychol Belg. 2018;58(1):196-211. doi:10.5334/pb.451
American Psychological Association.APA dictionary of psychology: classical conditioning.
Lin JY, Arthurs J, Reilly S.Conditioned taste aversions: from poisons to pain to drugs of abuse.Psychon Bull Rev.2017;24(2):335-351. doi:10.3758/s13423-016-1092-8
Fanselow MS, Wassum KM.The origins and organization of vertebrate Pavlovian conditioning.Cold Spring Harb Perspect Biol.2015;8(1):a021717. doi:10.1101/cshperspect.a021717
Nees F, Heinrich A, Flor H.A mechanism-oriented approach to psychopathology: the role of Pavlovian conditioning.Int J Psychophysiol.2015;98(2):351-364. doi:10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2015.05.005
Rouleau N, Karbowski LM, Persinger MA.Experimental evidence of classical conditioning and microscopic engrams in an electroconductive material.PLoS One.2016;11(10):e0165269. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0165269
American Psychological Association.APA dictionary of psychology: operant conditioning.
Lin JY, Arthurs J, Reilly S.Conditioned taste aversion, drugs of abuse and palatability.Neurosci Biobehav Rev.2014;45:28-45. doi:10.1016/j.neubiorev.2014.05.001
Osei F, Adjabeng FN, Owusu-Mensah S, Atakora A.Does advertising help improve consumer purchasing behavior toward insurance products?.Open J Soc Sci. 2022;10(12):39-59. doi:10.4236/jss.2022.1012004
Lee IS, Jung WM, Lee YS, Wallraven C, Chae Y.Operant and classical learning principles underlying mind-body interaction in pain modulation: a pilot fMRI study.Sci Rep.2021;11(1):1663. doi:10.1038/s41598-021-81134-6
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