Ivan Pavlov’s

Classical Conditioning
Intended Learning Outcome
• Identify the main components of classical
conditioning.
• Explain the principles of classical
conditioning.
• Apply classical conditioning to everyday
life.
 Ivan Pavlov
(1849-1936)
He is a Russian physiologist who is
well known for his work in classical
conditioning or stimulus substitution.
His most renowned experiment
involved meat, a dog & a bell.
Initially, Pavlov was measuring the
dog’s salivation in order to study
digestion. This is when he stumbled
upon classical conditioning.
Classical conditioning
-is a learning process that occurs
through associations between an
environmental stimulus and a naturally
occurring stimulus.
-basically involves forming an
association between two stimuli
resulting in a learned response.
Classical Conditioning
Main Components of Classical Conditioning
Unconditioned Stimulus - is one that unconditionally,
naturally, and automatically triggers a response.
Unconditioned Response - is the unlearned response
that occurs naturally in response to the unconditioned
stimulus.
Conditioned Stimulus - is a previously neutral stimulus
that, after becoming associated with the unconditioned
stimulus, eventually comes to trigger a conditioned
response.
Conditioned Response – is the learned response to the
previously neutral stimulus.
Example
Nathan was chased and assaulted by an aggressive
rooster when he was just barely three years old. As an
adult he still won’t go near or even be around a
rooster. And he even gets a little anxious when he
hears the word rooster.
Identify the following in the example above.
Neutral Stimulus:
Unconditioned Stimulus:
Unconditioned Response:
Conditioned Stimulus:
Conditioned Response:
Key Principles of Classical Conditioning
Extinction is when the occurrences of a conditioned
response decreases or disappears.

Spontaneous Recovery is the reappearance of the

conditioned response after a rest period or period of
lessened response.

Stimulus Generalization is the tendency for the

conditioned stimulus to evoke similar responses after
the response has been conditioned.
Discrimination is the ability to differentiate
between a conditioned stimulus and other stimuli
that have not been paired with an unconditioned
stimulus.

Higher-Order Conditioning is a situation in which

a neutral stimulus is paired with a conditioned
stimulus to produce the same conditioned response
as the conditioned stimulus.
Activity
Divide the class into three groups. Each group will
illustrate and example of classical conditioning and
apply one of its principles.