DISTINGUISHING BETWEEN CLASSICAL AND OPERANT CONDITIONING
Directions: Read the following scenarios carefully. Determine if it is an example of operant or classical conditioning. Then, if it is classical conditioning, identify the UCS, UCR, CS, and CR. If it is operant conditioning, identify if it is positive reinforcement, negative reinforcement, punishment, or omission training.
1. Operant conditioning: Karen goes to the gym four days a week to alleviate her stress.
This is negative reinforcement because she is getting rid of something bad (stress) increasing the likelihood that she will return to the gym.
2. Classical conditioning: Every time she opens the garage door, Julie's dogs begin to salivate uncontrollably because that is where their food is kept.
UCS: food, UCR: drool, CS: garage door, CR: drool
3. Operant conditioning: When Thomas was caught writing on the wall with his markers, his markers were taken away from him.
Omission training because you want to decrease the behavior so you take something of value away from the child.
4. Operant conditioning: When Abdul came home with all A's and B's on his report card, he was given $20.
Positive reinforcement because you want to increase the behavior so you give the child something of value.
5. Classical conditioning: When pairing a red light with a female pigeon, a male pigeon becomes sexually aroused. Eventually, the red light alone will cause the arousal.
UCS: female, UCR: arousal, CS: red light, CR: arousal
6. Classical conditioning: Little Albert cries at the sight of Santa Clause because he learned that white, fuzzy things scare him when they were paired with a loud noise in the lab.
UCS: loud noise, UCR: fear, CS: white, fuzzy things, CR: fear
7. Operant conditioning: When little Mary throws her food on the floor she receives a slap to her hand and a firm, "No!"
Punishment because this is a behavior you want to discourage so you do something to the child that the child will not like
8. Classical conditioning: Dwight wants a mint every time he hears Jim turn on his computer.
UCS: taste in mouth, UCR: desire for mint, CS: computer sound, CR: desire for mint (You can also explain this with operant conditioning, though. Extended hand is rewarded with mint.)
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING ONLY
Below are examples of classical conditioning. In each situation, identify the unconditioned stimulus (UCS), the unconditioned response (UCR), the conditioned stimulus (CS),and the conditioned response (CR).
1. Pavlov was able to condition dogs to salivate to the sound of bell. Food alone will cause dogs to salivate, but when the food was paired with a bell, eventually, the food alone would cause salivating.
UCS: food UCR: drool
CS: bell CR: drool
2. My Aunt Edna has always made me feel relaxed and loved. She always wore the same perfume. Now, when I smell that same perfume I feel relaxed.
UCS: aunt UCR: relaxed
CS: perfume CR: relaxed
3. Female pigeons will stimulate an arousal response in male pigeons. In a famous study, female pigeons were paired with a red light which resulted in the red light causing arousal in male pigeons.
UCS: female UCR: arousal
CS: light CR: arousal
4. When I was very young I ate a whole lot of EZ cheese (that spray on cheese). Later that night, I got very, very sick and threw up because of a virus I contracted. I was never able to eat EZ cheese again.
UCS: virus UCR: nausea
CS: EZ cheese CR: nausea
5. Mr. Edwards knows that the sounds of the ocean are calming. Whenever he gives a test, to reduce anxiety in his students, he plays a recording of ocean sounds. None of his students ever complain of test anxiety.
UCS: ocean sounds UCR: calm
CS: test CR: calm
6. Rats can be trained to move from one place to another by a sound signal. In some labs, the wire floor of a rat's cage can be rigged to conduct an electric shock result in a rat jumping to another "safe" location in the cage. By pairing a buzzer sound with the electric shock, rats can be taught to move to another location in the cage by the sound of the buzzer alone.
UCS: shock UCR: move
CS: buzzer CR: move
OPERANT CONDITIONING SCENARIOS
Directions: Read each scenario below. Describe the response to the behavior as it would apply to you. After our discussion, identify which category of operant conditioning applies.
1. You get caught saying a bad word (maybe as a young child).
Response: mouth washed out with soap
Type of operant conditioning: punishment
2. You get caught sneaking out of your house.
Response: loss of car
Type of operant conditioning: omission training
3. You make a bad grade on your report card.
Response: loss of freedom
Type of operant conditioning: omission training
4. You get your cell phone taken up at school.
Response: loss of $15/humiliation
Type of operant conditioning: omission