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5: Applications of Respondent Conditioning

  • Page ID
    370951
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    Chapter Overview

    Having covered basic and advanced topics in relation to respondent conditioning, also called classical or Pavlovian conditioning, I will now present some applications of the learning model in the real world. To that end we will discuss the acquisition of fears (phobias) from a clinical psychology perspective, the paradigm of eyeblink conditioning, how food preferences and taste aversions are learned, PTSD and treatment approaches, and advertising and its use of the learning model.

    Chapter Learning Objectives
    • Describe how fears are learned and unlearned using respondent conditioning.
    • Describe the use of the eyeblink conditioning procedure in respondent conditioning.
    • Clarify how taste aversion occurs.
    • Clarify how we acquire food preferences.
    • Describe how respondent conditioning can be used to partially explain and treat PTSD.
    • Propose ways to use respondent conditioning in advertising/marketing.

    • 5.1: Fear Conditioning
      This page addresses fear learning, highlighting the conditioning of emotional responses with a focus on Watson and Rayner's Little Albert study. It discusses factors influencing fear and types of phobias, elaborating on treatment methods such as counterconditioning and exposure therapies. Additionally, it covers social anxiety disorder and panic disorder, detailing their effects on functioning and treatment options.
    • 5.2: Eyeblink Conditioning
      This page explores the eyeblink conditioning procedure using rabbits, detailing how they learn to associate a neutral stimulus with an unconditioned stimulus, resulting in a conditioned blink response. It discusses the optimal timing for stimuli and the involvement of the cerebellum and interpositus nucleus in this process. Additionally, it highlights research on synaptic changes in the interpositus nuclei post-conditioning, emphasizing the neurological underpinnings of the learned response.
    • 5.3: Taste Aversion
      This page explores the conditioned taste aversion paradigm, demonstrating how organisms learn to avoid foods that cause nausea. Based on Garcia's study with rats, it emphasizes the ability to form associations after a single experience, which is crucial for survival. The implications of this aversion are particularly significant for cancer patients managing their food preferences during treatment.
    • 5.4: Food Preferences
      This page explores how food preferences are shaped through respondent conditioning, citing experiments by Dickinson and Brown (2007) that reveal how students develop a liking for flavors associated with sugar and aversion to those mixed with bitterness. It illustrates the concept of evaluative conditioning, where the evaluation of stimuli can shift based on their associations with other positive or negative stimuli.
    • 5.5: PTSD
      This page defines post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and outlines its diagnostic criteria, highlighting symptoms like traumatic memories, negative mood, irritability, and sleep issues. It discusses treatment approaches, focusing on respondent conditioning and exposure therapy, including techniques like imaginal and in-vivo exposure, as well as flooding. The importance of coping strategies for anxiety management during treatment is also emphasized.
    • 5.6: Advertising
      This page explores the effectiveness of respondent conditioning in advertising, highlighting a study by Stuart et al. (1987) that tested the impact of pairing a neutral brand (Brand L toothpaste) with positive stimuli. The results demonstrated that conditioned learning can enhance brand attitudes, as students who experienced positive imagery rated the brand significantly higher compared to those exposed to neutral pairings.
    • 5.7: Chapter Recap
      This page discusses six applications of respondent conditioning, including fear acquisition, taste preferences, and PTSD, before transitioning to operant conditioning concepts by Thorndike and Skinner. It encourages further exploration of PTSD and phobias through additional resources.


    This page titled 5: Applications of Respondent Conditioning is shared under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Lee W. Daffin Jr. via source content that was edited to the style and standards of the LibreTexts platform.