Classical Conditioning, From a Learning Perspective

If you’ve studied any sort of psychology, chances are you know about Classical Conditioning and its association with bells and salivating dogs. Formally defined, Classical Conditioning is a learning process where a neutral stimulus is paired with a stimulus that naturally triggers a response.

This article is part of a series on the different types of learning, where we explore the major types of learning and then see how we can apply them in practice to the learning of our students, our children, and ourselves.

Classical Conditioning was first demonstrated by Ivan Pavlov, a Russian psychologist, who noticed that dogs would start to salivate when they saw the lab assistant who fed them, even if there was no food present. Pavlov then paired the sound of a bell (neutral stimulus) with the presentation of food (stimulus that triggers salivation). After several repetitions, the dogs began to salivate just at the sound of the bell, even without food.

We experience the effects of Classical Conditioning ourselves when we smell a scent that transports us to a past experience, when we become instantly anxious at the sound of a dentist’s drill, or when we hear a phone notification ding. Classical Conditioning is so pervasive, it’s hard to notice unless you really think about it!

In and of itself, Classical Conditioning is very interesting, isn’t it? No wonder many of us first became interested in psychology after reading about Pavlov’s experiment!

About “classical” and “conditioning”

It’s generally interesting to know the meaning of words, but in the context of Classical Conditioning, it’s even more so. In this context, the terms “classical” and “conditioning” have specific meanings:

“Classical”: The term “classical” refers to the fact that this type of learning was the first major theory of learning to be developed and studied extensively. Originating with Pavlov’s research in the early 20th century, his research laid the foundation for the broader field of behaviorism. The term “classical” distinguishes this form of learning from other types, such as operant conditioning (which we will look at closely in a separate article).

“Conditioning”: Conditioning refers to the process of learning through the establishment of associations between stimuli and responses. As we mentioned before, in Classical Conditioning a neutral stimulus is repeatedly paired with a stimulus that naturally elicits a response. Over time, the neutral stimulus becomes associated with the response, and it starts to elicit the same response on its own. This process of creating an association through repeated pairings is referred to as “conditioning.”

Very interesting, isn’t it?

Can we apply Classical Conditioning to help us learn?

We can certainly apply Classical Conditioning to help us teach, learn, and help our children learn. In this case Classical Conditioning is not directly a tool for learning study material, but it helps us establish the right conditions for learning that material. What we want to accomplish is to create associations between a stimulus and a response, where the response is that the learner becomes more open to concentrating and learning in general.

These are the general steps everyone can do to condition the mind to switch to learning mode:

• Establish routines: Consistent routines help learners associate specific activities with learning tasks. This includes setting a consistent study schedule – Establish a regular study schedule and stick to it. Over time, this can condition the mind to enter a learning mode during those designated times.
• Create a study environment: Designate a study area that is consistently used for learning. This helps associate the specific environment with focus and productivity. Even if you don’t have an area to exclusively dedicate to study, you can arrange things a certain way at study time so that the same consistent environment is created every time you are there to study.

Next, let’s look at some additional steps parents, individual learners, and teachers can take to use conditioning in everyday learning.

Parents

In additional to the general steps stated above, parents can use Classical Conditioning to support their children’s learning at home and complement classroom education, here are some ideas for primary school children and teenagers:

Primary school children:

• Use praise and rewards: Offer praise or small rewards when your child demonstrates desired behaviors, completes homework, or achieves learning goals. This can reinforce motivation and create a positive association with learning.
• Integrate fun activities: Make learning enjoyable by incorporating games, songs, or hands-on activities related to the subject matter, creating positive associations with learning.

Teenagers:

• Encourage autonomy: Support your teenager in developing a sense of ownership and motivation for their learning by allowing them to make choices about their study schedule, materials, or projects.
• Teach stress management techniques: Help your teenager develop stress management and relaxation techniques, such as mindfulness or deep breathing exercises, which they can associate with a calm and focused state when studying or preparing for exams.
• Connect learning to personal goals: Discuss with your teenager how their learning is relevant to their personal or future goals, creating a strong association between learning and personal achievement.

Individual Learners

• Reward yourself when you learn: Make it a habit of rewarding yourself after study sessions. Yes, you can watch that guilty-pleasure time-wasting television show you secretly love, but only after you complete your study session, if you complete your study session. You decide what your reward is, but make sure you give it to yourself only after you study!

Teachers

Teachers can expend on the list above to incorporate and use Classical * Conditioning to make learning more effective:

• Use signals and cues: Teachers can use specific cues, like a bell or a hand signal, to prompt desired behaviors, such as quieting down, paying attention, or transitioning between activities. With repetition, students will learn to associate the cue with the desired behavior, making classroom management more efficient.
• Pair positive reinforcement with desired behaviors: Offering praise, encouragement, or small rewards when students demonstrate desired behaviors or achieve learning goals can help create a positive association with those actions, motivating students to continue engaging in them.

Classical Conditioning is not only an interesting learning process; we can use Classical Conditioning to adopt learning habits, and to put us in the right headspace to be more open to learning. The fundamental suggestions posted here, establishing routines and creating a study environment, seem intuitive and simple, but they are much more effective in learning success when we apply them consciously.