CLASSICAL CONDITIONING vs. OPERANT CONDITIONING
There are many differences between Classical Conditioning and Operant Conditioning. Conditioning essentially means TRAINING. What we are doing in both types of conditioning, is training the subject to either change their behavior or show a response to a stimulus of our choice.
Classical Conditioning:
In this case, the goal is to make the subject respond to a stimulus of our choice. It refers to a biological, reflexive response. This response is given to a certain stimulus every time, no matter what, and it is out of the subject’s control.
In the case of Pavlov’s dog, the response is salivation. The dog does not consciously make himself salivate, it just happens every time food is present. The stimulus that elicits this reflexive response (called unconditioned response or UR) is called unconditioned stimulus or US. That means there was no training necessary for the response to occur.
The goal is to make the dog give this same response of salivation to a different stimulus other than the food, in Pavlov’s case, the bell. The bell is what we are training the dog to respond to, the Conditioned Stimulus or CS (needs training). Pairing up the bell (CS) with the food (US) repeatedly, will eventually get the dog to salivate to the sound of the bell in anticipation of the food. This process is not a conscious choice. Remember, the response is a reflex. Once we achieve the response to the bell (CS), this response is now the conditioned response (CR). The response the dog was trained to give.
Operant Conditioning:
This type of conditioning essentially means learning through the consequences of our actions. If the consequences are good, or we are rewarded for our behavior, then we tend to want to repeat it. If the consequences are bad, or we are punished for our behavior, then we tend to want to stop that behavior.
There are two types of rewards and two types of punishment in Operant Conditioning. But before I explain them, let’s think of Math for a moment. In Math, when we see this sign: + it means positive, or you are adding something (two numbers). In the same way, this sign: - means negative, or you are taking something away, subtracting (one number from another).
Keep these concepts in mind when going over the explanation that follows.
In Operant Conditioning, every time we see the word positive, it simply means we are adding something. Whenever we see the word negative, it simply means we are taking something away. Just like in Math.
So, whenever we want a behavior to continue, we will use Reinforcers (rewards). The two types of Reinforces we can use to make sure the behavior continues are:
Positive Reinforcement: We add something good after the behavior so it will continue. For example, if a child gets all A’s in school, I will add $ 5.00 as a reward.
Negative Reinforcement: We take away something unpleasant as a reward for the behavior so it will continue. For example, if the child finishes her homework, I will take away broccoli at dinner (assuming the child does not like broccoli).
Whenever we want a behavior to stop, we will use Punishers. The two types of Punishers we can use to make a behavior stop are:
Positive Punishment: We add an unpleasant consequence to a behavior so it will stop. For example, if you speed in the highway the police officer will add a ticket as a punishment so you will stop speeding.
Negative Punishment: We take away something the person likes as a way to make the behavior stop. For example, if the child does not finish her homework I will take away her video games (which she likes) as a punishment. That way I hope the behavior of not finishing homework will stop.
Main differences between Classical and Operant:
Classical conditioning is passive, there is no behavior involved, just reflexes. The best way to figure out classical conditioning elements is to start backwards:
First, identify the reflexive response UR (ex: salivation); then identify what elicits that response every time, no matter what US (ex: food). Add any stimulus you would like to pair with the CS (ex: bell). Note that the response (ex: salivation) NEVER CHANGES. What changes is what the subject responds to.
Operant conditioning is about behaviors. These are conscious choices we make based on the consequences of our actions. It is active learning, where we are making decisions and performing behaviors that are NOT reflexive, but intentional.
