Classical conditioning

Classical conditioning is associated with learning which two stimuli are repeatedly paired, and behavioural responses are first elicited by the second stimulus (shock) are eventually associated with and are produced when the first stimulus (tone) is presented alone.

Physiologist, Ivan Pavlov (1849 – 1936) conducted a series of experiments on the digestive progress in dogs, he inadvertently observed one of the most important associative learning processes, known as classical (Pavlovian) conditioning. He noticed that when the dogs were presented with food they would salivate, a natural, reflexive, behavioural response to food. Over time, the dogs began to salivate before they had received the food; they would salivate at the lab assistants, who fed the dogs.

Pavlov noted that the dogs had learned that the lab assistants were a cue for food being presented and alone could induce the behavioural responses similar to those induced by food itself. Pavlov investigated further, in a series of follow-up studies in which he rang a tuning fork prior to presenting the dogs with meat powder. To start with, only the meat powder elicited salvation, the tuning fork did not, but after repeated pairings of the tuning fork followed by the meat powder, the dogs began to salivate at the sound of the tuning fork.

Pavlov studies identified four key concepts of classical conditioning. The unconditioned stimulus (US) is a cue that naturally and reflexively elicits a target behaviour, also known as the unconditioned response (UR). In his study, the US was the meat powder and the UR was salivation. The conditioned stimulus (CR) is initially a neutral cue, but after being paired with the US comes to elicit the target response. The timing between the CS and US is critical. The CS must come before the US, and the closer in time the two occur the faster and stronger learning will be (Milosevic & McCabe, 2015).

An example of classical conditioning in marketing is Coca – Cola Christmas advert. When people are asked the question ‘What comes to your mind when you think about Christmas?’ There is a likelihood of someone mentioning Coca – Cola. This is because of classical conditioning, which has allowed Coca – Cola to intentionally create a connection between the festive season and the brand.

Christmas (unconditioned stimulus) is likely to create positive emotions of excitement, joy and family (unconditioned response) however, before conditioning takes place, Coca – Cola (neutral stimulus) does not create any emotions since no brand associations yet exists. However, combining Christmas and Coca – Cola in famous TV adverts, the positive emotions and family re-merge, to the extent that when Coca – Cola is subsequently displayed alone (creating stimulus), these emotions persist (conditioned response), thus creating a brand association between Coca – Cola and Christmas.

Reference:

Milosevic, I. & McCabe, R. (2015). Phobias: The psychology of irrational fear. Santa Barbara: ABC-CLIO.