Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsOverviewClassical ConditioningOperant ConditioningComparisonExamples
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Overview
Classical Conditioning
Operant Conditioning
Comparison
Examples
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Classical conditioningandoperant conditioningare two important concepts central to behavioral psychology. There are similarities between classical and operant conditioning. Both types of conditioning result in learning and both suggest that a subject can adapt to their environment.
However, the processes are also quite different. What are the main differences between operant vs. classical conditioning? To understand how each of these behavior modification techniques can be used, it is also essential to understand how classical and operant conditioning differ from one another.
Verywell / Joshua Seong
Comparing Classical and Operant Conditioning
Let’s take a look at some of the most basic differences in operant vs. classical conditioning.
Focuses on involuntary, automatic behaviors
Involves placing a neutral signal before a reflex
Involves applying reinforcement or punishment after a behavior
Focuses on strengthening or weakening voluntary behaviors
Even if you are not a psychology student, you have probably at least heard aboutPavlov’s dogs. In his famous experiment,Ivan Pavlovnoticed dogs began to salivate in response to a tone after the sound had repeatedly been paired with presenting food. Pavlov quickly realized that this was a learned response and set out to further investigate the conditioning process.
Classical conditioning is a process that involves creating an association between a naturally existing stimulus and a previously neutral one. Sounds confusing, but let’s break it down:
The classical conditioning process involves pairing a previously neutral stimulus (such as the sound of a bell) with an unconditioned stimulus (the taste of food).
Thisunconditioned stimulusnaturally and automatically triggers salivating as a response to the food, which is known as theunconditioned response. After associating the neutral stimulus and the unconditioned stimulus, the sound of the bell alone will start to evoke salivating as a response.
The sound of the bell is now known as theconditioned stimulusand salivating in response to the bell is known as theconditioned response.
A dog doesn’t need to be trained to salivate when it sees food; this occurs naturally. The food is the naturally occurring stimulus. If you ring a bell every time you presented the dog with food, an association would be formed between the food and the bell. Eventually, the bell alone, a.k.a. the conditioned stimulus would come to evoke the salivation response.
Classical conditioning is much more than just a basic term used to describe a method of learning; it can also explain how many behaviors form that can impact your health. Consider how a bad habit might form. Even though you have been working out and eating healthy, nighttime overeating keeps tripping up your dieting efforts.
Thanks to classical conditioning, you might have developed the habit of heading to the kitchen for a snack every time a commercial comes on when watching your favorite television program.
While commercial breaks were once a neutral stimulus, repeated pairing with an unconditioned stimulus (having a delicious snack) has turned the commercials into a conditioned stimulus. Now every time you see a commercial, you crave a sweet treat.
Operant conditioning (orinstrumental conditioning) focuses on using either reinforcement or punishment to increase or decrease a behavior. Through this process, an association is formed between the behavior and the consequences of that behavior.
Imagine that a trainer is trying to teach a dog to fetch a ball. When the dog successfully chases and picks up the ball, the dog receives praise as a reward. When the animal fails to retrieve the ball, the trainer withholds the praise. Eventually, the dog forms an association between the behavior of fetching the ball and receiving the desired reward.
A number of factors can influence how quickly a response is learned and the strength of the response. How often the response is reinforced, known as aschedule of reinforcement, can play an important role in how quickly the behavior is learnedand how strong the response becomes.
The type of reinforcer used can also have an impact on the response. For example, while avariable-ratio schedulewill result in a high and steady rate of response,avariable-interval schedulewill lead to a slow and steady response rate.
In addition to being used to train people and animals to engage in new behaviors, operant conditioning can also be used to help people eliminate unwanted ones. Using a system of rewards and punishments, people can learn toovercome bad habitsthat might have a negative impact on their health such as smoking or overeating.
Operant vs. Classical Conditioning
One of the simplest ways to remember the differences between classical and operant conditioning is to focus on whether the behavior is involuntary or voluntary.
The main difference between classical and operant conditioning is that classical conditioning involves associating an involuntary response and a stimulus, while operant conditioning is about associating a voluntary behavior and a consequence.
In operant conditioning, the learner is also rewarded with incentives,while classical conditioning involves no such enticements. Also, remember that classical conditioning is passive on the part of the learner, and operant conditioning requires the learner to actively participate and perform some type of action in order to be rewarded or punished.
For operant conditioning to work, the subject must first display a behavior that can then be either rewarded or punished. Classical conditioning, on the other hand, involves forming an association with some sort of already naturally occurring event.
Classical vs. Operant Conditioning Examples
In each of these instances, the goal of conditioning is toproduce some sort of change in behavior.
Takeaways
Classical conditioning and operant conditioning are both important learning concepts that originated in behavioral psychology. While these two types of conditioning share some similarities, it is important to understand some of the key differences in operant vs. classical conditioning to determine which approach is best for certain learning situations.
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6 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Dunsmoor JE, Murphy GL.Categories, concepts, and conditioning: how humans generalize fear.Trends Cogn Sci. 2015;19(2):73-7. doi:10.1016/j.tics.2014.12.003Segers E, Beckers T, Geurts H, Claes L, Danckaerts M, Van der oord S.Working memory and reinforcement schedule jointly determine reinforcement learning in children: Potential implications for behavioral parent training.Front Psychol. 2018;9:394. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2018.00394Franzoi S.Psychology: A Discovery Experience.Boutelle KN, Bouton ME.Implications of learning theory for developing programs to decrease overeating.Appetite. 2015;93:62-74. doi:10.1016/j.appet.2015.05.013Silverman K, Jarvis BP, Jessel J, Lopez AA.Incentives and motivation.Transl Issues Psychol Sci. 2016;2(2):97-100. doi:10.1037/tps0000073Hulac D, Benson N, Nesmith MC, Shervey SW.Using variable interval reinforcement schedules to support students in the classroom: An introduction with illustrative examples.J Educ Res Prac. 2016;6(1):90–96. doi:10.5590/JERAP.2016.06.1.06Additional ReadingMcSweeney FK, Murphy ES.The Wiley-Blackwell Handbook of Operant and Classical Conditioning.Nevid JS.Essentials of Psychology: Concepts and Applications.
6 Sources
Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Dunsmoor JE, Murphy GL.Categories, concepts, and conditioning: how humans generalize fear.Trends Cogn Sci. 2015;19(2):73-7. doi:10.1016/j.tics.2014.12.003Segers E, Beckers T, Geurts H, Claes L, Danckaerts M, Van der oord S.Working memory and reinforcement schedule jointly determine reinforcement learning in children: Potential implications for behavioral parent training.Front Psychol. 2018;9:394. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2018.00394Franzoi S.Psychology: A Discovery Experience.Boutelle KN, Bouton ME.Implications of learning theory for developing programs to decrease overeating.Appetite. 2015;93:62-74. doi:10.1016/j.appet.2015.05.013Silverman K, Jarvis BP, Jessel J, Lopez AA.Incentives and motivation.Transl Issues Psychol Sci. 2016;2(2):97-100. doi:10.1037/tps0000073Hulac D, Benson N, Nesmith MC, Shervey SW.Using variable interval reinforcement schedules to support students in the classroom: An introduction with illustrative examples.J Educ Res Prac. 2016;6(1):90–96. doi:10.5590/JERAP.2016.06.1.06Additional ReadingMcSweeney FK, Murphy ES.The Wiley-Blackwell Handbook of Operant and Classical Conditioning.Nevid JS.Essentials of Psychology: Concepts and Applications.
Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Dunsmoor JE, Murphy GL.Categories, concepts, and conditioning: how humans generalize fear.Trends Cogn Sci. 2015;19(2):73-7. doi:10.1016/j.tics.2014.12.003Segers E, Beckers T, Geurts H, Claes L, Danckaerts M, Van der oord S.Working memory and reinforcement schedule jointly determine reinforcement learning in children: Potential implications for behavioral parent training.Front Psychol. 2018;9:394. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2018.00394Franzoi S.Psychology: A Discovery Experience.Boutelle KN, Bouton ME.Implications of learning theory for developing programs to decrease overeating.Appetite. 2015;93:62-74. doi:10.1016/j.appet.2015.05.013Silverman K, Jarvis BP, Jessel J, Lopez AA.Incentives and motivation.Transl Issues Psychol Sci. 2016;2(2):97-100. doi:10.1037/tps0000073Hulac D, Benson N, Nesmith MC, Shervey SW.Using variable interval reinforcement schedules to support students in the classroom: An introduction with illustrative examples.J Educ Res Prac. 2016;6(1):90–96. doi:10.5590/JERAP.2016.06.1.06
Dunsmoor JE, Murphy GL.Categories, concepts, and conditioning: how humans generalize fear.Trends Cogn Sci. 2015;19(2):73-7. doi:10.1016/j.tics.2014.12.003
Segers E, Beckers T, Geurts H, Claes L, Danckaerts M, Van der oord S.Working memory and reinforcement schedule jointly determine reinforcement learning in children: Potential implications for behavioral parent training.Front Psychol. 2018;9:394. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2018.00394
Franzoi S.Psychology: A Discovery Experience.
Boutelle KN, Bouton ME.Implications of learning theory for developing programs to decrease overeating.Appetite. 2015;93:62-74. doi:10.1016/j.appet.2015.05.013
Silverman K, Jarvis BP, Jessel J, Lopez AA.Incentives and motivation.Transl Issues Psychol Sci. 2016;2(2):97-100. doi:10.1037/tps0000073
Hulac D, Benson N, Nesmith MC, Shervey SW.Using variable interval reinforcement schedules to support students in the classroom: An introduction with illustrative examples.J Educ Res Prac. 2016;6(1):90–96. doi:10.5590/JERAP.2016.06.1.06
McSweeney FK, Murphy ES.The Wiley-Blackwell Handbook of Operant and Classical Conditioning.Nevid JS.Essentials of Psychology: Concepts and Applications.
McSweeney FK, Murphy ES.The Wiley-Blackwell Handbook of Operant and Classical Conditioning.
Nevid JS.Essentials of Psychology: Concepts and Applications.
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