Classical Conditioning Addictions

Phobias and Addictions
Classical and operant conditioning play a large part in how people learn both good bad habits. Phobias and addictions are just two of the negative behaviors learned or triggered by one of these behaviors. Classical conditioning is a type of learning discovered by Ivan Pavlov. He found that he could use a conditional or neutral stimulus to elicit an unconditioned response. Pavlov proved this theory with both a dog and a child. Ivan first measured the amount of saliva produced by the dog at the sight of food (a natural, unconditioned response). Then Pavlov begins to ring a bell right before he would serve the dog the food. In the beginning, the dog would only salivate when he saw the food, but to Pavlov 's surprise, the
dog started to salivate at the mere sound of the bell (a conditioned response). The same proved true with the child. An unethical experiment today, Pavlov conditioned an animal loving child to scream and cry at the sight of a dog (consequently, any other furry animal) he had previously been very friendly and unafraid by making loud noises right before he brought the animal out.
B.F.
Skinner discovered what is now called operant conditioning with the Skinner box (Kowalski & Western, 2009). Skinner used pigeons and feed as a reward system. If the pigeon pushed one colored button it would get a small but immediate serving of food, but if the pigeon pushed another button it would get a much larger reward but have to wait a brief period before the food delivered. Through the work with the pigeons, Skinner concluded that people operate under a system of rewards and punishments. Operant behavior focuses on the environment and is maintained by its consequences, while classical conditioning deals with the conditioning of reflexive behaviors that are elicited by neutral stimuli. Behaviors conditioned through classical conditioning are not maintained by
consequences.
Phobias and addictions plague millions.
The difficulty begins in attempting to determine where these phobias and addictions originate and how are they formed. Learning theorists have used both classical and operant conditioning studies to understand better these anomalies of the psyche. Worldwide, millions of people are plagued with one type of phobia or another. A Phobia is a persistent irrational fear of an object, situation, or activity that the person feels compelled to avoid (). These feelings are uncontrollable and go far beyond that of a natural normal fear. For example, it is normal to have feeling of fear when faced with a life-threatening situation such as being held at gunpoint, but it is abnormal to have this same fear and anxiety when confronted with an insect, such as a spider. Phobias often affect and interfere with an individual’s ability to function normally in everyday activities such as work and socialization. Feelings of horror, terror, panic, or dread bombard them when faced with catalyst. The afflicted persons consistently seek solace, using extreme measures to avoid the object or situations they fear most causing them to lose the ability to enjoy the simple things in life that most take for
granted.
Phobias are easily developed through classical conditioning. In fact, experiments were used to study the effects of classical conditioning on phobias. The subjects were shown pictures of a neutral stimulus such as a spider or a flower while using small electric shocks each time the facilitator exposed the individual to the picture. Studies found that the individuals developed phobias for the particular object seen in the picture. Interestingly, a series of electric shocks were need to invoke a phobia of flowers, whereas, only 2 to 4 shocks were needed for those exposed to the picture of the spider. This suggests that people are naturally predisposed to a certain amount of fear towards things that have negative connotations. Addicts also have certain predispositions when it comes to addictions. Theorists have concluded that some of the contributing factors of addiction are low self-esteem, poor coping skills, and low or external locus of control, however operant conditioning also play a large role in an additive personality. Low sense of self-worth is a major contributing factor in addiction. Studies found that people who abused as children had esteem issues and represented a high percentage of adult addicts. This generally happens because adults who have experienced abuse as children never have a sense of safety and security, one of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, and therefore feel helpless. This helpless feeling is in direct opposition of empowerment and control. One who feels he has no control over his life or circumstances is more likely to make bad and irrational decisions, because they feel they do not make a difference. This is the classic definition of poor locus of control. The Encyclopedia of Psychology defines locus of control as “a personality orientation characterized either by the belief that one can control events by one 's own efforts (internal locus of control) or that the future is determined by forces outside one 's control (external locus of control). A person who feels helpless will tend to blame outside sources for his problems. For example, if a person with an external locus of control makes a failing grade on a test he is likely to say the test was faulty, and not consider the fact that he did not study adequately. They refuse to acknowledge their roles in their own life failures because they have not obtained the skills necessary to cope with the idea of failure and this now becomes another contributing factor to his esteem issues. An addict is formed once this person, who is generally fearful and anxious, discovers an addictive substance such as sex, drugs, or alcohol.
Operant conditioning comes into play at this point. The power nature of addiction comes from the ability the substance has to trigger certain neurotransmitters called dopamine. Dopamine is found in the hypothalamus or the pleasure center of the brain. The overwhelming sensation of pleasure after the use of the substance acts as a reward system and the individual repeats the behavior continuously seeking the same feeling euphoria. Extinction in operant conditioning occurs when the previous stimulus is no longer effective (Science Daily, 2009). Just as with the pigeons in the Skinner box. Once the substance begins to be ineffective, the individual will cease to use it.
Classical conditioning also plays a part in drug addiction. The substance alone is not the only trigger. The sights, sounds, and even smells of the environment can trigger a relapse (Addiction-Rehabilitation.com, 2006). Addicts begin to associate these places with the drug, and just as the Pavlov’s dog begin to salivate at the sound of the bell, so the addict begins to crave the drug by the neutral stimulus of the environment. For extinction, he person must then learn to make new associations with the places that previously reminded them of the feelings the substance gave them. In addition, combine them with desensitization process that elicit negative or emotion to the substance itself.
The human psyche is the most amazing frontier of the human body. The mind takes major turns and decisions about behavior through perception and learning. Classical and operant conditioning play large parts in behavior development.

References
Kowalski, R., & Westen, D. (2009). Psychology (5th ed.). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.
Science Daily (2009). Science news: treating addiction by eliminating drug-associated memories. Retrieved from http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/04/090423082756.htm
Addiction-Rehabilitation.com (2006). Models of drug addiction and treatment. Retrieved from http://www.addiction-rehabilitation.com/models.html