Conditioning

Establishing new behavior as a result of psychological modifications of responses to stimuli.

A basic form of learning in which a given stimulus comes to be associated with another stimulus or with a response.

Psychological term for any of several types of learning that lead to specific responses to particular stimuli.

A type of learning that connects an event in the environment or a stimulus with a physical, emotional, or behavioral response in the individual. There are two types of conditioning. In classical or Pavlovian conditioning, an unconscious or automatic response is connected with a stimulus not associated physiologically with that response. Classical conditioning creates a new connection between the stimulus and the response. It occurs independent of rewards and punishments and of the action of the individual. In operant conditioning, a behavior increases in frequency when it is followed by a reward (reinforcement) and decreases when it is followed by a punishment. The word “operant” refers to the fact that the individual has to perform a behavior, or operate, before receiving the reinforcement or punishment.

The establishment of new behavior by modifying the stimulus/response associations. In classical conditioning a stimulus not normally associated with a particular response is presented together with the stimulus that evokes the response automatically. This is repeated until the first stimulus evokes the response by itself. In operant conditioning a response is rewarded (or punished) each time it occurs, so that in time it comes to occur more (or less) frequently.

Improving the physical capability of a person by an exercise program.

The process of readying a patient to undergo marrow donation involves various steps, typically involving the administration of chemotherapy and radiation therapy. This preparatory phase aims to create an optimal environment for the transplantation of marrow cells. The use of chemotherapy helps to suppress the patient’s immune system, which helps prevent rejection of the donated marrow. It also assists in eliminating any existing cancer cells or diseased cells that may be present. Additionally, radiation therapy may be employed to further target and destroy any remaining abnormal cells in the patient’s bone marrow. This comprehensive preparation is essential for maximizing the success of the marrow donation and enhancing the patient’s chances of a successful transplant.

The development of a distinct physical or behavioral reaction to a specific stimulus in the surrounding environment characterizes the process known as conditioning.

In the realm of classical conditioning, a stimulus that consistently elicits a specific response is repeatedly paired with a second stimulus that would not typically evoke the same response. Over time, the second stimulus starts to elicit the response independently of the presence of the first stimulus. This phenomenon, famously demonstrated by the physiologist Ivan Pavlov, involves the observation of dogs salivating in anticipation of food, which is an unconditioned response to a stimulus. Pavlov devised an experiment where a bell was rung each time the dogs were given food. After several repetitions of this procedure, the dogs began to salivate solely upon hearing the bell, even in the absence of food, representing a conditioned response to a stimulus.

Operant conditioning involves the deliberate endeavor to alter behavior by providing rewards or punishments to a subject, whether it be an animal or a human, whenever the subject exhibits a specific response to a particular stimulus. Responses that are rewarded are reinforced and tend to occur more frequently, while those that are punished are suppressed and tend to occur less frequently.