Phobias and Addiction Paper

Phobias and dependency PSY 300 October 22, 2012 Phobias and Addiction Learning a behavior is gaining familiarity or skills by means of witness, practice, or building. For modelling, virtually batch mark to wake up at the sound of an alarm clock. by dint of and through with(predicate) the shape of instruct, he or she awakens at the sound of the alarm. The alarm becomes the signal to give-up the ghost the day. Often what happens is that some people condition themselves to awaken at the same measure every day with divulge even earreach the alarm.In the late nineteenth century Ivan Pavlov, a Russian physiologist, was the first to arrogantally teaching upright learn (Kowalski & Westen, 2011). unblemished conditioning is a treat when a immaterial input signal brings forth a answer corresponding with a stimulus that automatically brings forth that reaction (Kowalski & Westen, 2011). Pavlov effectively produced a conditioned reaction in dogs to a specific stimulus in systematically planned procedure (Kowalski & Westen, 2011). Produced in a similar outgrowth are phobias, addictions, and the process of quenching.The following considers how phobias develop through classical conditioning, how addictions develop through operative conditioning, how these two types of conditioning differ, and finally covering the process of extermination and how it is achieved in both(prenominal) types of conditioning. holy and operative Conditioning Classical and Operant conditioning are processes in which the judgement connects and understands different things. Both depend on the modifications that arise in behaviors when derived from the setting or the behavior itself and necessitate a systematic process.Classical and operant conditioning, otherwise kn accept as associative learning, developed from the behaviorist spot (Kowalski & Westen, 2011). Both procedures share common features such as extinction, prepared learning, discrimination, generalization, and the possibility of nonadaptive knowledges (Kowalski & Westen, 2011, p. 193). In classical conditioning the stimulus that gives off a reflexive retort is substituted with a different stimulus (Kowalski & Westen, 2011).In operant conditioning the preferred behavior dissolvents harmonize to essences whether arbitraryly or negatively reinforced making that behavior occur more or less frequently (Kowalski & Westen, 2011). It is through these processes that some humans develop phobias and addictions. Phobias through Classical Conditioning According to Kowalski & Westen, (2011), a phobia is an ir bring outional fear of a specific object or attitude (p. 167). When someone reacts to this irrational fear, his or her reception is extreme anxiety such as hyperventilating, increased heart rate, extreme emotions, and sometimes fainting (Kowalski & Westen, 2011).A famous example of the creation of phobias in classical conditioning occurred during the Little Albert sample conducted by John Watson and Rosalie Rayners (Kowalski & Westen, 2011). For example, though Albert did not initially fear white rats, when a loud noise occered with the white rat the conditioned response became fear (Kowalski & Westen, 2011). This created a phobia of white rats and other objects apply during the experiment (Kowalski & Westen, 2011). For Albert, classical conditioning created these behaviors.Addictions through operant Conditioning Another problematic and a good deal destructive behavior is addiction. The results of addictions bottom often be poor health, disease, crime, noetic illness, and even death. According to the American psychological Association (APA), (2012), addiction is defined as is a condition in which the embody must comport a do medicates to avoid physical and psychological climb-down symptoms (Addictions). The drug to an addict is not eer a substance it is sometimes an legal action such as gambling, sex, or eating.Addiction is often associated with oper ant conditioning (Antczak,2011). A soulfulness has natural excerpt methods, the amusement or hurt response, which either subjects the feeling of pleasure when the action is to survive or pain in the actions that decrease to chance of survival (Antczak,2011). These responses occur as a result of the release of neurotransmitters in the brain (Antczak,2011). Pathways cast of characters in the brain and neurotransmitters reinforce them with the experience of pleasure or pain (Antczak,2011).Using drugs for example often result in both pleasure and pain responses. Initially the drug creates the feeling of pleasure. This racy can cause the person to seek out this alter state therefore creating an addiction. later on the high an addict often experiences ill feelings or pain. Often, the addict for corroborate seek out those feelings of pleasure to avoid the pain and excruciation when they are not using the addictive substance. This pattern of a connection mingled with behavior a nd consequence is operant conditioning (Antczak,2011).Extinction In classical conditioning intentional responses can be extinguished, which is the process of extinction (Kowalski & Westen, 2011). After extinction, recovery is often picayune term. Extinction initially weakens the remaining association to the learned response, but extinction does not occur unless the reactions of consistent. For example, a parent seeks to have his or her baby string up somnolent on their own at shadow and eventually succeeds after having the child name to sleep on his or her own for a period of time.If this process is consistently repeated, the child eventually depart fall asleep on his or her own. After some time, if one parent rushes to the child when he or she cries, the parent will once again struggle to get the child to fall asleep in his or her own and fail to extinguish the behavior. According to Kowalski & Westen, (2011) extinction in operant conditioning occurs if enough trials pass in which the operant is not followed by the consequence previously associated with it (p. 78). If the behavior does not distribute either a positive or negative consequence, eventually the behavior will not occur (Kowalski & Westen, 2011). Conclusion associable learning covers both classical and operant conditioning and both succeed in a number of settings. To maintain positive behaviors sustain and reinforce connections or extinction ultimately will occur. People learn from experience, and associations made and the resulting behaviors have a herculean influence in the brain.Some associations result in phobias or addictions and although extinction can occur, the process of ever-changing a response is difficult. Classical and operant conditioning allow people to survive, thrive, and adjust to a continually changing situation.References American Psychological Association. (2012). Retrieved from http//www. apa. org/topics/addiction/index. aspx Antczak, A. (2011). hayseed voices. Ret rieved from http//voices. yahoo. com/classical-operant-conditioning-phobias-addictions-10159457. html Kowalski, R. , & Westen, D. (2011). Psychology(6th ed. ). Hoboken, NJ Wiley.