Learning — Psychology STD 11 Humanities — Question

Classical conditioning:

1. In classical conditioning, the responses are under the control of some stimulus.
2. In classical conditioning US elicits responses, which is often called respondent conditioning
3. In classical conditioning the CS and US are well defined.
4. In classical conditioning, the experimenter controls the occurrence of US. Thus, for US in classical conditioning the organism remains passive.

e.g. In classical conditioning the reinforcement occurs (U.S) in every trial.

5. Classical conditioning is relatively simple and passive type of learning.

Operant Conditioning:

1. In operant conditioning, responses are under the control of the organism and are voluntary responses or “operants”.
2. In operant conditioning reinforcement is contingent upon a response, it depends upon a response. This response is emitted by the learner rather than elicited by the US.
3. In operant conditioning CS is not defined. It can be inferred but is not directly known.
4. In operant conditioning the subject has to be active in order to be reinforced.

e.g. In operant conditioning the reinforce occurs only when the 'organism' makes the current responses.

5. Operant conditioning is a more complex type of learning.