Theories of Stimulus-Response Conditioning

 Hi, I'm back and today we are gonna talk about another category of theories, just as we did yesterday! As the title already says, today, we are gonna talk about the theories of stimulus-response conditioning. Let's start with the definition, shall we?

    These theories intended that the psychology was considered a science as well as the physics, reason why they had a methodology that focused on those aspects that were observable and testable.

    1. The connectionism

Thorndike, with this theory, defines learning as the result of the association between stimuli and responses. Associations that will be strengthened or weakened by the nature of the same.

The foundation of Thorndike's connectionism was the association between sensory impressions and impulses of action. In addition it affirms that the most characteristic form of association is obtained by means of the trial and error.

Its main contribution was the formulation of the law of effect. This dictates that if a given response given by the subject is followed by reinforcing consequences, those responses are more likely to occur in the future when the same stimulus reappears.

On the other hand, when the consequences following a response are not satisfactory, the probability of emission will be less when that stimulus is represented.

Other laws that he established were the law of exercise or repetition. It states the the more times a response is given to the presence of a stimulus, the longer the retention time will be.

There will also be strengthened connections as a result of practice, law of use, and weakening of connections when the practice is disrupted.

    2. The behaviorism

Behaviorism was developed by Watson at the beginning of the 20th century. In his studies he set aside the feelings and the inner experiences, since he thought that they were impossible objects of study when dealing with unobservable phenomena.

Therefore, he denies the use of subjective methods such as introspection because he thought that external observation was the most suitable methodology that allowed to reach a scientific psychology.

Therefore, this current has as object of study the observable behavior, resorting to experimental procedures for the observation of those responses produced to stimuli present in the environment.

His theory is known as stimulus-response, this relationship being the result of the interaction of the subject with his environment.

    3. Neo-behaviorism and operant conditioning

Behaviorism is based on the main idea that a stimulus causes a specific response, this approach being nuanced by neoconduction.

This current specifies that behavior can not only be explained on the basis of stimuli, responses and prior conditioning.

Authors belonging to this stream, such as Skinner, Hull and Tolman, think that it is also necessary to study mental processes.

Its main objective is the study of human behavior, but for this it is necessary to understand and analyze also the mental processes of people. These mental processes are those that cause the individual to act in a determined way before the stimuli of the environment.

These intermediate variables between the stimulus and the response are physiological, not directly observable but necessary to understand the behavior of individuals.

The neoconductism focused on subjects that previously had been ignored by this current as they were the motivational processes, the perception and the thought.

This was it for today, hope you enjoyed it! If you did, don't forget to check the other ones, too, maybe leave a comment and maybe even share it to your friends or family!