Question

Lauren has an irrational fear of flying. Use classical conditioning theory to explain how she learned this fear. Provide a definition of each of the terms used in this theory, and indicate each term in Lauren’s conditioning. Be sure to give an example of each term in regard to how Lauren developed her fear. In Lauren’s case it may have been a onetime occurrence that has created the fear. Something happened on the plane to cause her sudden fear. Lauren already has a fear and that fear occurs on the plane. Lauren has a fear on the ground which then happens on the plane.

Answer 1

Thank you for the question.

According to Pavlov's Classical Conditioning theory, conditioning happens in three stages:

Stage 1: Before Conditioning: In this stage, the unconditioned stimulus produces an unconditioned response in Lauren.

The unconditioned stimulus is a stimulus in the environment, that may not have been experienced before. In Lauren's case it is the experience of flying.

The unconditioned response is the produced behavior / response which is unlearned. In Lauren's case it is the experience of fear.

This stage also involves another stimulus which has no effect on a person and is called the neutral stimulus. This could be a person, object, place, etc.

The neutral stimulus in classical conditioning does not produce a response until it is paired with the unconditioned stimulus.

Stage 2: During Conditioning: In this stage, a stimulus which produces no response (i.e., neutral) is associated with the unconditioned stimulus at which point it now becomes known as the conditioned stimulus.

Conditioned stimulus: In Lauren's case this could be the turbulence experienced while taking off of the plane.

For classical conditioning to be effective, the conditioned stimulus should occur before the unconditioned stimulus, rather than after it, or during the same time. Thus, the conditioned stimulus acts as a type of signal or cue for the unconditioned stimulus.

In Lauren's case it could be the malfunction of her seat-belt and her getting almost thrown off to the back of the plane while experiencing turbulence. Although she did not experience this on multiple occasions, just one experience of the stimulus was too much for her to handle and she was overwhelmed by it to the extent that it conditioned her to respond with fear on every mention of taking a flight to somewhere.

Stage 3: After Conditioning: Now the conditioned stimulus has been associated with the unconditioned stimulus to create a new conditioned response.

In Lauren's case, the conditioned stimulus is the experience of flying, the unconditioned stimulus is remembering how she almost crashed inside the plane while experiencing turbulence to create a new conditioned response that is the experience of fear.

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I hope this helps.

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