Lesson 6 - Kohlberg's Moral Reasoning

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Presentation of Theoretical Construct

Reading: Chapter 3
  
 

Lecture Information: Classical Conditioning's Dynamic Model

The following is based on the experiment that Pavlov performed conditioning dogs to salivate at the sound of a bell

Stage 1.  US/Meat                                  UR/Salivation

Stage 2   {US/Meat & NS/Bell}               UR/Salivation

Stage 3   CS/Bell                                     CR/Salivation

Methods of Associating:

1.  Repetition: 
The most common laboratory method for causing an association to occur is through the repeated pairing of the US and NS.  In Pavlov's case those would be the meat (US) and the bell (NS) being presented to the dog about a couple of dozen times.  After which the dog begins to associate the bell with food, and therefore salivates when they hear the ringing sound.  For pet owners this is a very common occurrence with feeding time, walks, house-breaking...

2. Profound Experience:
The most common method for causing an association to occur in everyday life is through a branding event either traumatic or profound to occur and the person associates the US and NS instantly with only one repetition.  In this way, Classical Conditioning is a very popular explanation for "phobic" formations.  For example, the fear of snakes can usually be traced back to an earlier experience with snakes that was somehow perceived by the person as life-threatening.  A child that gets sick at the movies from eating too much candy, might develop an aversion to movies.  Although famously associated with phobias, classical conditioning is most likely more common with positive emotional responses such as a romantic song that reminds an elderly couple of their first date.  This positive association is also a good explanation for the recent movement in education to the social/emotional learning for students in that the teacher tries to produce positive emotions for students in an educational setting thereby "conditioning" students to have a warm association with school. 

 


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