IndexAspects of Watson's TheoryDefinition of Classical Conditioning TheoryStages of Classical ConditioningExamples of Classical Conditioning Theory in Real LifeConclusionWorks Cited:Understanding human behavior has always been an attractive field that it has pushed scientists to do countless research throughout history. John B. Watson, the father of the American behaviorist (1878-1958), was one of those scientists who studied this field. He then worked on “learning theory” which interprets the behavior of individuals through the perspectives of different sub-theories; was founded by, founded the first school of behaviorism in 1912. Watson conducted a series of experiments, including the famous experiment on children (Little Albert). Watson's work was based on Pavlov's experiments on the dog's digestive system. He researched classical conditioning and believed that all individual differences in behavior were the result of different learning experiences, so he viewed individuals as a blank slate that can be filled with any external experience. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Ivan Pavlov discovered that the classical theory was later adopted by John Watson. John Watson proposed that classical conditioning theory was capable of interpreting all aspects of human psychology and behavior. Everything from speech to emotional responses were simply patterns of response and stimulus. Watson completely ignored the influence of the mind or consciousness. Famous quote by John Watson “Give me a dozen healthy, well-rounded children, and my own specific world in which to raise them, and I will guarantee you will take one at random and train him to be any kind of specialist I choose: doctor, lawyer, artist, leader merchant and, yes, even beggar and thief, regardless of his talents, inclinations, tendencies, skills, vocations and the race of his ancestors”.Aspects of Watson's theoryContradicted mentalistic concepts, used contiguity to interpret learning, indicated feelings and emotions as another example of classical conditioning and denied the idea of ​​individual differences. He viewed behaviors as resulting from combinations of reflexes and believed that practice strengthened learning.Theory definition of classical conditioningIt is the process of learning a new behavior through association. For example, two stimuli are both associated to give us a new reaction learned in an individual. Phases of Classical ConditioningThere are 3 phases of classical conditioning. The first phase is "before conditioning", in which the unconditioned stimulus in the surrounding environment produces an unconditioned response. The second phase is "during conditioning" when the unconditioned stimulus becomes a conditioned stimulus. As Saul McLeod states in his article, Classical Conditioning, “Often during this phase the UCS must be paired with the CS on a series of occasions, or trials, for learning to take place.” The third phase is "after conditioning", when the conditioned stimulus occurs and is associated with the conditioned response. Studies: Pavlov conducted studies on dogs and one of the experiments which placed a dog in an insulated box. So food is provided to the dog and it is an unconditioned stimulus (UCS) which increases the dog's saliva and it is an unconditioned response (UCR). When you serve food with the sound of a bell (neutral motivational bell) the dog's saliva increases. Every time Pavlov fed his dogs, he also rang the bell. After several repetitions.