PSY 111: Introduction to Psychology
Learning Unit 5: Handout
Page 1 of 3
Operant Conditioning vs. Classical Conditioning
When my son was in the second grade he was constantly being disruptive and bringing home “bad”
notes from his teacher. In order to change his behavior, I offered to buy him a WWF wrestling figure for
every five days in a row that he did not bring home a bad note from school. These toys were plastic and
each had a signature action move. After my son’s first five days in a row without a bad note, he picked
out Hulk Hogan. Five more perfect days awarded him the “Big Bossman” who wore sunglasses and used
his night stick to perform a “Hard Time Slam.” Soon followed Jake “The Snake” Roberts, with a snake
around his neck doling out the famous “Python Punch,” and last, but definitely not least was Andre the
Giant.
My son then begged me for a blue wrestling ring with black turnbuckles. He explained that if his
wrestling men were going to fight each other they had to have a wrestling ring. We agreed when he had
10 consecutive good days, I would buy the ring for him. He performed his part of the deal and soon had
a ring for this WWF figures. For six weeks my son did not bring home a single bad note, and I knew I had
completely and permanently changed my son’s behavior for the better. I just knew that B. F. Skinner
was so proud of me, because I had demonstrated a classic example of his Operant Conditioning. Just
like the seal that will hold a ball on his nose to get a fish, my son would act appropriately in his 2nd
grade classroom five days in a row to receive a WWF wrestling figure. His response was to act well. The
consequence was to receive an action figure which strengthened his behavior in such a way that he
continued to be good to get more action figures.
My daughter’s dog, Miko, loves doggie treats. When Jenny first started giving them to her, the sight and
smell of the doggie treat made Miko twirl around enthusiastically and quickly gobble down the treat.
Then Jenny bought some treats that came in a bag that made a rustling sound. Miko soon came running
and twirling enthusiastically every time she heard the rustle of a bag, any bag, expecting a treat. This
represents what we call Ivan Pavlov’s Classical Conditioning. The Unconditioned Stimulus or US was
the sight and smell of the doggie treats which made Miko make an Unconditioned Response or UR of
twirling enthusiastically. The rustling of the bag soon became the Conditioned Stimulus or CS, which
alone, with no treats, brought about the Conditioned Response or CR of twirling enthusiastically.
Operant Conditioning is a form of learning that brings about voluntary responses that are controlled by
consequences. My son chose to be good to receive the consequences of his behavior. Classical
Conditioning is a form of learning that is reflexive, elicited, and brought under the control of stimulus
events. If Miko is hiding from my daughter, all my daughter has to do is rustle a bag and Miko runs to
Jenny twirling enthusiastically expecting a treat.
With my son I used Positive Reinforcement, but Negative Reinforcement can also be used to change
behavior. For example, in many of the classes I teach I allow students who have not missed a single day
of class to skip the comprehensive final. The students view taking the final as negative so they will come
to every class meeting to avoid that negative consequence of taking the final. Since I implemented that
policy, the percentage of students in my classes who have perfect attendance has drastically risen.
