Classical and Operant Conditioning and Substance Misuse
2. Psychological Factors and Substance Misuse: How do the ideas of Classical Conditioning and Operant Conditioning explain why someone might misuse drugs? How can these theories be applied to the treatment of substance misuse? (1500 words)
Learning (conditioning) is the process that eventually leads to relative permanent change in behavior or training. Some things are innate - we are born with the knowledge but others must be acquired actively. Thus, it is ‘an adaptive process in which the tendency to perform a particular behaviour is changed by experience.’ (Carlson et al, 2005). With the change of circumstances, new behaviours are learned and old ones are eradicated. Peterson & McBridge (2005) believe that unlike biological theories that emphasise on the physical structure and the brain, psychological theories associate behaviour to processes that occur within the person’s mind. In his research, McMurran (1994) highlights six such behavioral theories that indicate relevance to substance misuse and dependency, two out of which are Classical Conditioning and Operant Conditioning. While both result in learning, the processes are quite different. However, the two have always been classed as important concepts and are central to Behavioral Psychology. The assignment will focus on the two learning that affect the behaviours by the pairing of stimuli reflecting onto some of the factors that lead to substance misuse. It will then explore how the theories also contribute for the treatment of substance misuse and dependency.
Classical Conditioning
Carlson et al (2005) emphasizes that classical conditioning involves learning about the conditions that foresee that an important event is going to take place. An internet source (simplypsychology), states that in this type of conditioning, ‘the condition that is responded is the learned response to the previously neutral stimulus’. This theory was developed by the Russian physiologist Ivan Pavlov (1849-1936) with his
Learning (conditioning) is the process that eventually leads to relative permanent change in behavior or training. Some things are innate - we are born with the knowledge but others must be acquired actively. Thus, it is ‘an adaptive process in which the tendency to perform a particular behaviour is changed by experience.’ (Carlson et al, 2005). With the change of circumstances, new behaviours are learned and old ones are eradicated. Peterson & McBridge (2005) believe that unlike biological theories that emphasise on the physical structure and the brain, psychological theories associate behaviour to processes that occur within the person’s mind. In his research, McMurran (1994) highlights six such behavioral theories that indicate relevance to substance misuse and dependency, two out of which are Classical Conditioning and Operant Conditioning. While both result in learning, the processes are quite different. However, the two have always been classed as important concepts and are central to Behavioral Psychology. The assignment will focus on the two learning that affect the behaviours by the pairing of stimuli reflecting onto some of the factors that lead to substance misuse. It will then explore how the theories also contribute for the treatment of substance misuse and dependency.
Classical Conditioning
Carlson et al (2005) emphasizes that classical conditioning involves learning about the conditions that foresee that an important event is going to take place. An internet source (simplypsychology), states that in this type of conditioning, ‘the condition that is responded is the learned response to the previously neutral stimulus’. This theory was developed by the Russian physiologist Ivan Pavlov (1849-1936) with his