Chapter 2 of 10All chapters
Chapter 2 of 10
Learning and conditioning
The oldest solid ground.
Two kinds
Classical conditioning links a neutral stimulus to a meaningful one, as with Pavlov's bell. Operant conditioning links behaviour to consequences: reward increases it, punishment decreases it.
- Intermittent reward produces the most persistent behaviour, which is why gambling works.
- Punishment suppresses behaviour without teaching an alternative.
Beyond animals
Habits, phobias, advertising and app design all use these mechanisms. They are among the most reliably replicated findings in the field.