Which elements of classical conditioning and operant conditioning are most likely to be of importance when it comes to the design of an industrial training course?

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Psychology                 Hazra Ali

Amir Suleman

Which elements of classical conditioning and operant conditioning are most likely to be of importance when it comes to the design of an industrial training course?

Learning is central to the explanation of behaviour in the workplace, where individuals need to acquire very specific responses and skills to carry out the tasks that make up their jobs. The design of effective training courses is increasingly linked with models of the learning process, particularly where workforces are needed that can adapt quickly to technological change.  

Learning theory is broken down into two distinct learning patterns, classical and operant conditioning. Firstly I’m going to explain what classical conditioning is, and then go on to talk about the key elements and the implications of classical conditioning that are important when it comes to the design of an industrial training course. Secondly I am going to explain what operant conditioning is and then go on to talk about the key elements and the implications of operant conditioning that are important when it comes to the design of an industrial training course.

Classical conditioning is an association of one event with another that results in a pattern of behaviour. Classical conditioning is a simple but important form of learning. It is a form of conditioning in which a previously neutral stimulus is repeatedly linked with the presentation of an unconditioned stimulus. So that the conditioned stimulus will, after repeated pairings, produce the unconditioned response normally associated with the conditioned stimulus. So for example in training course a fire drill may be tested to let the trainees know what to do in the event of a fire. The fire drill will be the unconditional stimulus and the trainee’s sudden reaction would be to just to stop doing everything. This will be the unconditional response. The conditioned stimulus, in this case will be the loud squeaky tone. So every time the conditioned stimulus occurs, the loud fire drill noise will make the trainee to stop doing everything and get out of the building straightaway that in terms is the condition response. So every time that trainee hears a similar loud squeaky tone, that persons sudden reaction would be to stop doing everything. Therefore the use of unconditional and conditional stimulus and response will be of importance in the design of the industrial training course.

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Generalisation is related to classical conditioning, it occurs when we attribute to a similar stimulus the characteristics of the conditioned stimulus. This may be used in the design of the industrial training course, for example the trainee, when dealing with a new problem, may see certain similarities between it and past problem and that way the employee will be able to solve the problem.

 The law of effect states that responses that satisfy the needs of the organism tend to be retained whereas those that fail to satisfy these needs tend to be eliminated. In this case if ...

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