Question

As part of a smoking cessation program, Paul receives an injection of a nausea-inducing drug and then is asked to smoke a cigarette. Even though he knows he is receiving the drug, it is hoped that Paul will associate the nausea symptoms with smoking and will thus smoke less. This example best demonstrates the procedures typically used in _____.

Answer 1

Paul's experience with a nausea-inducing drug paired with smoking to elicit a negative response towards cigarettes is an application of classical conditioning. This method is used in smoking cessation programs to create an aversive reaction to smoking, with the intention of reducing the habit. Classical conditioning deals with establishing associations between stimuli to influence behavior.

Step-by-step explanation:

The example of Paul receiving a nausea-inducing drug and then being asked to smoke a cigarette, in hopes that he will associate nausea with smoking, best demonstrates the procedures typically used in classical conditioning. This psychological learning process involves creating associations between a naturally occurring stimulus and a previously neutral stimulus. By pairing the act of smoking with the unpleasant feeling of nausea, the goal is to condition a negative response towards smoking, thereby aiding in smoking cessation.

This is similar to the real-world application of classical conditioning as seen in medical treatments like chemotherapy, where the environment or tools used during the treatment become associated with the nausea induced by the treatment. The body then reacts with nausea to those cues even after the treatment has stopped. Applying this concept to smoking, the nausea-inducing drug acts as an unconditioned stimulus to create an unconditioned response (nausea), which is then associated with the conditioned stimulus (smoking). Eventually, smoking alone should elicit the conditioned response of nausea.