The main difference between escape conditioning and avoidance conditioning is that with escape conditioning there is no warning signal before the aversive stimulus, while with avoidance conditioning there is a warning signal before the aversive stimulus.
Escape conditioning and avoidance conditioning are two forms of negative reinforcement . Both lead to an increase in the behavior that stopped or avoided the aversive stimulus.
Key areas covered
1. What is escape conditioning - definition, functions 2. What is avoidance conditioning - definition, functions 3. What is the difference between escape conditioning and avoidance conditioning - main differences comparison
key terms
Escape conditioning, avoidance conditioning, negative reinforcement
What is Escape Conditioning?
Escape conditioning is a type of conditioning in which an organism learns to avoid an aversive stimulus. In other words, the organism acquires a response that leads to the cessation of an aversive stimulus. Unpleasant or painful stimuli are referred to here as aversive stimuli. Escape conditioning occurs when an aversive stimulus is presented and the organism reacts by leaving the stimulus situation.
In a laboratory, a shuttle box can be used to demonstrate escape conditioning. A shuttle box is a box or enclosure with two sections separated by a partition that an animal can cross. For example, if a dog's feet were shocked in a shuttle box, the dog would jump into the other section of the box. Similarly, if the scientist reapplied the shock, the dog would jump back to the next section to avoid the shock. Electric shock is the aversive stimulus here. Therefore, the dog's response to avoid the aversive stimulus will reflect escape conditioning.
We can apply this concept of escape conditioning to real situations as well. For example, students who find school uncomfortable or aversive may drop out of school. This is an example of escape conditioning.
What is Avoidance Conditioning?
Avoidance conditioning is a classic conditioning process that teaches an organism to avoid aversive stimuli as part of a two-part process. In other words, there are two stimuli in this conditioning: a neutral stimulus and an aversive stimulus. The neutral stimulus follows the aversive stimulus, and the subject learns to avoid the aversive stimulus by responding to the neutral stimulus.
For example, imagine a buzzer sounds before the person delivers a shock. The person associates the buzzer with the shock and takes the required action as soon as they hear the buzzer to avoid the punishment. For example, if we teach a dog to jump over a fence using this method, the dog will jump over the fence as soon as it hears the buzzer to avoid the shock.
Relationship between escape conditioning and avoidance conditioning
- Escape conditioning becomes avoidance conditioning if the aversive stimulus is followed by a warning signal or a neutral stimulus.
Difference between escape conditioning and avoidance conditioning
definition
Escape conditioning is a type of conditioning in which a person learns to avoid an aversive stimulus, while avoidance conditioning is a type of conditioning in which the person is conditioned to respond to an expected unpleasant event by using the aversive stimulus of each Avoid times when the information or warning signal is perceived.
Warning signal or neutral stimulus
In escape conditioning there is no warning signal before the aversive stimulus, but in avoidance conditioning there is a warning signal before the aversive stimulus.
diploma
In summary, escape conditioning and avoidance conditioning are two forms of negative reinforcement. The main difference between escape conditioning and avoidance conditioning is that with escape conditioning there is no warning signal before the aversive stimulus, while with avoidance conditioning there is a warning signal before the aversive stimulus.
Reference:
1. "Escape Conditioning - Definition and Examples - Biology Online Dictionary." Biology Articles, Tutorials and Dictionary Online, Oct. 2, 2020, available here . 2. "Escape and Avoidance Conditioning". Southern Arkansas University - Magnolia, Southern Arkansas University - Magnolia, Available here .
Image courtesy:
1. “Operant conditioning diagram rev” By Box73 (newly created and converted to svg) and Curtis Neveu (source) - This file is a replica of a diagram at (CC BY 3.0) via Commons Wikimedia
