Classical conditioning is a type of learning in which an individual learns to associate stimuli. For example, if someone sees lightning, they expect thunder. Therefore, whenever they see lightning, they wince because they are anticipating thunder. Meanwhile, phobias are a persistent or irrational fear of an object or situation that disrupts behavior. Both phobias and classical conditioning relate to my white coat syndrome. White coat syndrome is the phenomenon where people experience a higher than normal blood pressure in clinical settings, mostly due to anxiety. In my case, I become very anxious whenever I get a physical.
My white coat syndrome relates to classical conditioning because I associate the stimuli of the doctor’s office with anxiety. I think this is because whenever I visit the doctor’s I know that I am going to be uncomfortable and may have to get a shot. My unconditioned stimulus was getting a shot, and my unconditioned response was to become fearful. Since I associate the doctor’s office with shots, the doctor’s office can be classified as my conditioned stimulus. And finally, my conditioned response is anxiety towards the conditioned stimulus which is the doctor’s office.
Knowing that my white coat syndrome is linked to classical conditioning is very relieving because it assures me that my anxiety is associated only with this particular setting. I generally do not become too anxious when I stand near a cliff or speak in public. This is because I never had negative experiences with the two. Therefore, I do not have a fearful reaction to the stimuli of heights or public speaking.
My white coat syndrome can also be related to phobias because my anxiety is irrational and disrupts my behavior. There is no reason that I should be afraid of the doctor’s because it is safe, and my anxiety causes me to become too nervous. Although my white coat syndrome can be classified as a phobia, it is a very mild one. While most phobias are persistent, I managed to calm myself down and lower my blood pressure to a normal level. My behavior may be disrupted by my nervousness, but I can still communicate with my doctor and perform the tasks necessary to complete my physical. If I was not able to calm myself down and had a complete panic attack, then I would classify my phobia as severe.
Extinction is the process in classical conditioning in which a conditioned response is gradually reduced because the unconditioned stimuli no longer follows the conditioned stimuli. In order for my white coat syndrome to end, I need to no longer associate the doctor’s office, my conditioned stimuli, with shots and uncomfortable situations, my unconditioned stimulus. Fortunately, the next time I get a physical I will most likely not need a shot. As a result, there will no longer be an unconditioned stimulus and my conditioned response of anxiety will be less.