Conditioning Children’s Attitudes Toward Alcohol, Smoking, and Drugs
The researchers investigated the effects of classical conditioning procedures on the attitudes and choice of social behavior of elementary and secondary students associated with drinking, smoking, and the use of drugs. The experimental treatment involved the pairing of words having negative connotations with the concepts smoking, drinking, and the use of drugs. The results indicated that the experimental group expressed more negative attitudes toward smoking and drinking and chose the use of drugs in social settings less frequently than did the control group.