The Bell and Pad Method

Today I want to give a different example for classical conditioning in the learning theory than we usually talk about. This method is called "The Bell and Pad Method" and was used during the 1930s. Actually it wasn't a very ethical type of method, but this is always the key aspect in experiments. The aim of this method was to help children to overcome bed-wetting. Let's examine the process more detailed.

The method was used by little children, who were not able to wake up when their bladder was full, so they pee in their but, insted of going to the toilet. So the mean aim was to make them able to be aware of their bladder while sleeping. So the experts constructed a pad with an electrical pad. The idea was that, whenever the pad gets wet, the electrical circuit gets closed and the bell starts ringing and this loud noise wakes the child. After several repetitions the child wakes up before wetting the pad.
The association of bed wetting and waking up due to the alarm is the conditioning, while the unconditioned stimulus is the pad wetting (bladder tension), the conditioned stimulus is the bell and the conditioned response is waking up due to the alarm or even later the urge to urinate.