Respondent Conditioning

Respondent Conditioning is a learning process in which a neutral stimulus is repeatedly paired with an unconditioned stimulus, leading to the neutral stimulus becoming a conditioned stimulus that elicits a reflexive response. It is also known as classical or Pavlovian conditioning and involves involuntary, reflexive behavior.

Example

A dog naturally salivates (the unconditioned response) when it sees food (the unconditioned stimulus). If the sound of a bell (a neutral stimulus) is repeatedly paired with the presentation of food, eventually, the sound of the bell alone will cause the dog to salivate. The bell has become a conditioned stimulus, and the salivation in response to the bell is a conditioned response, demonstrating respondent conditioning.

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