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Classical Conditioning definitions

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  • Classical Conditioning
    A learning process where a neutral stimulus acquires the ability to elicit a response after being paired with an unconditioned stimulus.
  • Ivan Pavlov
    Russian physiologist who discovered the principles of classical conditioning through experiments with dogs and digestion.
  • Unconditioned Stimulus
    A trigger that naturally and automatically evokes a reflexive response without prior learning.
  • Unconditioned Response
    A reflexive, automatic reaction to a stimulus that occurs without previous training or learning.
  • Neutral Stimulus
    An input that initially produces no specific or consistent reaction before conditioning occurs.
  • Conditioned Stimulus
    A previously neutral input that, after association, reliably triggers a learned reaction.
  • Conditioned Response
    A learned reaction that is triggered by a conditioned stimulus, often mirroring the unconditioned response.
  • Acquisition
    The phase during which a neutral stimulus is repeatedly paired with an unconditioned stimulus, leading to learning.
  • Extinction
    The process where a learned reaction fades when the conditioned stimulus is presented without the unconditioned stimulus.
  • Second-Order Conditioning
    A process where a new neutral stimulus becomes a conditioned stimulus by association with an existing conditioned stimulus.
  • Stimulus Generalization
    The tendency for stimuli similar to the conditioned stimulus to evoke the conditioned response.
  • Stimulus Discrimination
    The learned ability to distinguish between the conditioned stimulus and other similar but irrelevant stimuli.
  • Spontaneous Recovery
    The sudden reappearance of a previously extinguished conditioned response after a rest period.
  • Biological Preparedness
    An organism's innate tendency to form certain associations more easily due to evolutionary advantages.
  • Associative Learning
    A broad category of learning involving connections between environmental stimuli and behavioral responses.