classical conditioning

American  

noun

1. conditioning.

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classical conditioning British  

noun

1. psychol the alteration in responding that occurs when two stimuli are regularly paired in close succession: the response originally given to the second stimulus comes to be given to the first See also conditioned response

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classical conditioning Scientific  

/ klăs′ĭ-kəl /

1. A process of behavior modification in which a subject learns to respond in a desired manner such that a neutral stimulus (the conditioned stimulus) is repeatedly presented in association with a stimulus (the unconditioned stimulus) that elicits a natural response (the unconditioned response) until the neutral stimulus alone elicits the same response (now called the conditioned response). For example, in Pavlov's experiments, food is the unconditioned stimulus that produces salivation, a reflex or unconditioned response. The bell is the conditioned stimulus, which eventually produces salivation in the absence of food. This salivation is the conditioned response.

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Etymology

Origin of classical conditioning

First recorded in 1945–50

Example Sentences

All the subjects took turns in an MRI machine, where the researchers induced auditory hallucinations with classical conditioning, following the example of Pavlov and his dogs.

From Salon • Jun. 3, 2025

Notar said the results are "exciting" because "classical conditioning hasn't really been shown definitively in this group of animals before."

From Science Daily • Nov. 29, 2023

Associative learning, which includes classical conditioning, is one of the simplest types of learning and has been studied intensively over the past century.

From Science Daily • Oct. 12, 2023

In operant conditioning, the animal learns to associate a non-voluntary behavior with an unusual stimulus, whereas in classical conditioning, the animal learns to associate a voluntary behavior with its consequences.

From Textbooks • Jun. 9, 2022

Conceptually tied to classical conditioning, prolonged exposure therapy is one way to treat PTSD.

From Salon • Jan. 16, 2022