Psychology · WPS02 (Unit 2)

Classical conditioning

Classical conditioning is learning by association, first described by Ivan Pavlov from his work on dogs.

Before, during, after

Before: an unconditioned stimulus (UCS, food) causes an unconditioned response (UCR, salivation). A neutral stimulus (NS, a bell) causes no response.
During: the NS is repeatedly paired with the UCS.
After: the bell is now a conditioned stimulus (CS) and causes a conditioned response (CR, salivation).

Key terms

Extinction: the CR fades if the CS is repeatedly given without the UCS.
Spontaneous recovery: an extinguished CR reappears after a rest.
Stimulus generalisation: similar stimuli also cause the CR.

Applications

Classical conditioning is used to explain how some phobias are learned, and therapies such as systematic desensitisation use it to replace fear with relaxation.

Worked example

Before conditioning, what is the bell in Pavlov's study?

The bell causes no salivation on its own.

Answer: A neutral stimulus.

Key idea: UCS -> UCR; NS + UCS paired; CS -> CR. Extinction, spontaneous recovery, generalisation.

Check yourself

In Pavlov's study, the food is the
- unconditioned stimulus
- conditioned stimulus
- neutral stimulus
- conditioned response
Show answer
unconditioned stimulus. Food causes salivation without learning.
After conditioning, the bell is the
- unconditioned stimulus
- unconditioned response
- conditioned stimulus
- neutral response
Show answer
conditioned stimulus. The bell now triggers salivation because of learning.
The bell is rung many times with no food and salivation stops. This is
- extinction
- spontaneous recovery
- generalisation
- reinforcement
Show answer
extinction. The CR fades without the UCS.
A dog conditioned to a bell also salivates to a similar chime. This is
- extinction
- discrimination training
- a UCR
- stimulus generalisation
Show answer
stimulus generalisation. Similar stimuli trigger the CR.
Which therapy is based on classical conditioning?
- Cognitive behavioural therapy only
- Systematic desensitisation
- Psychoanalysis
- Drug therapy
Show answer
Systematic desensitisation. It pairs the feared stimulus with relaxation.

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Sources

Last updated 7 November 2026. Spotted a mistake? Email alevel@lifereadysociety.com.