Explain the concept of classical conditioning with a suitable example.

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Students' answers may vary.

The answer should contain the following information:

Classical conditioning is a type of learning in which a neutral stimulus elicits a response after being paired with a stimulus that naturally brings about that response. To demonstrate classical conditioning, Ivan Pavlov, a Russian physiologist, attached a tube to the salivary gland of a dog, allowing him to measure precisely the dog's salivation. He then rang a bell and, just a few seconds later, presented the dog with meat. This pairing occurred repeatedly and was carefully planned so that, each time, exactly the same amount of time elapsed between the presentation of the bell and the meat. At first the dog would salivate only when the meat was presented, but soon it began to salivate at the sound of the bell. In fact, even when Pavlov stopped presenting the meat, the dog still salivated after hearing the sound. The dog had been classically conditioned to salivate to the sound of the bell.