Which term is also known as Pavlovian conditioning?

• A. Operant conditioning
• B. Classical conditioning
• C. Shaping behavior
• D. Extinction of behavior

Answer: (B)

Classical conditioning is the learning process where a neutral stimulus becomes associated with an unconditioned stimulus to produce a conditioned response. This is the idea Pavlov demonstrated, so Pavlovian conditioning refers to classical conditioning. A classic example is a bell paired with food; after repeated pairings, the bell alone elicits salivation in the dog. This type of learning centers on forming associations between stimuli and automatic responses, rather than on voluntary behaviors shaped by outcomes. In contrast, operant conditioning involves learning from the consequences of behavior, with shaping being a technique used to guide a response through successive approximations, and extinction describing the fading of a conditioned response when reinforcement or the stimulus pairing stops.