What is Classical Conditioning?
Classical conditioning is a learning process in which a neutral stimulus (e.g., a ringing sound) is paired with a stimulus that elicits a natural response or reflex (e.g., food), creating an automatic, conditioned response to the neutral stimulus.
The Basic Idea
Why do we feel nauseated by the sight or smell of food that made us sick in the past? Why does the sound of a phone vibrating elicit automatic excitement or anxiety? Why do we feel comforted by the theme songs of our favorite TV shows? All these common experiences are fantastic examples of learned associations.
Over our lives, we learn to associate certain stimuli with specific responses. This occurs through an unconscious learning process called classical conditioning, in which our brains form connections between seemingly unrelated events, leading to automatic reactions.1 This means that a response typically evoked by one stimulus is now also evoked by another stimulus.
For example, research shows that people form associations between the smell of coffee and the energizing effect of consuming coffee.2 Initially, only the act of drinking coffee produces alertness. However, after repeatedly experiencing the scent of coffee alongside its natural stimulating effects, simply smelling coffee (without actually drinking it) can also produce alertness. Associations like these can be positive, negative, or neutral, but they all play a role in shaping our behaviors, preferences, habits, and fears.
Classical conditioning is a key area of study in behavioral psychology, as it’s primarily focused on how our environments shape our behavior. This unconscious learning process has several fascinating consequences, but can also be used to manipulate people’s emotions and behaviors (more on this later).
“No child is ever born afraid. Fear is a learned behavior.”
– Chérie Carter-Scott, Ph.D., MCC, prominent behavioral scientist and bestselling author.
