National Certified Addiction Counselor, Level 2 (NCAC II) Practice Exam Exam

What type of conditioning focuses on the association between a neutral stimulus and an unconditioned stimulus?

1. Reinforcement

2. Operant Conditioning

3. Classical Conditioning

4. Social Learning

The correct answer is: Classical Conditioning

Classical conditioning is the process that focuses on the association between a neutral stimulus and an unconditioned stimulus. In this form of conditioning, a response that is naturally elicited by an unconditioned stimulus is triggered by a previously neutral stimulus after they have been paired repeatedly. For example, in Pavlov’s experiments, the sound of a bell (neutral stimulus) was paired with the presentation of food (unconditioned stimulus), leading to the dog salivating at the sound of the bell alone. This type of conditioning emphasizes the involuntary responses and how associations are formed without the need for active responses or rewards, contrasting with other learning theories that might involve voluntary behavior, such as operant conditioning where behavior is influenced by reinforcement or punishment.