Summarise what is meant by Classical Conditioning.

Classical conditioning refers to a type of learning in which a biologically reactive stimulus is paired with a stimulus which was previously neutral. The result of this process is learning a response to a previously neutral stimulus. Pavlov first studied Classical Conditioning with dogs and found that if dogs were shown food (biologically reactive stimulus) and a bell (neutral stimulus) in association multiple times, a response of salivation would be elicited. This salivation response would be elicited just from displaying just the bell (neutral stimulus) to the dog. The association between these two stimuli therefore resulted in an associated learned response/behaviour. Therefore, classical conditioning refers to a learning process of a response through association between two stimuli.