In Pavlovian conditioning, when the CS reliably predicts the US, what occurs?

• A. Extinction
• B. Conditioning
• C. Generalization
• D. Spontaneous recovery

Answer: (B)

This is about acquisition in Pavlovian (classical) conditioning. When the conditioned stimulus reliably signals the unconditioned stimulus, learning of the association occurs and a conditioned response emerges. The CS becomes a trustworthy predictor of the US, so the organism learns to respond to the CS itself. For example, if a bell reliably predicts food, the dog will start salivating at the sound of the bell.

Extinction would happen if the CS were presented without the US, gradually weakening the response. Generalization occurs when similar stimuli elicit the same response. Spontaneous recovery is the return of a previously extinguished response after a rest period.