AP Psychology Practice Test

What is the first stage in classical conditioning called?

1. Spontaneous recovery

2. Acquisition

3. Extinction

4. Generalization

The correct answer is: Acquisition

The first stage in classical conditioning is referred to as acquisition. This phase occurs when a neutral stimulus (which initially does not elicit a response) is paired with an unconditioned stimulus (which naturally triggers a response) to create a conditioned response. During acquisition, the organism learns to associate the neutral stimulus with the unconditioned stimulus, leading to the eventual emergence of a conditioned response. For example, if a bell (the neutral stimulus) is rung just before food (the unconditioned stimulus) is presented to a dog, the dog will begin to salivate (the conditioned response) at the sound of the bell after several pairings. This learning process is crucial as it establishes the association that will drive future responses. The other terms relate to different phenomena within classical conditioning but do not define the initial learning process. Spontaneous recovery refers to the re-emergence of a conditioned response after a pause following extinction, extinction involves the weakening of the conditioned response when the conditioned stimulus is presented without the unconditioned stimulus, and generalization is when a conditioned response is elicited by stimuli similar to the conditioned stimulus. All of these occur after the acquisition stage, highlighting why acquisition is the foundational step in classical conditioning.