What term refers to learning through the association of stimuli?

The term that refers to learning through the association of stimuli is classical conditioning. This is a foundational concept in behavioral psychology, first developed by Ivan Pavlov through his experiments with dogs. In his studies, Pavlov demonstrated that dogs could learn to associate a neutral stimulus, such as the sound of a bell, with an unconditioned stimulus, like food, which naturally elicited a response. After several pairings, the dogs began to salivate merely in response to the sound of the bell, demonstrating that learning occurred through the association formed between the two stimuli.

Classical conditioning emphasizes the automatic and involuntary nature of the learned responses, highlighting how organisms can develop new behaviors based on associations with stimuli in their environment. This concept distinguishes itself from other learning theories, such as behaviorism, which encompasses a broader range of behavioral studies, or cognitivism, which focuses on mental processes like thinking and memory. Psychoanalytic theory, meanwhile, emphasizes unconscious motivations and childhood experiences rather than observable behavior. Therefore, the correct term that specifically describes the process of learning through the association of stimuli is classical conditioning.