Which term describes a learned response to a conditioned stimulus?

The term that describes a learned response to a conditioned stimulus is the conditioned response. In classical conditioning, an initially neutral stimulus becomes associated with an unconditioned stimulus, which naturally elicits an unconditioned response. After repeated pairings, the previously neutral stimulus transforms into a conditioned stimulus, and the response it elicits is then referred to as a conditioned response.

For example, if a dog learns to salivate when it hears a bell because it has been consistently paired with food, the salivation in response to the bell alone is a conditioned response. This illustrates the process of learning through association, central to the principles of conditioning in psychology.

In this context, it is crucial to understand the difference between the conditioned response and other concepts such as reinforcement or punishment, which refer to operant conditioning concepts rather than classical conditioning. Similarly, unconditioned responses are innate reactions that occur without prior learning or conditioning.