Which term describes the pairing of a neutral stimulus with an unconditioned stimulus until the neutral becomes a conditioned stimulus that elicits a conditioned response?

• A. Repertoire
• B. Response Blocking
• C. Respondent Conditioning
• D. Replication

Answer: (C)

Respondent conditioning is the process where a neutral stimulus is paired with an unconditioned stimulus that naturally elicits a response, and after repeated pairings the neutral becomes a conditioned stimulus that elicits a conditioned response on its own. This is the classic Pavlovian learning pattern: a bell (neutral) is paired with food (unconditioned stimulus) to produce salivation (unconditioned response); after many pairings, the bell alone now triggers salivation (conditioned response). This kind of learning involves automatic, reflexive responses driven by antecedent stimuli rather than consequences. The other terms don’t fit: repertoire is about a set of behaviors, response blocking prevents a behavior, and replication means repeating a study.