In classical conditioning, which term refers to the stimulus that is repeatedly paired with an unconditioned stimulus?

• A. Unconditioned stimulus (UCS)
• B. Unconditioned response (UCR)
• C. Conditioned stimulus (CS)
• D. Conditioned response (CR)

Answer: (C)

In classical conditioning, learning happens when a neutral cue is paired with something that naturally triggers a response. The thing that becomes the signal after this repeated pairing is the conditioned stimulus. It’s the stimulus that, after association with the unconditioned stimulus, comes to elicit a response on its own. For example, if a bell (initially neutral) is paired repeatedly with meat powder (the unconditioned stimulus) that causes salivation (the unconditioned response), the bell eventually triggers salivation by itself. That learned signal—the bell—is the conditioned stimulus, and the response it triggers is the conditioned response.