In a classical conditioning experiment, what happens when the conditioned stimulus is repeatedly presented without the unconditioned stimulus?

In classical conditioning, when the conditioned stimulus (CS) is repeatedly presented without being paired with the unconditioned stimulus (US), extinction occurs. Extinction refers to the gradual weakening of the conditioned response (CR) when the CS is no longer followed by the US. This process highlights how the association formed between the CS and the US can diminish over time when the reinforcement is removed.

During the training phase, the CS and US are paired to create an association, such as a bell ringing (CS) followed by food delivery (US), resulting in salivation (CR) from the subject. However, if the bell continues to ring without the subsequent presentation of food, the subject will eventually stop salivating in response to the bell.

This phenomenon demonstrates the principles of learning and memory in classical conditioning, illustrating how responses can be unlearned when the original association is not maintained. Understanding extinction is important as it helps psychologists learn about the dynamics of behavior modification and the ways in which learned behaviors can diminish or disappear over time.