What does classical extinction refer to?

Classical extinction refers to the process where a previously learned conditioned response diminishes or disappears when the conditioned stimulus is presented without the unconditioned stimulus. In the context of classical conditioning, when the organism stops associating the conditioned stimulus with the unconditioned stimulus, the conditioned response will gradually decrease over time.

For example, if a dog has been conditioned to salivate at the sound of a bell because it has learned that the bell is followed by the presentation of food, the dog will eventually stop salivating when the bell is sounded without food being presented repeatedly. This decrease in the salivated response illustrates classical extinction.

Understanding this concept helps clarify the learning processes in behavioral psychology, highlighting how certain behaviors can diminish when the reinforcement or association between stimuli is removed over time.