➡️ Study Card
➡️ Introduction
A conditioned stimulus is a stimulus that we learn to respond to with a certain response. It’s the opposite of an unconditioned stimulus which we naturally respond to as part of our physiology.
An example of a conditioned stimulus is a bell for a dogs, which may mean food is coming shortly. The dog learns this because they come to associate the bell with arriving food. For humans, a car horn is also a conditioned stimulus. We’ve learned that we need to get out of the way (that’s our conditioned response) so we don’t get hit!
Generally, a conditioned stimulus has no inherent meaning. It only develops its meaning because of an association we develop between the stimulus and a desired response.
➡️ Definition
A conditioned stimulus is a previously neutral stimulus that initially has no meaning.
We can see it, touch it, and hear it, and it will basically mean nothing to us. However, now that it has become paired with another object that does have meaning, then it begins to have significance.
Russian physiologist Ivan Pavlov discovered that a neutral stimulus that has been repeatedly associated with a meaningful stimulus, will eventually have meaning too.
Food is inherently pleasing; it is an example of an unconditioned stimulus. When the sound of a bell, called a conditioned stimulus, is repeatedly presented before a dog receives food, then the dog will eventually learn that the sound of the bell means that food is coming soon.
The conditioned stimulus (the bell) will trigger a response just as the unconditioned stimulus (food) did before the training.
Conditioned Stimulus Examples
1. The Recess Bell
Stimulus: The recess bell
Response: Students can leave class
In school, the recess bell means freedom. As soon as it rings it means the kids can escape the classroom and run around like wild animals on the playground. So much fun.
Not only is the recess bell the sound of freedom, it’s also an example of a conditioned stimulus. It really has no inherent meaning. Only until the sound of the bell has been associated with recess does it have any significance.
If we want to use the terminology of classical conditioning, then the sound of the bell is the conditioned stimulus and the joy of recess is the unconditioned stimulus.
2. Math Answers (During Rote Learning)
Stimulus: 2×2
Response: 4
A conditioned stimulus can also be a simple answer to a math quiz. The stimulus is the math question (2×2) and the response is the learned answer: 4.
In fact, this method of learning – called rote learning – has been the dominant learning style throughout most of history. Teachers teach students what the stimulus is, and what the correct response is, and then repeat until the students manage to develop the association off by heart.
However, critics of this rote learning approach argue that it doesn’t teach students why 2×2 equals 4 – students just need to know the correct response!
3. The Bicycle Bell
Stimulus: Bicycle bell
Response: Jump out of the way
Over time, people have learned what the sound of a bicycle bell means; it means you better get out of the way or risk getting hit. The bell on a bicycle serves as a warning to others that a bicycle is approaching.
Generally speaking, the sound of a bell does not inherently mean anything at all initially. It only has meaning because it has been associated with an unconditioned stimulus.
In our example, the unconditioned stimulus is getting hit by a bike. The sound of the bell (CS) takes on meaning by giving us an opportunity to avoid getting hit (UCS).
4. Learned Phobias
Stimulus: Getting stuck in an elevator
Response: Lifelong fear of elevators
Suppose a person is riding in an elevator and all of a sudden it stops. The person is trapped for several hours. The elevator is small and periodically drops a little and shakes.
Although the person has been rescued with no physical injuries, they develop a fear of elevators and small spaces. The elevator is now a conditioned stimulus because it has been associated with the unconditioned stimulus of nearly crashing.
4. Getting Innoculated
Stimulus: A painful syringe shot
Response: Lifelong fear of syringes
The first time you saw a syringe it did not evoke any kind of emotional response at all. However, as soon as that needle pokes through your epidermal layer and triggers pain, it has become a conditioned stimulus.
Now, every time you see a syringe you will feel a slight tinge of fear.
The doctor’s office and the building it is located in have also become conditioned stimuli. This chain of connected conditioned stimuli might extend to going down a specific street on the way to the doctor’s office.
5. Imagery on Product Packaging
Stimulus: Pleasant-looking packaging
Response: Positive feelings about a brand
A good packaging designer will incorporate an unconditioned stimulus in their imagery, like a beautiful flower, pleasant colors, or even physically attractive models. A lot of times the unconditioned stimulus will have no logical connection to the product at all.
That’s not important. The goal is for the consumer to associate the positive packaging with positive brand recognition. When the consumer sees the package, the positive feelings from those images will automatically be activated and associated with the product.
6. Cookies during an Open House
Stimulus: Freshly baked cookies in an open house
Response: Pleasant feelings about the house
A clever real estate agent has a great intuitive understanding of classical conditioning and the power of association. In addition to making sure the house is clean and looks good, some agents will set some freshly baked bread on the kitchen counters for Open House Day.
The agent is betting that the house will become associated with the feelings that come from the aroma of freshly baked bread. The house is the conditioned stimulus and the aroma from the bread is the unconditioned stimulus.
7. Animal Predators
Stimulus: A snake sees lots of mice near a house
Response: The snake associates the house with food
When predators are searching for food, they will soon learn that some landscapes are more likely to contain prey than others. Or, there may be certain times of the day in which some prey are out and about, also looking for food.
Eventually a predator will learn that one area or one time of day produces the best odds of catching a meal. The landscape is the conditioned stimulus and catching prey is the unconditioned stimulus.
8. Dogs on Your Bicycle Route
Stimulus: An aggressive dog on your bike route
Response: Avoiding that route from now on (aka avoidance learning)
Imagine you go for a bike ride and run into a not-so-well-behaved large dog. The dog jumps up and starts barking. It creates a startle response and you nearly crash.
The next time you head out for a leisurely ride, you get a little apprehensive as you approach the house with the loud dog.
That’s because the objects near the house of the barking dog are now acting as conditioned stimuli. Normally those objects (CS) would not be of any significance, but now they have been associated with the dog’s barking (UCS) and the fear it evokes.
9. Money (Leads to Desire to Work)
Stimulus: Having money allows us to buy food
Response: We work hard to get it
The day we’re born, the piece of paper that people call ‘money’ means nothing to us – it’s a neutral stimulus. But because that piece of paper can allow us to get things that we want, and need, it takes on significance. We need it to buy basic goods, such as food and water.
From a classical conditioning perspective, the piece of paper is the conditioned stimulus. Because it has been associated with the necessities of life, food and water, it has value.
10. Cute Babies on TV Advertising
Stimulus: A cute baby in a TV ad
Response: Positive feelings toward the brand
Many ads online and on TV show a very cute baby sitting in a Michelin tire. The goal is for customers to associate the positive feelings that people naturally have for cute babies with the product.
By pairing a cute baby (the unconditioned stimulus) with a product (the conditioned stimulus), the company hopes that people will develop a positive feeling for their brand.
➡️ Related Concepts
Related Concepts
- Positive Reinforcement: When a reward is given to a learner in order to create a positive association between a stimulus and a desired response. A positive reinforcement example is a sticker for good behavior.
- Operant Conditioning: When rewards and punishments are provided to stimulate explicit and intentional (rather than implied) responses to stimuli. An example of operant conditioning is rote learning the times tables until a stimulus (two times two) provides an instant response (four!).
- Stimulus Generalization: When multiple related stimuli lead to the same response. An example of stimulus generalization is when loud bangs stimulate fight or flight responses in war veterans who associate all bangs with wartime danger.
- Response Generalization: When one stimulus leads to multiple possible responses. An example of response generalization is when we respond to “how are you?” in different ways “alright,” “good,” or “fine” but really meaning the same thing.
- Stimulus Discrimination: When you can tell the different between multiple similar stimuli, leading to nuanced differences in responses. A stimulus discrimination example is when a musician can differentiate musical notes by ear.
- Unconditioned Response: When we have a physiological response to a natural stimulus. An unconditioned response example is when you start crying when you see an onion.
- Higher Order Conditioning: When there are two steps in the conditioning process: the unconditioned stimulus is linked to a conditioned stimulus, which is then linked to another conditioned stimulus. The third stimulus causes an unconditioned response associated with the first stimulus, even if the first and third stimulus are not linked.
- Partial Reinforcement: The intermittent rewarding of a behavior in order to prevent extinction.
- Continuous Reinforcement: The continuous reinforcement of a behavior to help shape behavior, meaning the behavior is reinforced every time it occurs.
Conclusion
We can see many examples of the power of the conditioned stimulus in our everyday lives. Advertising incorporates pleasing images that evoke positive feelings into product ads. The power of association also explains how people develop phobias, such as the fear of an elevator or small spaces.
Feeling anxious while approaching a neighbor’s house with a scary dog is an example of a conditioned stimulus warning us that danger is near. In the animal kingdom, the association between food and stimuli such as landscape features or time of day help animals know where and when to hunt for prey.
Perhaps the most powerful conditioned stimulus of all is located right in our wallet or purse. Any guess what that might be?
➡️ References and Further Reading
References
Davey, G. C. (1992). Classical conditioning and the acquisition of human fears and phobias: A review and synthesis of the literature. Advances in Behaviour Research and Therapy, 14(1), 29-66.
Pavlov, I.P. Conditioned reflexes. London: Oxford University Press; 1927.
Rossiter, J. R., & Percy, L. (1980). Attitude change through visual imagery in advertising. Journal of advertising, 9(2), 10-16. https://doi.org/10.1080/00913367.1980.10673313
Schmitt, N. T., McLean, I. G., Jarman, P. J., Duncan, C., & Wynne, C. D. L. (2000). Learning for life: training marsupials to recognise introduced predators. Behaviour, 137(10), 1361-1376.
Zeidan, F., Grant, J. A., Brown, C. A., McHaffie, J. G., & Coghill, R. C. (2012). Mindfulness meditation-related pain relief: evidence for unique brain mechanisms in the regulation of pain. Neuroscience letters, 520(2), 165–173. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neulet.2012.03.082
Dr. Cornell has worked in education for more than 20 years. His work has involved designing teacher certification for Trinity College in London and in-service training for state governments in the United States. He has trained kindergarten teachers in 8 countries and helped businessmen and women open baby centers and kindergartens in 3 countries.
This article was peer-reviewed and edited by Chris Drew (PhD). The review process on Helpful Professor involves having a PhD level expert fact check, edit, and contribute to articles. Reviewers ensure all content reflects expert academic consensus and is backed up with reference to academic studies. Dr. Drew has published over 20 academic articles in scholarly journals. He is the former editor of the Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education and holds a PhD in Education from ACU.