What does "extinction" refer to in classical conditioning?

In classical conditioning, "extinction" refers to the gradual weakening and eventual disappearance of a conditioned response when the conditioned stimulus is presented without the unconditioned stimulus. This process occurs when the association between the stimuli is broken; for example, if a dog that was trained to salivate at the sound of a bell no longer receives food after the bell rings, the salivation response will diminish over time. As a result, extinction illustrates the principle that conditioned behaviors can decrease when the reinforcing or conditioning elements are removed.

Recognizing the nature of extinction is key to understanding how learned behaviors can change. It highlights the dynamic aspect of learning, showing that conditioned responses are not permanently fixed but can be influenced by changes in the environment or conditioning processes. This foundational concept is critical in both experimental settings and real-life applications of classical conditioning.