What distinguishes classical conditioning from operant conditioning?

Classical conditioning is characterized by learning through association, where an individual learns to associate a neutral stimulus with an unconditioned stimulus that elicits a natural response. This process was famously demonstrated by Ivan Pavlov in his experiments with dogs, where he paired the sound of a bell (neutral stimulus) with the presentation of food (unconditioned stimulus), leading the dogs to eventually salivate at the sound of the bell alone (conditioned response).

This associative learning contrasts sharply with operant conditioning, which is more about the consequences of behavior. In operant conditioning, behaviors are shaped and maintained through rewards (reinforcements) or punishments, making it a process focused on how the environment influences behavior through its consequences.

Understanding this distinction helps clarify that classical conditioning does not involve rewards or consequences but rather the linking of stimuli to produce a learned response, which is fundamental in various psychological theories and applications.