What is the process called by which stimuli become conditioned reinforcers through learning?

The process where stimuli become conditioned reinforcers through learning is known as pairing. This occurs when a neutral stimulus is presented alongside an unconditioned stimulus that elicits a response. Over time, the neutral stimulus becomes associated with the unconditioned stimulus and can evoke a similar response on its own, effectively transforming it into a conditioned reinforcer. For example, if a bell sound (a neutral stimulus) is paired repeatedly with the presentation of food (an unconditioned stimulus) that elicits salivation, the bell can eventually trigger salivation independently, demonstrating that it has become a conditioned reinforcer.

Reinforcement generally refers to the overall process that strengthens a behavior by providing a consequence that follows a behavior, while conditioning refers more broadly to the process of learning associations through various forms of learning, including classical and operant conditioning. Association is a more general term that describes the link made between two events, but it doesn’t specifically convey the mechanism related to reinforcement. Pairing is the most precise term in this context for describing how neutral stimuli take on reinforcing properties through specific learning experiences.