What is the term for a learned response that has developed through the process of pairing?

A learned response that has developed through the process of pairing is referred to as a conditioned response. This occurs when a neutral stimulus is paired repeatedly with an unconditioned stimulus, leading to a response that is eventually elicited by the previously neutral stimulus alone. The pairing process is fundamental to classical conditioning, where the organism learns to associate the neutral stimulus with a significant event.

For instance, if a bell is rung every time before food is presented to a dog, the dog eventually begins to salivate in response to just the bell, illustrating how the dog has developed a conditioned response to the sound. This answer highlights the key aspect of learning through association, which distinguishes conditioned responses from innate or reflexive behaviors (like unconditioned responses), responses that are meant to be avoided (aversive), or those that have been strengthened through either positive or negative reinforcement (reinforced).