Which learning process involves pairing two stimuli to elicit a response?

The correct answer is associated with classical conditioning, which is a type of learning that occurs when a natural response becomes associated with a previously neutral stimulus through repeated pairing. In this learning process, a neutral stimulus is presented alongside an unconditioned stimulus that naturally elicits a response. Over time, the neutral stimulus alone can evoke a similar response, now referred to as a conditioned response.

For example, in the famous experiment by Ivan Pavlov, the sound of a bell (neutral stimulus) was paired with the presentation of food (unconditioned stimulus), which naturally caused salivation (unconditioned response) in dogs. After several pairings, the bell alone caused the dogs to salivate, demonstrating that the bell had become conditioned to elicit a response.

The other options represent different forms of learning. Operant conditioning focuses on the relationship between behaviors and their consequences, emphasizing reinforcement and punishment. Observational learning involves acquiring behaviors by watching others and does not rely on direct pairings of stimuli. Social learning theory, closely related to observational learning, also emphasizes the role of social context in learning but does not specifically involve the pairing of stimuli. Thus, classical conditioning distinctly describes the process of associating two stimuli to elicit a response.