Theories Behavioral Psychology Examples of the Unconditioned Response in Classical Conditioning By Kendra Cherry, MSEd Kendra Cherry, MSEd Kendra Cherry, MS, is a psychosocial rehabilitation specialist, psychology educator, and author of the "Everything Psychology Book." Learn about our editorial process Updated on October 27, 2023 Fact checked Verywell Mind content is rigorously reviewed by a team of qualified and experienced fact checkers. Fact checkers review articles for factual accuracy, relevance, and timeliness. We rely on the most current and reputable sources, which are cited in the text and listed at the bottom of each article. Content is fact checked after it has been edited and before publication. Learn more. by Emily Swaim Fact checked by Emily Swaim Emily is a board-certified science editor who has worked with top digital publishing brands like Voices for Biodiversity, Study.com, GoodTherapy, Vox, and Verywell. Learn about our editorial process Print Westend61/Getty Images Table of Contents View All Table of Contents Unconditioned Responses Examples How It Works Unconditioned vs. Conditioned Response Extinction Can Affect Conditioned Responses Trending Videos Close this video player In classical conditioning, an unconditioned response is an unlearned response that occurs naturally in reaction to the unconditioned stimulus. For example, if the smell of food is the unconditioned stimulus, the feeling of hunger in response to the smell of food is the unconditioned response. The unconditioned response doesn't require any prior learning for it to happen. Instead, it's the involuntary, automatic reaction to a particular stimulus. At a Glance Classical conditioning is a process in which a response is conditioned by pairing a stimulus with something that naturally and automatically triggers a response. The unconditioned response is the reaction that people naturally have to the unconditioned stimulus. An unconditioned response example would be startling when you hear a loud noise. Classical conditioning can be a powerful tool for learning and behavior change. Understanding the different aspects of the conditioning process, including the unconditioned response, can help you better recognize how the process can affect your own behaviors. One of the best ways to learn about the unconditioned response (as well as other parts of the process) is to consider some examples from your own life. Unconditioned Responses Examples Have you ever accidentally touched a hot pan and jerked your hand back in response? That immediate, unlearned reaction is an excellent example of an unconditioned response. It occurs without any type of learning or training. Some more examples of unconditioned responses include: Gasping in pain after being stung by a bee Jerking your hand back after touching a hot plate on the oven Jumping at the sound of a loud noise Twitching your leg in response to a doctor tapping on your knee Salivating in response to a sour taste Jumping back from a growling dog Feeling hungry when you smell some delicious food Closing your eyes in response to a bright light Frowning when you feel upset Laughing when you hear a humorous joke Experiencing the fight-or-flight reaction when you encounter a threat or danger in your environment In each of the above examples, the unconditioned response occurs naturally and automatically. Researchers have found that having a stronger unconditioned response to aversive stimuli may predict conditions related to fear and safety, including trauma- and anxiety-related conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The Unconditioned Response in Classical Conditioning The concept of the unconditioned response was first discovered by a Russian physiologist named Ivan Pavlov. During his research on the digestive systems of dogs, the animals in his experiment would begin to salivate whenever they were fed. Pavlov noted that when a buzzer was rung every time the dogs were fed, the animals eventually began to salivate in response to the buzzer alone. In Pavlov's classic experiment, the food represents what is known as the unconditioned stimulus (UCS). The UCS naturally and automatically triggers a response. Pavlov's dogs salivating in response to the food is an example of the unconditioned response. By repeatedly pairing a conditioned stimulus (the sound of the buzzer) with the unconditioned stimulus (the food), the animals eventually came to associate the sound of the buzzer with the presentation of food. At this point, salivating in response to the sound of the buzzer became the conditioned response. Unconditioned Response vs. Conditioned Response When trying to distinguish between the unconditioned response and the conditioned response, try to keep a few key things in mind: The unconditioned response is natural and automaticThe unconditioned response is innate and requires no prior learningThe conditioned response will occur only after an association has been made between the UCS and the CSThe conditioned response is a learned response For example, you naturally tend to tear up whenever you are cutting onions. As you are making dinner, you also enjoy listening to music and find yourself playing the same song quite often. Eventually, you find that when you hear the song you often play during your meal prep, you find yourself tearing up unexpectedly. In this example, the vapors from the onions represent the unconditioned stimulus. They automatically and naturally trigger the crying response, which is the unconditioned response. After multiple associations between a certain song and the unconditioned stimulus, the song itself eventually starts to evoke tears. Extinction Can Affect Conditioned Responses So what happens when an unconditioned stimulus is no longer paired with a conditioned stimulus? When the conditioned stimulus is presented alone without the unconditioned stimulus, the conditioned response will eventually diminish or disappear, a phenomenon known as extinction. In Pavlov's experiment, for example, ringing the buzzer without presenting food eventually led the dogs to stop salivating in response to the buzzer. Pavlov found, however, that extinction does not lead to the subject returning to their previously unconditioned state. In some cases, allowing a period of time to elapse before suddenly reintroducing the conditioned stimulus can lead to spontaneous recovery of the response. Classical vs. Operant Conditioning 4 Sources Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Eelen P. Classical conditioning: Classical yet modern. Psychol Belg. 2018;58(1):196–211. doi:10.5334/pb.451 Linnman C, Rougemont-Bücking A, Beucke JC, Zeffiro TA, Milad MR. Unconditioned responses and functional fear networks in human classical conditioning. Behav Brain Res. 2011;221(1):237-245. doi:10.1016/j.bbr.2011.02.045 Kreutzmann JC, Marin MF, Fendt M, Milad MR, Ressler K, Jovanovic T. Unconditioned response to an aversive stimulus as predictor of response to conditioned fear and safety: A cross-species study. Behav Brain Res. 2021;402:113105. doi:10.1016/j.bbr.2020.113105 Dunsmoor JE, Niv Y, Daw N, Phelps EA. Rethinking extinction. Neuron. 2015;88(1):47–63. doi:10.1016/j.neuron.2015.09.028 By Kendra Cherry, MSEd Kendra Cherry, MS, is a psychosocial rehabilitation specialist, psychology educator, and author of the "Everything Psychology Book." See Our Editorial Process Meet Our Review Board Share Feedback Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! What is your feedback? Helpful Report an Error Other Submit