Approaches in Psychology AQA Practice Test 2026 - Free Psychology Practice Questions and Study Guide

In classical conditioning, you start with a neutral stimulus that does not trigger any response. That initial state is the stage before conditioning. It’s essential because it shows what the learner brings to the setup: a stimulus that is truly neutral until it’s paired with the unconditioned stimulus. During conditioning, that neutral stimulus is paired with the unconditioned stimulus to form an association (learning happens). After conditioning, the neutral stimulus becomes a conditioned stimulus and can elicit a conditioned response on its own. The process of forming this association and the resulting change in response is called acquisition. So the description of a neutral stimulus producing no response before conditioning points to the stage before conditioning.