Ever heard a ringtone and suddenly felt excited—even before checking your phone? That feeling didn’t come out of nowhere. It’s a great example of classical conditioning at work.

Classical conditioning is a type of learning where your brain links two things together—usually something neutral (like a sound) and something meaningful (like food, danger, or excitement). Over time, the neutral thing alone triggers a response. It was first discovered by Russian scientist Ivan Pavlov in the early 1900s.

Here’s his famous experiment:
Pavlov rang a bell every time he fed his dog. At first, the dog only drooled when food appeared. But after several repetitions, the dog began drooling just from hearing the bell—even when no food followed. The dog had learned that bell = food.

Let’s bring that into 2025:

• Example 1: A student hears the school bell and instantly feels anxious—it’s test time. The bell has become linked with stress.
• Example 2: You always play your favorite song before going for a run. After a while, just hearing the song gives you energy—even if you’re not running.

How it works:

1. Before learning:
   • Bell (neutral) → No drooling
   • Food (natural stimulus) → Drooling
2. During learning:
   • Bell + Food → Drooling
3. After learning:
   • Bell alone → Drooling

This kind of learning explains phobias, advertising tricks, and even emotional triggers. For example, a jingle on an ad might make you crave snacks—even when you’re not hungry.

Looking ahead, classical conditioning helps us understand how habits form and how to gently rewire the brain, especially in therapy and education.