What type of learning involves linking two or more stimuli to anticipate events?

The type of learning that involves linking two or more stimuli to anticipate events is classical conditioning. This concept was famously demonstrated by Ivan Pavlov in his experiments with dogs, where he paired the sound of a bell (a neutral stimulus) with the presentation of food (an unconditioned stimulus). Over time, the dogs learned to associate the sound of the bell with the arrival of food, leading them to salivate in response to the bell alone, which constituted a conditioned response.

Classical conditioning is based on the idea that when two stimuli are presented together repeatedly, an organism can learn to associate the two, thus anticipating one in the presence of the other. This process forms the basis of many learned behaviors and responses in both animals and humans, showing how environmental stimuli can influence behavior through learned associations.

In contrast, operant conditioning focuses on how behavior is influenced by consequences, such as rewards or punishments, rather than the association between stimuli. Observational learning involves acquiring new behaviors by observing and imitating others, requiring a different mechanism altogether. Cognitive learning refers to understanding and processing information in a more complex manner, often involving reasoning and problem-solving rather than simply linking stimuli. Thus, classical conditioning distinctly captures the essence of learning through stimulus association.