The return of a conditioned response that had previously been extinguished is a phenomenon observed in classical conditioning. This re-emergence occurs after a period of time during which the conditioned stimulus is no longer presented. For example, if a dog is conditioned to salivate at the sound of a bell, but the bell is repeatedly presented without food until the salivation response disappears (extinction), the response may reappear later if the bell is presented again, even without further conditioning.
This occurrence demonstrates that extinction does not completely erase the learned association. Rather, it suggests that the association is suppressed. The implications of this phenomenon are significant for understanding the persistence of learned behaviors, particularly in the context of anxieties, phobias, and addictions. Its study has informed therapeutic approaches aimed at managing or eliminating unwanted conditioned responses by focusing not only on suppressing the response, but also on preventing its return.
