What is higher order conditioning?

Higher order conditioning is a type of classical conditioning in which a neutral stimulus is paired with a conditioned stimulus, rather than an unconditioned stimulus, to produce a conditioned response.

In higher order conditioning, the second neutral stimulus becomes a conditioned stimulus when paired with the first conditioned stimulus. This means that the second neutral stimulus elicits the conditioned response, even when presented without the first conditioned stimulus.

This type of conditioning is used to explore the complexity of associative learning and how stimuli can become associated with each other through repeated pairings. It demonstrates that conditioning can occur at different levels of complexity and can be generalized to other stimuli.

Higher order conditioning has been studied in various contexts, including in human and animal research, to further understand the mechanisms of classical conditioning and how it influences behavior.