Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated August 2025
Verified for the 2026 exam
Verified for the 2026 exam•Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated August 2025
Definition
Complex behaviors refer to actions or responses that involve multiple cognitive processes and are not easily explained by simple stimulus-response associations.
When a conditioned stimulus (CS) is paired with a new neutral stimulus (NS), creating a second conditioned stimulus that elicits a response similar to the original CS.