Classical conditioning therapy is a type of behavioral therapy that aims to change an individual's response to a particular stimulus by associating it with a new, more positive response. It involves pairing the feared stimulus (phobia) with a positive experience or neutral stimulus in order to reduce emotional distress.
Classical conditioning therapy stems from behaviorism, emphasizing learning through association. It views maladaptive behaviors as conditioned responses that can be reconditioned or extinguished through therapy.
Pioneered by Ivan Pavlov's experiments with dogs, classical conditioning principles were later applied therapeutically by John B. Watson and others to treat phobias and anxiety disorders, demonstrating the modification of conditioned responses in humans.