Nikki has learned to expect the sound of thunder whenever she sees a flash lightning This suggests that associative learning involves?

Associative learning involves linking two or more stimuli or events together so that the response to one stimulus is also triggered by the other stimulus. In Nikki's case, the flash of lightning (stimulus 1) has been paired with the sound of thunder (stimulus 2) so many times that the two stimuli have become associated. As a result, Nikki now expects to hear thunder whenever she sees lightning, even if the thunder is not actually occurring.

This type of associative learning is known as classical conditioning, and it was first described by the Russian physiologist Ivan Pavlov in the late 19th century. Pavlov's experiments showed that dogs could learn to associate the sound of a bell with the presentation of food, and would eventually start to salivate in response to the bell alone, even in the absence of food.

Classical conditioning is a powerful form of learning that can have a significant impact on our behavior. It is responsible for many of the fears and phobias that we develop, as well as our preferences and aversions.