Final answer:
The statement that acquisition in classical conditioning is the initial learning of the stimulus-response link is true. Acquisition involves the pairing of a neutral stimulus with an unconditioned stimulus to elicit a conditioned response. Classical conditioning deals with involuntary responses, whereas operant conditioning is about voluntary behaviors and their consequences.
Step-by-step explanation:
Acquisition in classical conditioning is the initial learning of the stimulus-response link. This statement is true. During the acquisition phase, a neutral stimulus begins to elicit a conditioned response after being paired with an unconditioned stimulus. Timing plays a crucial role in this process to ensure proper conditioning. As exemplified by Ivan Pavlov's experiments, dogs were conditioned to salivate (conditioned response) to the sound of a bell (conditioned stimulus) after the bell was consistently paired with the presentation of food (unconditioned stimulus).
Two main forms of associative learning are classical conditioning and operant conditioning. These differ in that classical conditioning involves learning to associate an involuntary response with a new stimulus, while operant conditioning involves learning to associate a voluntary behavior with its consequences.
Examples of processes in classical conditioning, in addition to acquisition, include extinction, stimulus discrimination, and stimulus generalization. An example of stimulus generalization is when Little Albert, from Watson and Rayner's experiments, not only feared a white rat (conditioned stimulus) but also began to fear other similar furry white objects.