Final answer:
Encoding is the process that involves the initial learning of the stimulus-response link, which is essential for information to enter the memory system. It is the first step in memory formation, where sensory information is coded and organized.
Step-by-step explanation:
The process that involves the initial learning of the stimulus-response link is known as encoding. In the context of learning and memory, encoding is the input of information into the memory system. This is when sensory information received from the environment is coded and organized, potentially becoming a part of long-term memory through the process of association. When stimuli are presented, they must be noticed and attended to in order for them to move from sensory memory to short-term memory and, with rehearsal, into long-term memory.
Encoding is a critical first step in the process that allows experiences to become a part of one's memory, and it can occur through both automatic processing and effortful processing. In associative learning, especially in classical conditioning, the pairing of a neutral stimulus with an unconditioned stimulus leads to the conditioning of a response. Memorization techniques, such as semantic encoding, where information is encoded based on its meaning, have been shown to be particularly effective in creating strong memory links.