Final answer:
Sensitization is defined as an increase in response to a repeated stimulus over time, and it is different from associative learning such as classical or operant conditioning.
Step-by-step explanation:
The term 'sensitization' describes a process where the response to a repeated stimulus increases over time. This is in contrast to habituation, where the response decreases with repeated exposure. Sensitization is not a form of associative learning, such as classical or operant conditioning, where an association between two stimuli or between a behavior and its consequence is learned. Instead, sensitization is simply an increased response to a stimulus over time. In the context of associative learning, classical conditioning and operant conditioning involve connecting certain stimuli or events that occur together in the environment. For example, in classical conditioning, an organism might learn to associate a loud sound (unconditioned stimulus) with a visual cue (conditioned stimulus), leading to a reflexive reaction (conditioned response) to the visual cue alone.
Therefore, the correct definition of sensitization in the given options would be: C) the response to a repeated stimulus increases over time.