Final answer:
The systematic and gradual reduction of prompts leading to the transfer of control to the natural stimulus in classical conditioning is known as extinction. This weakening of the conditioned response happens when the association between the conditioned stimulus and the unconditioned stimulus is broken.
Step-by-step explanation:
The systematic and gradual removal of intrusive prompts until the control transfers to the natural stimulus is referred to as extinction in classical conditioning. This process occurs when the conditioned response (such as a pet's excitement at the sound of a can opener) is weakened by no longer presenting the unconditioned stimulus (like food) along with the conditioned stimulus (the can opener sound). Over time, if the conditioned stimulus is presented alone without the unconditioned stimulus, the response, whether in a dog, cat, or any other organism, becomes weaker and eventually disappears.
This concept is part of a broader array of classical conditioning terms which also includes shaping, spontaneous recovery, stimulus discrimination, and stimulus generalization. These terms describe various aspects of how organisms learn and unlearn behavioral responses to stimuli through conditioning.