sensory preconditioning

n. A form of classical conditioning in which two neutral stimuli, A and B, first are paired repeatedly, then one of the stimuli, A, is paired with an unconditioned stimulus such that a conditioned response comes to be evoked by it. If the stimulus B also evokes the conditioned response, then sensory preconditioning has occurred. Thus if a dog first is exposed to the pairing of a bright red light and a bell and later conditioned to salivate to the bell, if the red light also evokes salivation, then sensory preconditioning has occurred.