**Summary**: *(of various stutter research)* Conditioned and unconditioned responses are involuntary, reflexive reactions to stimuli. There are two basic procedures for modifying classically conditioned responses: * Deconditioning (or unlearning): returning the conditioned stimulus to its originally neutral status. PWS must repeatedly experience the conditioned stimulus without avoidance - resulting in losing its value as a signal of anticipated danger, and eventually it will fail to evoke arousal. * Counterconditioning: a new response is learned. The conditioned stimulus (like a word or situation), instead of returning to a neutral status, is conditioned to evoke a new conditioned response as a substitute for the old one (aka unlearning old response and learning new response to replace it) ([1](https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED081139.pdf)) Types of conditioning: * classical conditioning (Pavlovian, respondent, reflex): a previously neutral stimulus is paired with an unconditioned stimulus. In time, the neutral stimulus becomes conditioned, and elicits a conditioned response which is similar to the unconditioned response originally elicited by the unconditioned stimulus ([1](https://stutteringhelp.org/sites/default/files/Migrate/book0012_11th_ed.pdf)) * operant conditioning: the frequency of a response may be changed as a result of controlling its consequences. If the consequence is positive, the response (acquisition) should increase in frequency; if the consequence is negative, the response should decrease (extinction), such as, the learned process of avoidance and secondary responses through negative reinforcement * vicarious conditioning The stuttering moment is not considered as an independent event but as one that is closely linked to classically conditioned autonomic responses. Stuttering is not based on its form or frequency, but on the existence of specific stimulus circumstances and negative emotion. The unconditioned stimulus would be a noxious stimulus coming from the environment which elicits the unconditioned response of unlearned negative emotionality and disintegrations of speech. The noxious stimulus becomes associated with environmental cues, such as situations and words, which develop into the conditioned stimulus. The environmental cues now produce learned negative emotionality and disfluency, which represent the conditioned response. The development of the relationship between the environmental cues and the negative emotion eliciting disfluency (stimulus generalization) will occur which will evoke a similar emotional response. ([1](https://ttu-ir.tdl.org/server/api/core/bitstreams/ec8efbad-d50f-4c8f-91f2-302fec77e6de/content)) Speech is a conditioned response and stuttering is an inhibition occurring prior to the secure establishment of the speech reflex. This phenomena of conditioned reflex and inhibition is something experienced by all children when they are learning to acquire fluent speech. Stuttering is linked with the subconscious volition, the will to stutter. (Bluemel) ([1](https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED064843.pdf)) **Question**: In your own thoughts. What are concrete examples of practical interventions to unlearn our conditioning between the freeze response and the anticipated conflict (i.e., de-conditioning or counter-conditioning)?