Who first named and described the phenomenon of spontaneous recovery?

The phenomenon of spontaneous recovery was first named and described by Ivan Pavlov, who is best known for his work in classical conditioning. In his famous experiments with dogs, Pavlov demonstrated how a conditioned response could diminish over time when the conditioned stimulus was no longer paired with the unconditioned stimulus. However, he also observed that after a rest period, the conditioned response could reappear unexpectedly when the conditioned stimulus was presented again. This resurgence of the conditioned response, after a pause and without any additional training, is what Pavlov termed "spontaneous recovery." This concept is fundamental in understanding learning and behavior, especially in the context of extinction in classical conditioning.

The other figures listed made significant contributions to psychology and behavior analysis but did not specifically name or describe spontaneous recovery. B.F. Skinner is primarily associated with operant conditioning, John Watson is known for his work in behaviorism, and Albert Bandura is renowned for social learning theory, none of which directly address the specific phenomenon of spontaneous recovery as described by Pavlov.