Classical conditioning has been the predominat discourse in cue exposure research in the addictions. It would be wrong, however, to restrict the definition of cue exposure exclusively to a conditioning theory based mechanism since there are many other possible explanations for the effects of exposure to cues. This paper proposes that cue exposure is a valuable investigative technique that can be studied from a variety of different perspectives that include social learning theory and other cognitive models. A potential of cue exposure is that it provides a means of developing an understanding of addictive behaviour that is firmly rooted in widely studied general theories of behaviour. Furthermore, it provides a methodology to test hypotheses and to study mechanisms of cue reactivity and the effects of cues on problem drinking. In the clinical area in particular, cue exposure affords a more precise method to study the phenomenon of relapse and ultimately, the effects of cue exposure on clinical outcome