Question

Whenever Erin first sees her boyfriend, her heart beats fast. And whenever her boyfriend comes to her dorm room and the door is closed, he knocks five times before entering the room. After a while, Erin's heart jumps with excitement whenever she hears five knocks. The knocking is a(n) ________ for Erin. a. unconditioned stimulus b. unconditioned response c. conditioned stimulus d. conditioned response

Short answer

The correct answer is c. conditioned stimulus.

Step-by-step solution

Understand the key concepts

First, let's briefly review the definitions of the four terms provided in the options. a. Unconditioned stimulus: A stimulus that naturally and automatically triggers a response without any learning or conditioning. b. Unconditioned response: A natural and automatic response to an unconditioned stimulus without needing to be learned. c. Conditioned stimulus: A previously neutral stimulus that, after being associated with an unconditioned stimulus, comes to trigger a conditioned response. d. Conditioned response: A learned response to a previously neutral stimulus (the conditioned stimulus) after being paired with an unconditioned stimulus.

Identify the unconditioned stimulus and response

In this situation, Erin's boyfriend is the unconditioned stimulus because his presence naturally and automatically triggers a response in Erin without any learning or conditioning. The unconditioned response is Erin's heart beating fast upon seeing her boyfriend.

Identify the conditioned stimulus and response

The conditioned stimulus in this situation is the five knocks. Initially, the knocks were a neutral stimulus, but after being associated with Erin's boyfriend's presence, they come to trigger a conditioned response in Erin. The conditioned response is Erin's heart jumping with excitement upon hearing the five knocks, which is a learned response after associating the knocks with her boyfriend's presence.

Choose the best answer to describe the knocking

Considering the given information and the definitions of the terms, the knocking is a "conditioned stimulus" for Erin because it's a neutral stimulus that has become associated with her boyfriend's presence and now triggers a conditioned response (her heart jumping with excitement). The correct answer is c. conditioned stimulus.

Key concepts

Unconditioned Stimulus

In the world of classical conditioning, the unconditioned stimulus (US) is a fascinating concept. It represents something that naturally triggers an automatic response without any prior learning involved. Think about it like this: if you smell your favorite food baking in the oven, you might start salivating. Here, the delicious aroma is the unconditioned stimulus.

In the provided example with Erin, her boyfriend acts as this unconditioned stimulus. He doesn't need to do anything special to get a reaction from Erin. Just his presence, naturally and automatically, makes her heart beat a little faster. Just as with the aroma of food, Erin's boyfriend always coolly triggers this response regardless of other factors.

Key Points to Remember:

• Triggers a response naturally and automatically
• No learning needed for the response to occur
• Examples include food aromas or a loved one's presence

Conditioned Stimulus

The conditioned stimulus (CS) is a hallmark of learned behavior in classical conditioning. Initially, it's simply neutral; it doesn't provoke a reaction on its own. But through the magic of association, it gains the power to elicit a response.

In our scenario involving Erin, the five knocks on the door are this conditioned stimulus. At first, knocking was just a sound, neither here nor there for Erin. However, as it became linked with her boyfriend's visits, the knocks began to hold new meaning. Over time, the knocks transformed from mere noise to a strong signal, making her heart respond just as it would when she sees her boyfriend.

Quick Facts:

• Starts off neutral
• Becomes associated with an unconditioned stimulus
• Eventually triggers a conditioned response

Conditioned Response

A conditioned response (CR) is an exciting result of learning and association. It emerges when a previously neutral stimulus, now a conditioned stimulus, triggers a reaction.

In Erin's situation, her heart jumping with excitement upon hearing the five knocks at her dorm door is the conditioned response. This reaction was not built-in; it took repeated instances of her boyfriend's knocks to forge this link. Before, hearing knocking might have been uneventful, but thanks to classical conditioning, it's now a signal for joy and anticipation.

Essentials about Conditioned Response:

• It's a learned reaction
• Triggered by a conditioned stimulus
• Reflects the power of association

Unconditioned Response

The unconditioned response (UR) is like an instinctive reflex. With no training or learning required, it's the automatic reaction to an unconditioned stimulus.

In the context of Erin's experience, her heart beating faster when she sees her boyfriend is this unconditioned response. Her heart's quickened pace doesn't result from weeks of learning; instead, it's immediate and natural, much like a comforting hug or the quenching sip of water when you're thirsty.

Unconditioned Response Rundown:

• Automatic and innate
• Directly linked to an unconditioned stimulus
• Requires no forethought or learning