Question 1

In classical conditioning, what is the best way to describe the conditioned response?

Accepted Answer

The conditioned response (CR) is learned because it is a response that is acquired through the association of a neutral stimulus with an unconditioned stimulus.

Question 2

Tara is a magazine fashion model, so cameras and flashbulbs are part of her life. She responds to the click of a camera with a slight contraction of her pupils, even when a flash bulb is not being used. What do we call this contraction of her pupils?

Accepted Answer

This is a conditioned response (CR) because Tara has learned to associate the sound of the camera click with the bright flash, causing her pupils to contract even without the flash.

Question 3

In which of the following cases did Pavlov find that conditioning worked best?

Accepted Answer

Pavlov found that conditioning worked best when the conditioned stimulus (CS) was presented just before the unconditioned stimulus (US), as this timing allows the CS to predict the US, leading to stronger associative learning.

Question 4

Last year Dr. Birosh cleaned Nancy's skin with rubbing alcohol before administering a series of painful rabies shots. Nancy now feels uncomfortable whenever she smells rubbing alcohol. Which statement is most accurate?

Accepted Answer

The rubbing alcohol became a conditioned stimulus (CS) because Nancy learned to associate its smell with the discomfort of the rabies shots.

Question 5

What does the informational view of learning emphasize?

Accepted Answer

The informational view of learning emphasizes the creation of mental expectancies, which are anticipations or predictions about future events based on past experiences.

Question 6

How do advertisers often try to use higher-order conditioning?

Accepted Answer

Advertisers use higher-order conditioning by associating their product with positive images or feelings, creating a conditioned response to the product itself.

Question 7

For those who advocate the informational view of conditioning, what is the end product (result) of conditioning?

Accepted Answer

The informational view of conditioning suggests that the end product of conditioning is the formation of expectations about events, as it emphasizes the role of cognitive processes in understanding and predicting outcomes.

Question 8

According to the informational view of learning, why is the response to the unconditioned stimulus (US) in classical conditioning eventually made to the conditioned stimulus (CS)?

Accepted Answer

The informational view of learning suggests that the organism learns to expect the unconditioned stimulus (US) when the conditioned stimulus (CS) is present, leading to the response being made to the CS.

Question 9

Which of the following is central to the informational view of learning?

Accepted Answer

Expectancies are central to the informational view of learning because they represent the learner's predictions about the outcomes of their actions. These predictions are based on the learner's past experiences and help them to make decisions about how to behave in new situations.

Question 10

After Pavlov had conditioned his dogs to salivate to the tone, he repeatedly presented the tone without presenting the food. What was the result?

Accepted Answer

Extinction occurs when the conditioned response (salivation) decreases after the conditioned stimulus (tone) is repeatedly presented without the unconditioned stimulus (food).

Question 11

What do we call the unexpected reappearance of old associations after extinction has occurred?

Accepted Answer

Spontaneous recovery is the unexpected reappearance of old associations after extinction has occurred.

Question 12

Sometime after a horse knocked him down at summer camp, Arnold overcame this fear and he went horseback riding regularly until camp ended. On the first day of camp the following summer, while being helped onto a horse, he started to cry and said he was scared. Why?

Accepted Answer

Spontaneous recovery refers to the sudden reappearance of a previously extinguished conditioned response after a period of no exposure to the conditioned stimulus. Arnold's fear of horses, which he had overcome, reappeared unexpectedly at the start of the next summer camp.

Question 13

What does the occurrence of spontaneous recovery in classical conditioning show?

Accepted Answer

Spontaneous recovery indicates that the learned association between the CS and the US is still present, even if it is not immediately apparent.

Question 14

The infant Albert developed a fear of white rats after they were associated with a loud noise. He eventually became afraid of anything that was white and fluffy. What process does this demonstrate?

Accepted Answer

This scenario demonstrates generalization, where the fear response to the white rat was extended to other white and fluffy objects.

Question 15

Micah is extremely afraid of rats but not of hamsters or gerbils, which are both very similar to rats. What phenomenon does this case illustrate?

Accepted Answer

Discrimination is the ability to distinguish between similar stimuli, in this case, Micah can differentiate between rats and other similar rodents like hamsters and gerbils.

Question 16

In classical conditioning, to respond differently to different stimuli is to do which of the following?

Accepted Answer

In classical conditioning, discrimination is the ability to differentiate between similar stimuli and respond differently to each one.

Question 17

Beth has learned to avoid a furry, black cat. However, she still plays with her grandmother's short-haired tabby. What does Beth's behaviour demonstrate?

Accepted Answer

Beth's behavior demonstrates discrimination, as she is able to distinguish between the furry, black cat she avoids and her grandmother's short-haired tabby that she still plays with.

Question 18

Which combination would most likely turn a conditioned emotional response (CER) into a phobia?

Accepted Answer

Generalization involves the extension of a conditioned response to stimuli that are similar to the original conditioned stimulus, which can lead to the development of a phobia if the response is fear-based.

Question 19

Which therapy is widely used to extinguish fears and phobias?

Accepted Answer

Desensitization, specifically systematic desensitization, is a therapy used to reduce phobias and fears by gradually exposing the patient to the fear-inducing object or situation in a controlled manner.

Question 20

What is the origin of many common phobias?

Accepted Answer

Many common phobias are believed to originate from classical conditioning, where a neutral stimulus becomes associated with a frightening event, leading to a fear response.

Quiz 6: Conditioning and Learning