Most young children put their hands over their ears when they hear the loud boom of firecrackers at a Canada Day festival,but at first pay scant attention to the person lighting the firecrackers.However,after just a few firecrackers have been exploded,some of the children put their hands over their ears as soon as they see the person approach the firecracker with a match! What is the unconditioned stimulus? A)the person lighting the firecrackers B)the loud booming sound made by the firecrackers C)the children putting their hands over their ears when they see the person about to light the firecrackers D)the children putting their hands over their ears when the firecrackers explode

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The unconditioned stimulus is the loud booming sound made by the firecrackers, as it is the natural trigger for the children to cover their ears in response to the noise. The person lighting the firecrackers may become associated with the loud boom through classical conditioning, but they are not the unconditioned stimulus. Option C and D describe conditioned responses, not the unconditioned stimulus.

Most Young Children Put Their Hands Over Their Ears When