When the large dog next door barked suddenly, six-month-old Lara was startled. Now when she sees the dog, she cries. The dog's barking was a(n)

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The dog's barking is an unconditioned stimulus because it naturally (without prior conditioning) caused Lara to be startled, a reaction that did not require learning. The unconditioned stimulus (dog's barking) leads to an unconditioned response (being startled), which is a natural, unlearned reaction.

When the Large Dog Next Door Barked Suddenly, Six-Month-Old Lara