Whenever Kim and Russ make love, they always play Ravel's classic instrumental work "Boléro" in the background. One day, as Kim is walking past a music appreciation class, she realizes that the class is listening to Ravel's "Boléro." As she continues to walk down the hall, she smiles to herself as erotic thoughts of Russ cross her mind. Which of the following best represents the unconditioned stimulus in this example?

Question

Whenever Kim and Russ make love, they always play Ravel's classic instrumental work "Boléro" in the background. One day, as Kim is walking past a music appreciation class, she realizes that the class is listening to Ravel's "Boléro." As she continues to walk down the hall, she smiles to herself as erotic thoughts of Russ cross her mind. Which of the following best represents the unconditioned stimulus in this example?

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The unconditioned stimulus in this example is the intimate physical contact with her partner, as it naturally produces sexual arousal without any conditioning needed. Ravel's "Boléro" has been paired with this unconditioned stimulus and may now serve as a conditioned stimulus, but it is not the unconditioned stimulus itself. The sight of the musical appreciation classroom and sexual arousal in response to "Boléro" are not unconditioned stimuli in this scenario.

Whenever Kim and Russ Make Love, They Always Play Ravel's