Josie has found that when she opens the cupboard door to get the cat food, the cats come running to the kitchen. Josie knows that this is classical conditioning and that the unconditioned stimulus is the __________.
A) cat food
B) cat
C) running of the cats
D) cupboard door opening

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The unconditioned stimulus (UCS) is the natural stimulus that triggers an involuntary response without any learning. In this scenario, the cat food is the UCS, because it naturally triggers the cats' response of running to the kitchen, without any prior conditioning.

Josie Has Found That When She Opens the Cupboard Door