The strongest associations between an unconditioned stimulus and a conditioned stimulus occur when:
A) they are presented at the exact same time
B) the unconditioned stimulus is presented slightly before the conditioned stimulus
C) the conditioned stimulus is presented slightly before the unconditioned stimulus
D) the conditioned response is presented during the conditioned stimulus

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The strongest associations between an unconditioned stimulus and a conditioned stimulus occur when the conditioned stimulus is presented slightly before the unconditioned stimulus. This is known as forward conditioning and allows the organism to anticipate the arrival of the unconditioned stimulus. When the conditioned stimulus predicts the occurrence of the unconditioned stimulus, it becomes a reliable indicator of it and the association between them is strengthened.

The Strongest Associations Between an Unconditioned Stimulus and a Conditioned