Ashley is riding on an elevator when the lights suddenly go off and the elevator stops, trapping her inside. After an hour, electricity is restored and Ashley is able to safely
Exit the elevator. Ashley subsequently refuses to ride on an elevator because she is
"afraid." Ashley's fear is the result of ______.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Ashley's fear of riding on an elevator is a learned fear through classical conditioning. The fear response (unconditioned response) was triggered by the elevator stopping and the lights going off (unconditioned stimulus). After this event, Ashley associates the elevator with fear (conditioned response) and avoids riding on them in the future.

Ashley Is Riding on an Elevator When the Lights Suddenly