A mother turns on the radio right before she feeds her toddler each evening. After a few days, the child begins to open his mouth and hold out his spoon as soon as the mother turns on the radio. What is the radio in this example?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The radio has become the conditioned stimulus because it is now causing the toddler to anticipate and display the conditioned response (opening his mouth and holding out his spoon). The unconditioned stimulus would be the actual act of feeding the toddler, and the unconditioned response would be the toddler's natural reflex to open his mouth when food is presented.

A Mother Turns on the Radio Right Before She Feeds