You feel fine when you sit down in the classroom, but as soon as the teacher announces a surprise quiz you immediately feel your pulse quicken and your stomach churn. Your reaction to the teacher's announcement is most likely a(n)

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

This reaction is a conditioned response because it is a learned reaction to the announcement of a surprise quiz. Over time, you may have associated surprise quizzes with stress or anxiety, leading to physical reactions like a quickened pulse and a churning stomach when a quiz is announced unexpectedly.  The conditioned response is whatever response the conditioned stimulus (the quiz) elicits as a product of learning (quick pulse and queasy feeling). If fear (of evaluation) elicits the natural reaction of quick pulse and queasy stomach and is paired often enough with a quiz, the quiz itself will take on some of the power to elicit the same behavior (quick pulse and queasy stomach).

You Feel Fine When You Sit Down in the Classroom