Tad's ex-girlfriend used to wear a rose-scented perfume. Since their bitter breakup, Tad has found that he feels angry whenever he smells this rose-scented perfume. In order for Tad to get to the point where smelling this perfume will no longer make him feel angry, he should ______.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

This is an example of classical conditioning, where Tad has associated the rose scent with his negative feelings towards his ex-girlfriend. By frequently exposing himself to the rose scent without the negative outcome (his ex-girlfriend), he can undergo extinction, where the conditioned response (anger) to the conditioned stimulus (rose scent) diminishes over time.

Tad's Ex-Girlfriend Used to Wear a Rose-Scented Perfume