When Brett was only six years old, his older sister hid in his closet, then unexpectedly jumped out and scared him when he came into his dark bedroom. Brett is still terrified of the dark even as an adult. Based on principles of classical conditioning, what is Brett's fear of the dark?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Brett's fear of the dark is a conditioned response because it was learned through the pairing of a previously neutral stimulus (darkness) with an unconditioned stimulus (the scare from his sister). Over time, the darkness became associated with the fear response, leading to a conditioned response of fear.

When Brett Was Only Six Years Old, His Older Sister