Whenever Kim and Russ become romantic, they always play Ravel's classic instrumental work Boléro in the background. One day, as Kim is walking past a music appreciation class, she realizes that the class is listening to Ravel's Boléro. As she continues to walk down the hall, she smiles to herself as intimate thoughts of Russ cross her mind. Which of the following best represents the unconditioned stimulus in this example?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The unconditioned stimulus is something that naturally elicits a response without any conditioning. In this example, the natural response that Kim experiences is the intimate thoughts of Russ when they become romantic. Therefore, the unconditioned stimulus must be something that naturally occurs during their romantic interactions. The only option that fits this description is intimate physical contact with her partner, which is represented in the scenario by the mention of "intimate thoughts of Russ." The sound of Ravel's Boléro and the sight of the music appreciation classroom are not naturally associated with Kim's romantic feelings and would need to be conditioned to become a stimulus for this response. Sexual arousal in response to the classical work Boléro is another response that needs to be conditioned and cannot be considered the unconditioned stimulus.

Whenever Kim and Russ Become Romantic, They Always Play Ravel's