When a person has linked a neutral stimulus and an unconditioned stimulus so that now the neutral stimulus triggers the conditioned response,________ has occurred.
A) extinction
B) generalization
C) acquisition
D) spontaneous recovery

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The process described is classical conditioning and the stage where the neutral stimulus becomes associated with the unconditioned stimulus and triggers the conditioned response is known as acquisition. The other options are not appropriate in this scenario - extinction would refer to the weakening of the conditioned response if the neutral stimulus is no longer associated with the unconditioned stimulus, generalization would refer to the tendency for similar stimuli to also trigger the conditioned response, and spontaneous recovery would refer to the return of the conditioned response after a period of time following extinction.

When a Person Has Linked a Neutral Stimulus and an Unconditioned