Rachel is training her dog, Duke, to bark when there is a knock on the door. She already knows that the family cat will make Duke bark, so she decides to knock on the door and then open the door to reveal the cat in an effort to condition Duke to bark. What is serving as the unconditioned stimulus?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The unconditioned stimulus (UCS) is the stimulus that naturally elicits a response without any prior learning. In this scenario, the cat is the UCS as it is the natural stimulus that makes Duke bark. The knock on the door is not naturally associated with barking, and Rachel and Duke's bark are not stimuli in this context.

Rachel Is Training Her Dog, Duke, to Bark When There