Classical Conditioning Term Practice

Scenario: Pavlov rings a bell right before presenting food to a dog. Over time, the dog starts salivating upon hearing the bell, even when no food is given.

• Conditioned Stimulus (CS)

• Food

• Conditioned Response (CR)

• Salivation in response to the bell

• Unconditioned Response (UR)

• Bell (after being paired with food)

• Neutral Stimulus (NS)

• Salivation when food is presented

• Unconditioned Stimulus (US)

• Bell (initially)

Scenario: A child gets bitten by a dog and experiences pain and fear. Later, the child starts feeling scared whenever they see a dog, even if it’s friendly.

• Conditioned Response (CR)

• The sight of a dog

• Unconditioned Stimulus (US)

• Fear when seeing any dog

• Conditioned Stimulus (CS)

• Pain and fear from the bite

• Unconditioned Response (UR)

• The sight of a dog (after association with the bite)

• Neutral Stimulus (NS)

• A dog bite

Scenario: You wake up startled every morning to the loud sound of your alarm clock. Eventually, you feel the urge to wake up just by looking at the clock, even if it hasn’t gone off yet.

• Conditioned Stimulus (CS)

• Waking up startled

• Unconditioned Response (UR)

• Loud alarm sound

• Neutral Stimulus (NS)

• Waking up at the sight of the clock

• Unconditioned Stimulus (US)

• The alarm clock (after pairing with the sound)

• Conditioned Response (CR)

• The sight of the alarm clock

Scenario: A company runs a commercial showing their brand logo alongside images of happy families. Later, just seeing the logo makes viewers feel happy and warm.

• Neutral Stimulus (NS)

• Feeling happy when seeing the logo

• Unconditioned Response (UR)

• The brand logo

• Unconditioned Stimulus (US)

• An image of a happy family

• Conditioned Response (CR)

• The brand logo (after pairing with the happy image)

• Conditioned Stimulus (CS)

• Feeling of happiness and warmth

Scenario: Someone has a traumatic experience of falling off a ladder. Afterward, they feel a sense of fear and anxiety when they are in high places, even without falling.

• Unconditioned Stimulus (US)

• • High places (after association with the fall)

• Unconditioned Response (UR)

• • Fear of heights

• Conditioned Response (CR)

• • A fall or near-fall experience

• Neutral Stimulus (NS)

• • Fear and increased heart rate

• Conditioned Stimulus (CS)

• • Being at a high place

Scenario: A person eats chicken soup that has gone bad and becomes nauseous. Later, they feel nauseous just by smelling or seeing chicken soup, even if it’s fresh.

• :

• Unconditioned Response (UR)

• Spoiled food

• Conditioned Stimulus (CS)

• The smell or taste of chicken soup

• Neutral Stimulus (NS)

• • Nausea when smelling or tasting chicken soup

• Conditioned Response (CR)

• • Feeling nauseous

• Unconditioned Stimulus (US)

• • Chicken soup (after association with the spoiled food experience)

Scenario: A school bell rings to signal the start of recess every day. Over time, students feel excited when they hear the bell, even before they know it’s recess time.

• Conditioned Response (CR)

• The sound of the school bell

• Unconditioned Stimulus (US)

• • Recess break

• Unconditioned Response (UR)

• The school bell (after pairing with recess time)

• Conditioned Stimulus (CS)

• Feeling excited

• Neutral Stimulus (NS)

• Excitement when hearing the bell

Scenario: A person undergoes a painful dental procedure. Later, just sitting in the dentist’s chair or seeing dental tools makes them feel anxious, even without any procedure happening.

• Unconditioned Stimulus (US)

• • Anxiety and discomfort

• Conditioned Stimulus (CS)

• • The dentist’s chair (after being paired with the painful procedure)

• Conditioned Response (CR)

• • Anxiety upon seeing the dentist’s chair

• Neutral Stimulus (NS)

• • The dentist’s chair or dental office

• Unconditioned Response (UR)

• • Painful dental procedure

Scenario: A dog trainer uses a clicker sound every time they give the dog a treat. Eventually, the dog becomes excited and wags its tail whenever it hears the clicker, even if no treat follows.

• Unconditioned Response (UR)

• • The clicker sound (after being paired with treats)

• Conditioned Response (CR)

• • Treat or reward

• Neutral Stimulus (NS)

• • Dog feeling happy and wagging its tail

• Unconditioned Stimulus (US)

• • The sound of a clicker

• Conditioned Stimulus (CS)

• • Excitement or wagging tail at the sound of the clicker

Scenario: During a fire, a loud alarm rings to signal danger. Afterward, people feel panicked when they hear a similar alarm sound, even during a routine drill.

• Unconditioned Stimulus (US)

• • The fire or threat of fire

• Unconditioned Response (UR)

• • The fire alarm (after being paired with the threat of fire)

• Conditioned Response (CR)

• • Panic when hearing the alarm

• Conditioned Stimulus (CS)

• • The sound of the fire alarm

• Neutral Stimulus (NS)

• • Panic and running for safety