AP Psych 3.7b Reading Questions, 2025-26

Using the reading, analyze how classical conditioning principles could explain why someone might develop anxiety about visiting a hospital, even when they're not sick.

• a. Define classical conditioning and identify the UCS, UCR, CS, and CR in this hospital scenario.

• b. Describe two specific aspects of the hospital environment that could become conditioned stimuli.

• c. Explain how this demonstrates the connection between classical conditioning and real-world emotional responses.

Compare Garcia and Koelling's taste aversion findings to Watson's Little Albert experiment in terms of what they reveal about the limits of classical conditioning.

• a. Describe one key finding from Garcia's research that challenged traditional conditioning assumptions.

• b. Explain how biological preparedness affected the outcomes in Garcia's study versus Watson's study.

• c. Analyze what these differences tell us about the role of evolution in learning processes.

Imagine you are a therapist working with a client who has developed a fear of driving after a car accident. Using principles from the reading, design a treatment approach.

• a. Identify which classical conditioning concepts (extinction, counterconditioning, etc.) would be most relevant to this case.

• b. Describe two specific therapeutic techniques you would use, explaining how they relate to conditioning principles.

• c. Predict potential challenges you might face and how biological preparedness could affect treatment success.

Evaluate the ethical implications of Watson's Little Albert experiment using both the standards of his time and modern research ethics.

• a. Define what made Watson's experiment significant for understanding learned fears.

• b. Identify two specific ethical problems with the study and explain why similar research cannot be conducted today.

• c. Judge whether the knowledge gained from this experiment justified the methods used, supporting your position with reasoning from the text.

Consider how classical conditioning affects substance abuse treatment. Choose two environmental factors mentioned in the reading that could trigger drug cravings, and explain their role in recovery.

• a. Define how classical conditioning creates drug cravings, using proper terminology from the reading.

• b. Describe how each environmental factor you chose could serve as a conditioned stimulus for someone in recovery.

• c. Analyze why understanding these conditioning processes is crucial for developing effective treatment strategies.

The reading states that "our preparedness to associate a CS with a UCS that follows predictably and immediately is adaptive." Why might this biological tendency sometimes work against us in modern life?

• a. Define preparedness and explain why it evolved as an adaptive mechanism.

• b. Provide two examples from the reading or your own experience where this tendency creates problems in contemporary society.

• c. Evaluate whether the benefits of biological preparedness outweigh its potential drawbacks in modern environments.

Imagine a scenario where a child develops a fear of all dogs after being bitten by one specific breed. Using concepts from the reading, predict how this fear might change over time.

• a. Identify the conditioning process involved and explain why generalization occurred.

• b. Predict two different outcomes that could happen: one where the fear increases and one where it decreases, using conditioning principles.

• c. Argue which outcome is more likely and what factors from the reading support your prediction.

The reading mentions that we might all be "walking warehouses of conditioned emotions." Reflect on how this concept applies to your own experiences with food preferences or emotional responses.

• a. Describe one food preference (positive or negative) you have that might be explained by classical conditioning principles.

• b. Identify the likely UCS, UCR, CS, and CR in your personal example, explaining your reasoning.

• c. Analyze how understanding these conditioned responses might help you or others make more conscious choices about behavior and emotions.