AP PSYCHOLOGY

Detailed explanation-1: -In Pavlov’s experiment, the food was the unconditioned stimulus. An unconditioned response is an automatic response to a stimulus. The dogs salivating for food is the unconditioned response in Pavlov’s experiment. A conditioned stimulus is a stimulus that can eventually trigger a conditioned response.

Detailed explanation-2: -The unconditioned stimulus (UCS) is a stimulus that causes a response automatically. In Pavlov’s experiment, the UCS was the meat powder.

Detailed explanation-3: -Example: In Pavlov’s experiment, the unconditioned stimulus was the food given to the dog after he heard the bell. An involuntary (reflex) response to a naturally occurring or unconditioned stimulus.

Detailed explanation-4: -Pavlov (1927/1960) studied unconditioned reflexes with dogs. He found that placing meat powder in a dog’s mouth (US) elicits salivation (UR). The conditioning part of his experiment involved pairing various innocuous stimuli with the food, such that they preceded food delivery.

Detailed explanation-5: -In this example, the meat is actually the neutral stimulus, when paired with the deworming agent (UCS). The unconditional response is the feeling of being sick. Thus, the feeling of being sick (CR) was associated with the beef (CS), resulting in aversion to beef.