Alejandro survives a plane crash that occurred because of a thunderstorm. Now, whenever he hears thunder, he gets anxious.
1. The plane crash
2. Fear because of the plane crash
3. Thunderstorm
4. Fear of thunder
Which of the options above is the:
Unconditioned response
Unconditioned stimulus
Conditioned response
Conditioned stimulus
Answer (1)
Alejandro's situation can be explained using the concepts of classical conditioning, which is a fundamental theory in psychology developed by Ivan Pavlov. Let's break down the options:
The Plane Crash : This is the original event that triggered the response of fear in Alejandro. In classical conditioning, this type of event is typically called the Unconditioned Stimulus (US) because it naturally and automatically triggers a response without prior conditioning.
Fear because of the Plane Crash : This is the natural emotional reaction that Alejandro experienced as a result of the plane crash. In classical conditioning, this reaction is known as the Unconditioned Response (UR) because it occurs naturally in response to the unconditioned stimulus.
Thunderstorm : The sound of thunder from a thunderstorm has become associated with the trauma of the plane crash in Alejandro's mind. As a result, the thunderstorm now causes a reaction. In classical conditioning, we call this a Conditioned Stimulus (CS) , which is a previously neutral stimulus that, after becoming associated with the unconditioned stimulus, eventually triggers a conditioned response.
Fear of Thunder : This is the learned response that Alejandro now exhibits when he hears thunder. It's no longer an automatic response to the crash but rather a learned response, hence it is called the Conditioned Response (CR) .
Therefore, when Alejandro hears thunder, he experiences anxiety because the thunder has become a conditioned stimulus that elicits a conditioned response of fear.
To conclude, based on the descriptions, the chosen options are:
Unconditioned stimulus : The plane crash.
Unconditioned response : Fear because of the plane crash.
Conditioned stimulus : Thunderstorm.
Conditioned response : Fear of thunder.
