Question

Penny was playing with the neighbor's dog when he subsequently bit her in the hand. Frightened, crying and bleeding (required 10 stitches) Penny came running in the house. Penny becomes frightened and filled with anxiety everytime she sees any type of dog now. Penny has been classically conditioned what is the NS, US, CS, UR, CR

Answer 1

• Penny has developed phobia of dogs after the incident.This could be explained through the process of classical conditioning.She has learnt to associate something which was a neutral stimulus,with something that triggers a fear response in her.After the conditioning has happened and association formed the neutral stimulus becomes a conditioned stimulus leading to a conditioned response of fear and anxiety,developing phobia in her.
• NS-the dog which intially did not cause any fear
• US-being bitten by the dog and getting stitches
• UR-frightened and crying response
• After conditioning;
• CS-the dog which now causes fear
• CR-fear and anxiety response due to seeing any dog.